Month: December 2019

Kyle & Elizabeth – South Texas (real south). Great storm, powder skiing, thx for bringing the snow. Alignment of shoulders/hips/knees/feet, goal to always be in balance with proper alignment, less reliance on inside ski (but it still needs some pressure to be a partner with the outside ski), ski release (tipping) at initiation, every turn has some skid and shaping, speed control with shaping and direction of travel, steering both feet together, how to skid with both skis simultaneously, more rounded turns, patience at initiation, patience a finish, flexion in ankles/knees/hip, the hip is an active player facing the outside of the turn. Peaks 7 & 8 … found a few spots with ‘significant’ powder, managing pressure on both skis all the way around the turn starts to make powder skiing fun (this statement will make sense someday). Great day, more greatness tomorrow.

Tyla & Lindsay – Capetown and Houston. Full moon tonight at 12:12AM – play with the numbers. Getting out of the wedge and high edge angle skis, keeping knee over boot, sliding on corresponding edges, shaping the turn, larger radius, initiate with tipping the new inside ski, shin/boot pressure, position of strength, hips more inside the turn, arms up and forward, leg steering both skis at same time, 60/40 pressure distribution, speed control with friction and turn shape, patience with a rounder turn. First blue slope (Springmeire), Colorado Super Chair. Terrific progress ladies, time to go play with the blue slopes on Peak 9.

Paola, Jose, Valery, Javier – Mexico City, Spain, Colombia. L1 to L3/4, wedge slides, wedge turns, matching in the traverse, more balance on outside ski, tipping inside ski to release, leg steering, bigger turns, don’t rush things, arms out for balance, look where you are going, turn to control speed, 5 runs down Rip’s Ride, lunch at the Living Room. Well done … from ‘never skied’ to skiing easy green with wedge turns and wedge christies. Enjoy your days in Breckenridge, come back some day!

Jennifer – Wauwatosa, WI. Pearl Harbor Day! Balance (hips over feet), pressure on shins and front of heel, early edge change, pressure new outside ski from top of turn, body counterbalance as coming on to the new edge, hip and shoulder facing outside of new turn, alignment of ski/boots/knees/hips/shoulders/hands/arm, pole plant, keep the hips and upper body facing outside the turn (that would be down the mountain at bottom of turn), lots of follow the leader. Peaks 7 & 8, Dukes and Northstar. Good progress Jennifer, you earned the hot tub and a glass of wine … fun day, thank you.

Ashley – Omaha. Getting out of the wedge!

Leg steering, tipping, hops, flex/extend, where is the balance, arms/hands up higher, skidding, lots of skidding, tipping the new inside ski to initiate (don’t think that worked so well), more balance on outside turning ski, bigger turns, shaping and friction for speed control, tipping the inside ski to match, side slips, upper body position for alignment and strength (photographer see the zipper), steering both feet together, letting the tips drift into the all line, every turn has skidding and steering. You are a trooper Ashley, know the energy level at day’s end was low …. practice the side slips and work them into every turn!!!!!! Cheers.

Elyse & Denise- Denver and ‘somewhere back East’ (sorry Denise, can’t remember where you live). Elyse working on matching, Denise a Vail employee working on instructor technique. How a turn is initiated, early tipping, balancing on outside ski (not 100%), leg steering, arm and hand position, position of strength, where is balance area on foot, sliding, ‘smearing’, turn shape and friction to control speed, completing the turn, hip and shoulder rotation (show the photographer the zipper), how much weight on each ski (maybe 80% outside ski, 20% inside ski), initiate turn with new inside ski (this is a hard concept). Well done ladies, good day, Happy Holidays!

Dhruv – Dallas. Now it’s December, wow, winter is racing. Committing to turning ski, early edge change, tip first-then steer, hip and shoulder counter for strength, pressure the outside ski all the way around the turn, tip the old outside ski first to minimize the wedge, pole balance, arm and hand position, use the pole touch to initiate the turn (bringing the hips over the skis to facilitate edge change), checked off all items for L6 on the EMA card, Dukes (black), lots of Crescendo and bumps, pick you bump (don’t take just any one), one ski linked turns (these were hard), be patient with the turn (rushing leads to twisting which leads to loss of edge grip). Good progress Dhruv, see you next year.