h.harb wrote:... see how long he delays the pressure and how much he develops angles without pressure. in other words he never pushes on the ski. He creates angles and then locks in the CA, and increases tipping, angles, by flexing at the apex and under the gate.
Houdini wrote:... you release with pronounced flexing and then develop your angles for the new turn before your new stance ski even contacts the snow. Almost like you are skiing in air.
These two comments reminded me of the Egan & Deslaurier brothers' so-called "Airplane Turn". When launching off a bump or jump where they wanted to be turning as soon as they landed, the instruction (from memory) was:
1. As your feet pass over the crest, flex your legs deeply and pull your feet up beneath your butt;
2. While in the air, keep your feet together and smoothly tip them toward the edge angles you'll need at the apex of the upcoming turn;
3. Just before touchdown, extend your legs just enough to absorb the landing. The outside leg extends more, so that it becomes the stance leg. Try to land "soft"... ie, no more pressure on the skis than needed for balance.
Done correctly, you'll be in mid-turn the instant your edges touch the snow.
The Airplane Turn is actually the High-C with NO PRESSURE on the tipping skis, since they're in mid-air. An ideal demonstration of early angles without pressure.
I don't remember them discussing CA, but my recollection is that they used it... perhaps unconciously? This was before they consulted with Harald, so they didn't convey the complete set of movements that we now have in PMTS.
Anyway, amazing skiing by Gross and proof that the movements we learn here are effective at the biggest level. Thanks Harald for the writeup.