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Taking its name from a region in Norway, telemark skiing is obscure even to many outdoor athletes. Suffice to say, it’s harder than snowboarding, slower than downhill skiing and more elegant than both. In telemark, the skis generally attach to the boot via cross-country style bindings. This makes them easy to walk or ski the flats.

Telemarktips.com offers useful strategies to improve form, conditioning and overall fun. The site offers the usual gear reviews and news, but it was born four seasons ago as a tip sheet, and that is how it sets itself apart. Post a video of yourself in action on telemark skis, and benefit from online critiques by a worldwide peanut gallery.

Only 7,000 pairs of telemark skis were sold last ski season in North America, but Laguna Beach-based Telemarktips.com registered a quarter-million hits, making it a rare Web success story.

-- Emmett Berg