Maybe I finally figured it out.

[HPskier1]

So I was on a flight to Raleigh, NC this week rereading the April 2013 issue of waterski mag(surprised it wasn't an issue from 2002) and saw this head to head picture. Just so you know I finally ran 15 off @34 this week (which was exciting for me) so I feel like I'm putting at least a couple of things together right. The thing that stood out the most for me in this pic is both skiers are crossing the wake and making an edge change less than half the way to the next buoy. On my onside(after my offside turn) I feel like I'm constantly rushing the turn because I'm to far down course then making it up on my onside turn. Any ideas on a good way to help me correct this issue. It's impressive that they are moving cross course fast enough to be that early to the ball. The picture is phenomenal.

[Chef23]

@HPskier1 15 off skiers need to be careful emulating what extreme shoreline skiers are doing. Short line skiers generate more angle off the buoy than most 15 off skiers. As you are progressing you need to focus on letting the ski finish the turn and holding your pull through the whitewater.

 

It is hard to diagnose without seeing video but one thing I see in developing skiers is that the reason they are late into their on side is they don't get enough angle out of their offside turn and ski to the next ball instead of creating width and space before the next ball.

[TheBigHead]

Great job on running 15 off 34mph!

 

Ill preface by saying video is required to make any real suggestions

 

Most likely you aren't getting any angle out of your offside, running straight at the ball causing you to be late and narrow into your onside requiring a rushed turn to make up the time.

 

work on getting into the stacked position coming out of your offside.

 

Also, at least for me, the offside does not feel remotely close to the onside turn. for me it requires much more patience to ride the turning edge of the ski all the way back to the handle. If im patient in the offside turn I can come back to the handle with great angle and a good stack.

 

im a 22-28 off'r, just learning to get past the problems you are facing.

 

Hope this helps!

 

[Patmaster]

In my experience, it becomes crucial to start your egde change early as of 32off (34mph). Longer than that, you can still get away with a lot of "wrong" skiing....

[Waternut]

As you get stronger and are able to ski with better form, the angle and wake crossings will come. I started getting into -28 and -32 off this year and I agree with @chef23. You simply can't get that kind of angle as a 15 off skier. I don't feel like I can edge change that early either.

 

Focus on proper body position for now and when you start feeling more comfortable with that, think about trying to be wider than the buoy line and sweep back by the buoy as you round it. Don't confuse that with 10 feet wide at the buoy... Think 5-10 feet wider than the buoy line so you can initiate your turn before you get to the buoy.

[HPskier1]

thanks for all the great feedback. I have video but I think I'll wait until I get at least a few more full passes before I post it :) I agree I do think it has to do with my offside turn and getting into a good leveraged position across the wake and keeping from stopping the ski on my offside turn. I'm going out on Sunday and I'll post the video. thanks for the great feedback

[Waternut]

You'll get there man. Don't force it or you'll end up getting hurt. If you have the chance to ski open water, I've found that running your hardest pass in open water builds confidence and helps you learn how to get angle behind the boat. If the boat keeps breaking you at the waist, bump the speed down or go a longer line length and focus on form. Also, don't feel like you're cheating yourself by only cutting in from the whitewash to work on form. It's easier to build muscle memory and good technique through the wakes when you aren't carrying a lot of load or speed.

[A_B]

Slalom skiing is a lot like figuring out a woman.

 

You can make tremendous advances one week and then kicked on your tail the next. And when it's going good, your can never get enough.

 

At your stage, work on fundamentals of counter rotating into your turns and staying hips forward throughout the pass, this will build your foundation for success in the future.

[ToddL]

The basic goals to take anyone's slalom skiing to the next level are:

Staying "stacked" with hips forward and driving the ski

Being quiet or patient in the turns so that the ski comes around under the handle naturally and on its own path

Allow your hips to come around and under the handle before your outside hand reaches for it

Progressive effort through the leaning/ wake crossing with your max effort from white water (boat spray) to boat center line

No extra lean effort past the center line, just maintain until edge change

Initiate edge change somewhere just off the 2nd wake (varies by level, speed, line)

Edge change with your elbows still in, both hands on the handle

As your edge change is underway, start to move your hips up over your front foot

Initiate the reach as your ski moves outbound and the boat takes your outside hand off the handle

Keep your head up and shoulder level for balance through out your approach, apex, and finish of the turn

Realizing that your hips are what is driving the ski through the turns

Go back to the top of this list and repeat 6 times

 

Also, your body position before you lean out for gates, through your glide, and as you turn in toward the gates all have an impact on the whole pass. If you start out stacked, your gates wake crossing will be the best, this makes the edge change the best, which makes the approach to the buoy the best, which makes the finish of the turn the best, which makes your body position for the start of the lean the best, which makes the next wake crossing the best, and... you get the idea.

 

Lastly, slalom is about smooth, fluid movements in a strong, confident body position. When done correctly, the skier is not very active on the ski with a lot of movement. Rather, the skier is balanced on the ski at every point (leaning, coming into a turn, through the turn, finish of the turn, etc.). There are some cool overhead pics of skiers coming into or rounding the buoy out there. If you rotate the magazine, laptop screen, or tilt your head such that the ski is horizontal, they look like they are just chillin' in a balanced position as if they were riding upright down the lake - even though they are in the groove of a major turn.

 

(Oh, and we are all working to do the above better each time we ski.)