Bruce Eaves

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Technical Director and Instructor for Ski le Gap. Also teaches weekends with Tremblant, training their instructors and coaching adult racing.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Mont Tremblant, Que., Ski le Gap.

Role Within the CSIA: CSIA Level 4 Course Conductor.

Sponsor: Rossignol.

Skiing Philosophy: Skiing is a never-ending learning process. With guidance, we're always striving to perform better.

Timing the Pole Plant

In the second half of the turn, the basket of the pole is gradually brought forward in preparation for the next turn. As the pole comes forward, all the joints (ankles, knees and hips) are gradually moving inside the arc of the turn to create more edge angle.

When these two actions are combined together, it creates symmetrical and round turns. After the basic ski technique has been learned, this tactic provides an opportunity to refine the turns as well as add rhythm to your skiing.

Demonstration: Vincent Lafontaine

Warren Jobbit

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Full-time on snow with PDPs, courses and contract work with ski schools. Also owner of Ultimate Fit Centre, a bootfitting shop in Banff, and General Manager of Ultimate Ski & Ride in Banff.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Living in Canmore, AB. I continue to be involved with some of the ski schools in the Bow Valley.

Role Within the CSIA: DP Coordinator Alberta/Central, Course Supervisor - Alberta, Alberta/Central Steering Committee Rep., Level 4 Course Conductor.

Sponsor: Skis Dynastar.

Skiing Philosophy: In the past, my philosophy was always about trying to make the perfect turn. In addition to that now, I believe skiing is about pushing your own personal limits and this will lead you to the perfect turn. Enjoy every day on the slopes and share your passion with others.

Hop to it! – developing a centred stance

To develop good stance try this drill on groomed blue runs at moderate speeds. Take a few little hops as you are changing edges. Focus on pushing off your feet so the hop is generated from the ground up. All joints should be involved in the hop, but there is no need to come off the snow very much at all.

As you hop, establish balance over your outside ski. Be sure to pivot the legs first to initiate the direction change. You should feel most of your weight under the ball/arch of your outside foot. Once you have a centred feeling, reduce the hops until you are keeping your skis on the snow at all times. You will gain control of your speed and direction change.

A variation of this drill is to drag your poles to stabilize your upper body while looking for balance on the outside foot.
As you gain confidence, gradually pick up the speed and steepness of terrain.

Demonstration: Steve Smart

Jean-Louis Groleau

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Technical Director and Owner of École de ski Mont Garceau.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Mont Garceau, Saint-Donat, Que

Role Within the CSIA: CSIA Level 3 Course Conductor.

Sponsor: Rossignol.

Skiing Philosophy: Beyond physics principles and skiing techniques, sensory abilities enable the skier to apply the technique using good pressure control. As a result, the necessary edging is applied to cut through the snow and feel the turn acceleration. This reflects an efficient run at expert speed without feeling disrupted.

Edging Perceptions

For most skiers, especially in hard snow conditions, edging is an essential skill. But one misconception of many advanced and expert skiers is that more edging is better. Edge increase must be adjusted according to the variety of turns, the skier’s speed, as well as terrain and snow conditions.

Good edging is not necessarily putting the skis at a maximum angle each turn. Heavy edging will slow down a skier and disrupt the glide of the skis and the real essence of downhill skiing. Keep in mind that you have on your feet a pair of skis and not a pair of brakes! Braking applies a maximum pressure on the edges when skis are across the hill. It is reassuring but kills the momentum of skiing.

A light touch is often more efficient. Improve your edging with a round turn shape that encourages edging earlier in the turn. This gives control earlier in the arc and avoids braking at the end of the turn. Therefore, release your edges earlier and maintain your momentum down the hill. Control is the result of a smooth, round arc.

Altering your perception of turning and edging will help you stay more balanced on your skis. Reduce braking and keep your turns round and fluid, this will help you be efficient in all condition.

Demonstration: Jeff Larouche

Natalie A. Morel

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Ski School Supervisor at Whistler/Blackcomb.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Whistler/Blackcomb, BC.

Role Within the CSIA: Level 3 Course Conductor.

Sponsor: Tyrolia (International Women's Team).

Skiing Philosophy: Living the DREAM!

Improve your bump skiing with short turns

To ski well in powder, steeps and bumps, short turns are key. Short radius allows a dynamic ending to the turn and good speed control. Start with a low athletic stance. Reach down the hill with your pole plant to stay balanced over the downhill ski. It is crucial to turn with your legs rather than the upper body. A pole plant reaching down the hill stabilizes the upper body and maintains separation between upper and lower body. When done properly, you will feel a pinch on the downhill side of your body and a stretch on the uphill side (angulation). If you can achieve balance and angulation at the end of each turn, you have better control of your edges, making it easy to control your speed on any slope.

Get mileage doing short turns on groomed terrain and then move what you have learned into the bumps, steeps and powder.

Have fun out there!!

Demonstration: Emerson Brooks

Jean François Beaulieau

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Mont Sainte-Anne, Snow School Director.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Mont Sainte-Anne, Que.

Role Within the CSIA: Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF Level 3, Moniteur National Français (Brevet d'État d'Éducateur Sportif 1er degré).

Sponsor: Rossignol (skis and clothing) and Carrera (goggles).

Skiing Philosophy: To incorporate rhythm and relaxation in every movement at any speed.

Playing with the Edge Angles

Recently, I decided to focus on RELEASING the edges between the turns and I came to the conclusion that this release action resulted from increasing the edge angle on the snow.

In fact, by increasing the edge angle in a dynamic way, I can release the edges effortlessly. However, in order to achieve this, I need to know how much angle I want to apply before even starting the turn. In addition, I need to maintain the edging action even when the skis have reached their maximum angle.

Edge release must be done with minimum physical effort. Furthermore, it is not only the edges that are released during the transition, but also all the cumulated pressure from the previous turn. The key is to release the edge angle in a long and continuous movement that allows for fluid linking into the next turn while maintaining good rhythm.

Therefore, increasing the edge angle dynamically and releasing them progressively will help you ski like a pro. You will feel that your turns have no beginning nor end, only a continuous, progressive, and relaxed movement.

Demonstration: Roch Newberry

Jean-Marcel Dumontier

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Consultant for Mont Garceau Ski School.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Mont Garceau, Saint-Donat, Que

Role Within the CSIA: Supervisor, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF Level 2, Member of the CSIA Quebec Committee.

Sponsor: Nordica.

Skiing Philosophy: While staying mobile, I aim to stay centered throughout the turn in order to reduce frictional forces.

The Secret of Good Steering

Edging is an integral part of steering skills. It consists of combining inclination and angulation movements at the beginning of the turn as well as steering the ski tips progressively in relation to the radius, the speed, and the terrain. Therefore, in order to steer the skis efficiently according to the environment, the skier must progressively increase or release the edges. The legs must be pivoted simultaneously and moved laterally to change the edging angle throughout the turn. It is important that the skier keeps moving all the time.

An excellent strategy used to improve a skier showing a static position consists of having him/her execute round turns, with a hip-width stance, while skiing down a 4-meter wide corridor. In order to be able to link the turns in the corridor and to control the speed, the skier will need to use progressive movements to be able to steer the skis efficiently. By using adequate tactics and exercises, your students will discover new feelings and they will increase their confidence to ski on more difficult and varied terrain.

Demonstration: Jean-Marcel Dumontier

Josh Foster

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Director of Skiing at Big White, Board Member, CSIA BC (Okanagan Zone Representative), Vice Chair, Snow Sports Schools Division, Canada West Ski Areas Association.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Big White Ski Resort, Kelowna, BC.

Role Within the CSIA: Level 4 Course Conductor.

Sponsor: Head/Tyrolia, Carrera.

Skiing Philosophy: To have fun and make the most of every day on the mountain. Whether it is trying something new to challenge yourself, refining your skills, or just enjoying the company of some good friends while you explore the mountain together. Be in the moment.

Activate your Base of Support

An active Base of Support is essential for balance. If the base isn’t moving to seek out balance then you’re going to have real troubles adjusting to changes in terrain, snow conditions, turn shape and speed. Think of balance as an action, not a position, and that action comes from the lower body. Consider the photos below.

Figure #1 shows rotational balance with the turning effort coming from the lower body.

Figure #2 shows fore and aft balance through placing the base of support either ahead or behind the Centre of Mass.

Figure #3 shows vertical balance with the idea of the legs doing most of the bending and

Figure #4 shows lateral balance by actively placing the BOS in a way that it can deflect the COM.Notice in all of these photos the upper body remains relatively stable. Extra movements in the upper body are counter productive and tend to detract from balance. Think of actively placing the BOS so that it supports the COM in all 4 planes of balance.

Demonstration: Josh Foster

Sunny Verreault

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Head Coach, SkiSagLac Zone team and Ski-Golf-Études at Commission Scolaire des Rives du Saguenay.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Mont Édouard, Chicoutimi, Que.

Role Within the CSIA: CSIA Course Conductor Level 4, CSCF Course Conductor Level 1, CSIA Ambassador Team member since 1999.

Sponsor: Atomic.

Skiing Philosophy: The freedom to surpass oneself during every turn. Skiing is like signing your autograph on the slope in a very personal way. It is the passion to communicate my knowledge to other enthusiasts of this fantastic individual, yet social sport.

The Secret of Good Steering

The action of the feet is an essential element which enables a skier to stay balanced. In alpine skiing, a key aspect is to look ahead to anticipate the desired direction of travel and to be confident that the feet will react efficiently. While staying in constant contact with the snow, the feet will guide the reaction according to the situation and will help you make good decisions to maintain balance.

For example, a tennis player never takes his eyes off the ball when running across the court and never looks at his feet. The same thing happens in bicycling; the cyclist never looks at his feet while pedaling.

When linking turns, the feet also play an equally important role. In order to switch edges, the skier must gradually release the angles in the hip, knee and ankle joints to eliminate the angulation of the previous turn, and to be able to return to a neutral position. The action of relaxing the muscles must start from the feet, and from there begins the muscular chain. Similar to a chain gear, the release of the small muscles in the lower leg will enable the rest of the leg and the hip muscles to relax. To redirect the skis and create a solid platform on the outside ski at the beginning of the turn, the effort must again come from the feet and ankles.

Always remember the importance of the feet when tearing up the slopes— they will guide you and help you stay balanced!

Demonstration: Sunny Verreault

Russel Wood

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Training and Recruiting Manager at Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard School.

Ski Area Represented and Location: Whistler, BC.

Role Within the CSIA: Former BC Steering Committee Member and Level 4 Course Conductor.

Sponsor: Head/Tyrolia.

Skiing Philosophy: Skiing at any level should provide exhilaration for the mountain experience. From a beginner, seeing snow for the first time, to the expert, skiing in waist-deep powder, is a sport that is full of fun and fantastic feelings.

Control the “up” for smoother linking

Moving from one turn and into the next it is important that the body is relieved of tension and allowed to “come back to neutral” in preparation for the new turn. The Centre of Mass comes up between turns creating a light phase, but if this rising is not controlled it can cause imbalance and loss of contact with the snow.

Many skiers misinterpret the rising between turns and will try to provoke it with an extension of the joints. The resulting loss of pressure on the skis makes it difficult to balance and edge before the fall line. If you take a look at this part of the turn from the side you will see that while the skis flatten and the COM rises, the skier is actually flexing to control the rise and maintain contact with the snow.

Have advanced and expert skiers relax through the transition so that they can control rather than create the un-weighting of the skis. This relaxed approach to linking makes it much easier to establish balance early, and create rhythm and control speed in any type of situation.

Demonstration: Vincent Lafontaine

Steve Smart

Current Position in the Ski Industry: Ski Instructor

Ski Area Represented and Location: Silver Star Mountain Resort. Living in Vernon, BC.

Role Within the CSIA: Level 4 Course Conductor.

Sponsor: Nordica (skis and boots), Suunto.

Skiing Philosophy: Always try to improve yourself.

Top 5 List - making skiing more enjoyable

#1 Be fit, strengthen your legs, stomach, and lower back. Use the stairs, walking both up and down. Walking down actually stimulates the muscles used while skiing even more than walking up. When you are doing sit ups go slowly on the down and quicker on the up movement.

#2 If you’re buying new ski boots find a shop with a good reputation for service, not a big one with low prices. What you save in cash you may pay for in pain. Fitting ski boots properly takes specific knowledge that few sales people have mastered.

#3 Balanced requires a natural stance and freedom to move with a full range. As an example look at how a tennis player prepares to receive a serve. All the joints are flexed, hips are back a bit shoulders are forward and there is some flexion in the ankles and knees.

#4 Ski tuning is another art that few have mastered. Go for the more expensive tune option and ask them to hand finish the edges. A good tune up should grip without grabbing.

#5 Your first run of the day should be a warm up run, then do a few stretches to loosen up before you tackle the tougher runs. If you are stretched out and warmed up then you greatly reduce the chance of injury. Also make sure you’re drinking lots of water. Your muscles will thank you by not stiffening up too much.

Demonstration: Steve Smart

Skiing the Bumps

When skiing the bumps, stay centered by making sure you keep your poles ahead of you, and your body is aligned in a position to absorb what’s ahead of you.

You’ll want your skis to follow the contour of the terrain as much as possible. This means moving your feet “through” the bump and pulling your feet back underneath your body as you go over.