Dynamic Transition

What

Developing the transition combines the release and create phases of the turn and is the first step towards performance skiing. A medium radius turn should be round, predominantly carved, and within a 12 to 15 metre corridor (three to four groomer widths).

Why

Performance skiing is the highest level of skiing, it is the most exhilarating and satisfying feeling a skier can have.

How

Develop vertical movements of the legs to manage the increase in pressure felt through the transition, and lateral movements of the legs and body to transition the CoG from one turn to the next smoothly.

Skills

Situational Understanding

• Increase the speed of travel, allowing performance skiing to take place
• Use steep blue, red or easy black groomed slopes
• If using a wider ski, edging will become harder, resulting in inefficient movements to edge the ski
• Develop awareness of the transition, combine the release and create phases for performance skiing
• Develop awareness of flexion to aid edge release

Active Stance & Balance

• Develop a greater range of flexion through the release of the turn to smoothly manage the pressure from one turn to the next
• Use extension to guide the CoG forward with the skis through the create phase, maintaining a centred stance at higher speeds

Outside Ski Balance

• Develop the timing of outside ski balance and weight shift to coincide with extension of the new outside leg through the transition

Edging

• Allow the CoG to move further inside the turn during the create phase, this is facilitated by travelling at higher speeds
• Use inclination of the legs to initiate the lateral movement inside the turn
• Combine flexion and lateral movement of the CoG across the skis to time the release of the turn

Steering

• Manage leg steering to minimise ski rotation throughout the turn
• Use rotational movement of the legs to roll the femurs from one turn to the next during the transition

Ski Snow Interaction

• Steering angle will be minimal throughout the turn and begin to be created by utilising ski design
• Use edge angle to predominantly control the size and shape of the turn
• The platform angle will reach 90 degrees in the control phase, establishing grip and a groove for the ski to travel forward in

Terrain

Steeper blue/red groomed terrain or easy black groomed terrain.

Class Handling

One area that you are encouraging is a little more speed, so make sure that where you do this on the mountain is suitable. If it is too busy, or too bumpy, you might need to rethink and try this on another day. Don’t forget to educate your students about looking ahead and visualising where they are going, so that they can anticipate something in front of them that may require a change in their path to manage their own safety. Encourage students to space out when performance skiing.