by RadRab » Fri Nov 25, 2005 7:34 am
Bs"D
Mr.T,
You are intitled to your opinion, and, actually, I commend you for not only questioning the master, but expressing it (and he is not perfect!). However, I do think you were closer to the truth when you also admited that you are confused. You are not positive that this is bad, or worse skiing, so you are still open. Hopefully, your question will lead to clarity.
If you want the best answer you really will have to wait for HH himself, but to sort of hold you over I will make an amatuer attempt.
First of all, understand that this was a series of pretty short and pretty aggressive high angle racing turns. They were not all out full angle WC Slalom turns, but not more relaxed free skiing either.
In my opinion, HH does sometimes look less elegant in this form, but certainly not out of form. Take a look at his 2 videos. He always looks great in them all over the mountain - and with what you call a narrower stance. In this (non-edited) "racing" series, he is still using proper PMTS/HH technique and very effectively carving up the side of that hill as he remains in great balance.
I don't see any A-frame. The extra width that you see may be misleading. When one makes higher angle more dynamic turns - using upper body countering movements, there will have to be the correct verticle seperation of the feet. The legs will still be fairly close, but the skis will have a seperation. You must retract the inside free foot to make room and let your body drop into the turn. Take a look at the picture accompanying Harald's post here. The ski are apart on the snow, but his legs are fairly close together. His inside boot is very close to his stance leg's knee. It is a verticle seperation of the feet, not what is taught elsewhere. You will find on recent threads many pictures of WC racers doing the same.
Watch the "Carving" section again from Video 2.
There may be less than usual of a return to narrow between turns (where the new inside ski draws close to the new stance ski through the fall line), but it is still there. Look at the accompaning montage next to the video clip.
See ya