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Snow skiing crossover


MrJones
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I almost just added this comment to the "Snow ski priced out of middle class" thread, but figured I might as well start fresh. I admit to being a bit jealous of you all who like close enough to mountains to snow ski often. I am sitting here at Copper Mtn CO wrapping up our week of skiing. Unfortunately it has been 3 years since we last went. I had forgotten how much I enjoy this.

 

While I was mainly focused on having fun with the kids, I couldn't help but think of the crossover between the two sports. I can see how JB looked so balanced on a slalom. The amount of snow skiing it seems he does must have been a huge help. Hope he is still carving up the snow somewhere even if he seems to have disappeared from the water ski world.

 

When it finally warms up at home enough to hit the water, I am planning to try a little of the stuff I felt this week. Would love to "go snow" again in the late spring, but that goes back to the previous thread I mentioned.

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@mrjones - I just got back from skiing at Canyons in Park City, UT. It has also been 3 years since I have been on the slopes. Can't believe how much similarity there is between snow skiing and waterskiing. The one advantage to snow skiing is that you have a LOT LONGER to practice than water skiing. Either way - carving turns water or snow is pure joy!
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5 days of skiing in the last week. 3 snow days in Utah and 2 at the Quarry with 60+ water and 75+ air with no wind and sunshine. Edge change while still outbound and lower body moving thru the apex toward the centerline... repeat as necessary
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This weekends Nastar Midwest Championships, had fun and had no chance of winning my age class. 3 of the fastest 40-44 guys in the country kick my butt in our league every wed night. Biggest wins of the weekend were maintaining my handicap against AJ and winning about $200 worth of raffle goodies.

 

One of me

http://oldjeep.com/images/Nastar%20Midwest/51705819-nastar-1128.jpg

And AJ Kitt doing it right ;)

http://oldjeep.com/images/Nastar%20Midwest/51705987-nastar-104.jpg

 

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Its seems right that there would be a lot of cross over between the snow and summer sports, however it always seemed hard to translate that similarity when on 2 skis on snow and not ever learning the true snow slalom technique. That is until I watched this clip from the New York Times. It is worth your time, trust me. Dont forget to scroll down the page (thats how you get it to move on to the next segment). You can really see the cross functionality here.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/sochi-olympics/giant-slalom.html

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You can see how they relate with small kids. They can make the connection far easier. This is the case with mine, where all the angulation, vertical head position and balance translate into progress in both sports. The problem is with us old farts...

 

Same thing applies to coaching. My 6 year old daughter improved dramatically in the water after one strong snow season. She started trick skiing 4 weeks ago, with a fin. Now she is dock starting and doing 180s. For dock starts, she gets an instruction on how to put the ski, and she just does it. First try. I have had excellent coaching over the last few years, and I still drop my head and shoulder in 2 and 4.

 

So, If you are over 40, a good season in the snow will not translate instantly in more buoys (unless it involved shaving pounds from the belly). If you are 14 or less, it will.

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@drewski, when looking at Ted, you are looking at Nate in hard water. Neither AJ, @oldjeep or I can do anything close to that (nor can most world class skiers). He is doing that with R>=35m skis. Those things DO NOT TURN. He is friggin' umbelievable. Like Nate...
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I'm fortunate to live 10 mins from Copper, and, feel like I have it pretty good for water skiing too. I like to think of it as skiing the snow twice...once on the mountain, and, again, shortly after it melts. There's a few trade-offs...short season, cold air, colder water, boat gasps for air at 8K feet (so do I), and I have to bribe the wife to drive, but, we get some incredibly glassy, crystal clear/clean water, and beautiful scenery!

 

I find the emphasis on forward boot pressure, knees flexed/forward of toes, etc, very similar.

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I am jealous Smitty. Hadn't been to Copper in a long time and loved it. The wife and I were conspiring how to buy a rental condo there "some day" as an investment and place to go on vacation. Until then maybe we can at least go a little more regularly.

 

After the week I am planning on trying a stiffer liner in my front shell. Playing with strap tension made a difference last week on the snow. I have had a worn out, but comfortable, Reflex liner for the past couple of years. Believe I am going to try and new overlap style and see if I feel a difference.

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@MrJones, I had a very similar epiphany about 10 years ago (after a multi-year hiatus due to kids). The similarities are definitely there. I found the key to be keeping all the motion from the hips down and the upper body still. A good fundamental rule that can be practiced on snow and water.

 

Maybe we can work a deal on a timeshare:)

If it was easy, they would call it Wakeboarding

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@Skoot1123‌ - We just renewed our passes for canyons. If you make it out this way get in touch with me. I'd be more than happy to show you the mountain. This year I've managed to ski 66 days so far. Would've been more, but I was stuck in Oklahoma for 3 weeks and could only commute to vail on the weekends.
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