Ina Fassbender / Reuters

A man jumps during the 'Nostalgic Ski Race' in the town of Neuastenberg, Germany.

Ina Fassbender / Reuters

Vintage skis and sticks.

Ina Fassbender / Reuters

Reuters photographer Ina Fassbender describes the scene at the 'Nostalgic Ski Race' in the German town of Neuastenberg:

I saw the first competitor arriving, a man dressed in an old-fashioned manner, with wooden skis and bamboo sticks in his hands. He wore some kind of fur on his back, looking like a poacher. He was joined by women with long black skirts, a boy with an old leather satchel, teenage girls in Bavarian leather trousers, young and old, men and women, about 40 competitors altogether.

The short and not too steep racing track was like a small island, surrounded by the modern ski community. Everybody was wondering where all these strange people came from. It was a jubilee race, marking 300 years since the foundation of the small city of Neuastenberg. Most of the competitors knew each other. The youngest participant was a 7-year-old girl and the eldest was about 65 years old.

Read more at Reuters' Photographers Blog.

Editor's note: Pictures taken on Feb. 17, 2013 and made available to NBC News today.

Ina Fassbender / Reuters

A man checks his son's skis before the race.

Ina Fassbender / Reuters

The 'Nostalgic Ski Race' is held every two years with about 40 participants and is organized by the ski club of Neuastenberg, a town which was founded in 1713.

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