Slalom skiing?

Question

Does any body know anything about slalom skiing? I've done it a few times but i don't really know how to cut or anything cool like that. any ideas? THanks

Answer 1

don't worry about course skiing. that can come later. the key to skiing well is to keep the ski on one edge or the other. you don't want all your weight on the back. that makes for wheelie action. weight distribution should be 40/60. use leverage against the boat rather than tons of pull with your arms. after you cross the 2nd wake, start your egde change. put more weight on the front of the ski to slow it down. the ski should be on edge and sholuld turn itself. a flat ski will not initiate a turn. also go on ski mag web site. there are all kinds of tips .

Have fun!

Answer 2

for me, it was all about learning to shift my weight to my rear foot to control the ski.  once I learned that, everything else came naturally.

remember to keep your weight back, and the harder you push on the back of the ski, the more control you will get.  (assuming the boat is going fast enough)

bend your knees a bit at first when you are cutting back and forth and you will find that you can maintain balance better than with a stiff knee, front or back.

I pull on the tow rope, and lean away from it as hard as I can, trying to find the very smallest edge of the ski I can ski on, all the while keeping your weight pulling away from the boat. the boat will literally keep you from tipping over if you keep the rope taught.

experiment, dont hesitate to work with the boat driver if you need more or less speed.  thumbs up for more, thumbs down for less, ok sign for good

Answer 3

If you have done it enough to where you're not reluctant to come in hard to the wake then you are probably ready to start making some hard cuts and leaning into the turns. Use a ski of proper size for your weight and one that is designed for the intermediate skier. This ski will have edges that are rounded off at the bottom, a tail that narrows substantially more than that of the "single" ski of a combo set, a moderate amount of rocker (this refers to the bend in the ski as you look down the length of it), an aggresive fin, a fairly large tunnel design and good quality neoprene lined bindings to keep your feet firmly in place. This ski will allow you to lean over while you make your cuts and to get very aggresive while at the same time being somewhat forgiving when making mistakes and allowing you to pull out of what may have been a nasty wipeout if using a ski that is too advanced for your level. Always use a single handle rope and invest in some decent quality gloves as this will allow you a better grip without having to sueeze as hard on the handle. As you cut into the wake lean back with your knees slightly bent and when you hit the wake push down a little on your front foot. This will keep the front of the ski from popping up and you will have more control. The idea is to have the ski always in contact with the water unless you are just goofing around. You should still be leaning back and to the outside until after you have cleared the wake. For your transition into the turn straiten up and lean forward slightly, I said slightly! This will allow the slack to be taken out of the rope. Initiate your cut back into the wake and lean back and into the turn. Keep the handle low about waist high and pull it to you for more rapid acceleration into the wake. This will also help in protecting your ribs as your arms will take up some of the impact should you fall. The more you practice the more comfortable it will be to really lean hard into your cuts. You will have a dominate side depending on which foot you have forward. With practice you will be able to turn and cut just as well from one side as the other. Try different speeds as this will greatly effect your ability to make nice cuts if you're not at the right speed for you. After getting to the point where you have no dominant side and you have a nice rithym you may want to try a run through a coarse. It will help greatly to have someone there with experience in the coarse. Use of a spray shield on your back leg will eliminate some very painful bruising about half-way up your calf. This is caused by the spray of water coming from the ski when you cut really hard. Be sure to use a vest that will protect your ribs!!!  If you have never had broken ribs it really, really hurts, and it takes a while to recover from it eliminating valuable ski time and income if you rely on your body to make a living.