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- Dec 2, 2015
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Well, yeah. What @Read Blinn was talking about was the densest, hardest stuff. Not grippy.@James, shouldn't that really depend on the ice density?
Ok. So, what's this high 'C' carving you're talking about? A great theory, let's just carve the top of the turn because that gives us more speed control. Those who usually refer to that have a different definition of carving- something other than tail follows tip in a single line or very close to it. A brushed carve for instance.- controlled skid essentially.@James, Technique should be the biggest factor of concern regarding grip on ice: dampened movements, weighted transitions, early carving in the high "C", and actually carving the ski "fore to aft" for increased penetration is ALL we can do after the terrain and ski is said and done.
Any type of pitch and carving of the top, middle, and bottom. Or are we skidding the bottom? Then it would seem silly to carve the top, high 'C'. So, our completely carved turn, on pitch, now has doing 30mph. On the first turn. Let's go for the next. Wait, there's no room! Out of trail. If there is room by turn 2 you're really flying. So is a fully carved turn the answer? I'd love to see it on the entry to National at Stowe. Then what to do with all the speed entering the mogul field?
The other thing about world cup skiing is what event? There's almost no,(basically none but let's leave a modicum of possibility), high 'C' in a world cup slalom turn. On ice. They just don't do it. Maybe back in the early, early 2000's when men were on 155's and slalom was a mini gs. Not since.
But let's look. World's best, Hirscher, slo mo couple of average slalom turns, then a flush which isn't relevant.
What do we have? No top of turn, it's a massive pivot; unweighted transitions, (skis are in the air); sliding/skiding! on massive edge angle; then hook up at the bottom of the turn, skis at near max edge angle of 60-70 deg. No high 'C' at all. More like a low 'J' turn. Very typical of modern, and straight ski, slalom.
To do that requires massive commitment to the turn, super high edge angle, very sharpedges, lots of strength. Probably using a 0.5/5 deg.
Still, no high c, no upside down, at all.
So in a rec setting, why not skid the top, then get the edges at high angle and try to hook up somewhere after the fall line? When that hooking up will change your direction instead of adding speed? Kind of like Hirscher does. But at a much lower level. Very much of an on/off edge action just feathered.