# Grass Skiing (DD-074)

> Grass skiing was invented in Germany by Josef Kaiser of Geislingen an der Steige; sources date it between 1960 and 1966. It began as summer training for alpine skiers. Grass skis run on tracks of small rollers, about 192 rolls in a typical pair. A European Cup started in 1971 and European Championships in 1976, and the first World Championships were held in 1979 at Bryce Resort in Virginia. The International Grass Ski Federation ran the World Championships until 1985, when the International Ski Federation (FIS) took over the sport and the federation dissolved. The sport is still raced under FIS today, with a World Cup since 2000.

- Department: History (also Locations)
- First published: 2026-02-24
- Last updated: 2026-02-24
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/grass-skiing/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **1960s**: Josef Kaiser invents the grass ski in Germany (sources give 1960 to 1966)
- **1971**: The first grass-skiing European Cup is held
- **1976**: The first European Championships; Germany's ski association adds a grass-skiing section
- **1978**: Austria's ski association adds a grass-skiing section
- **1979**: The first World Championships are held at Bryce Resort, Virginia
- **1985**: The FIS takes over grass skiing; the International Grass Ski Federation dissolves
- **2000**: A World Cup replaces the European Cup

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=grass-skiing

## Quick facts

- **DD-074-F01**: The first Grass Skiing World Championships were held in 1979 in Virginia, not in Europe. _(Write-up · Exhibit D (World Championships))_
- **DD-074-F02**: The International Ski Federation (FIS) has governed grass skiing since 1985. _(Write-up · Exhibit E (FIS takes over))_

## Write-up

Skiing without snow. Grass skis roll on tracks of tiny rollers, and they've had their own world championships since 1979.

1. **Invention**: Josef Kaiser of Geislingen an der Steige, near Stuttgart, invented the grass ski. Sources date it between 1960 and 1966. It was first used as summer training for alpine skiers.
2. **The skis**: A typical pair of grass skis has about 192 rolls and some 1,500 parts. They're made to be carved, so skiers can't snowplow or hockey-stop.
3. **Early competition**: A European Cup began in 1971 and European Championships in 1976. Germany's ski association added a grass-skiing section in 1976, and Austria's followed in 1978.
4. **World Championships**: The first World Championships were held in 1979 at Bryce Resort in Virginia. Later hosts included Alberschwende, Austria (1981), Kiama, Australia (1983) and Nobeyama, Japan (1987).
5. **FIS takes over**: The International Grass Ski Federation ran the World Championships until 1985. That year the FIS took grass skiing in at its Vancouver congress, and the grass ski federation voted to dissolve.
6. **Still raced**: The World Championships are held every two years under the FIS. A World Cup replaced the European Cup in 2000, and Iran won the 2015 World Cup team title.

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## Reel vs. record

- **Correction**: grass skiing didn't start in the 1980s. Josef Kaiser invented it in Germany in the 1960s, a European Cup began in 1971, and the first World Championships were in 1979. The 1980s were a peak of popularity. [Grasski.at; SnowTrex; The Ski Journal]
- **Correction**: the International Grass Ski Federation ran the World Championships only until 1985. That year the FIS took over the sport and the federation dissolved, so the sport has been run by the FIS ever since. [German Wikipedia; Grasski.at]
- **Missing context**: it wasn't only European. The first World Championships were held at Bryce Resort, Virginia, in 1979, and others followed in Australia (1983) and Japan (1987). [German Wikipedia]
- **Now**: the sport is still raced. World Championships are held every two years under the FIS, a World Cup has run since 2000, and Iran won the 2015 team title. [SnowTrex; The Ski Journal]
- **Nuance**: racing grass skis run on tracks of small rollers (about 192 rolls per pair), not wheels. Confirmed: Germany, Italy and Austria were early adopters, with Switzerland too, and Austria and Italy have hosted World Championships (Alberschwende 1981, Asiago 1993). [The Ski Journal; Grasski.at; German Wikipedia]

## Video: Grass Skiing: Skiing Without Snow

- Duration: 25.4 s · Published: 2026-02-24
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DVJ1YtuAQ5x.mp4

### Transcript

DID YOU KNOW? In the 1980s summer grass skiing gained popularity in parts of Europe as a warm weather alternative to traditional snow skiing. Instead of skis sliding on snow, athletes used specialized skis fitted with small rolling tracks or wheels that allowed them to glide over short, well-kept grass slopes. The sport was especially active in countries like Austria, Germany, and Italy, where competitive events and even world championships were held under the International Grass Ski Federation. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Who invented the grass ski?**  
A: He was from Geislingen an der Steige, near Stuttgart. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Invention) · Geschichte (Grasski.at, Austrian grass skiing); Grass skiing? We've the details about skiing on green slopes (SnowTrex); Grassholes (The Ski Journal))_

**Q: About how many rolls are on a typical pair of grass skis?**  
A: A pair has about 1,500 parts in all. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The skis) · Grassholes (The Ski Journal))_

**Q: Where were the first World Championships held?**  
A: They were held at Bryce Resort in 1979. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (World Championships) · Grasski-Weltmeisterschaft (German Wikipedia))_

**Q: Which body took over grass skiing in 1985?**  
A: The International Grass Ski Federation then dissolved. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (FIS takes over) · Geschichte (Grasski.at, Austrian grass skiing); Grasski-Weltmeisterschaft (German Wikipedia))_

**Q: Which country won the 2015 World Cup team title?**  
A: The sport has spread far beyond the Alps. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit F (Still raced) · Grasski-Weltmeisterschaft (German Wikipedia); Grass skiing? We've the details about skiing on green slopes (SnowTrex); Grassholes (The Ski Journal))_

## Sources

- [Geschichte (Grasski.at, Austrian grass skiing)](http://www.grasski.at/geschichte/)
- [Grasski-Weltmeisterschaft (German Wikipedia)](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasski-Weltmeisterschaft)
- [Grass skiing? We've the details about skiing on green slopes (SnowTrex)](https://www.snowtrex.co.uk/magazine/interviews-reports/grass-skiing/)
- [Grassholes (The Ski Journal)](https://theskijournal.com/blogs/exclusives/grassholes)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Grass Skiing." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-074, last updated Feb 24, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/grass-skiing/