Brief background: By the end of last summer, my RFF (right foot forward) G3 daughter (now 16 yrs; 5'8" 125lbs) got to where she was getting into 22' off @ 34mph on her old ski that turns out to have been poorly set-up. (It did have make up speed on 2 and 4.) Earlier this summer, she got a new 65" D3 ARC-S and factory suggested set-up (Thanks Doug @ The Liquid Edge). In practice, she's becoming more consistent at getting past 28' off @ 34mph before struggling mightily @ 32' off. I'm a slalom skier and have run the course a few times, but she'd kick my a$$. So a marginal coach, at best.
When I'm driving and viewing in my mirror, as soon as she's finished the 1 ball, I've got a very good idea whether she'll run the pass or fail, even if she doesn't know. I've seen some different advice on this forum, so looking for a little guidance.
She starts wide before the gates and gets a sharp angle. My advice has been to get wide heading into the 1 ball, backside the 1 ball, and get ahead going to 2. This most often leads to what I tell her to be a "long and lazy" turn on the 1 ball. Occasionally, she really will backside the 1 ball, but then 2 ball becomes her long and lazy turn. And if she doesn't have a great 3 ball, she's doomed eventually...usually on her way to 6.
When she doesn't get as strong an angle through the opening gates, it turns out her chances of running the pass (whether 22' or 28' off) are better. In these cases, she'll barely get wider than the 1 ball, but turn right past the ball, grab on tight and rocket to 2. In these cases, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 balls all look to be about the same.
In other words, when all 6 balls pass by her ankles, she's better off than when early on 1 and it passes at her waist.
So is my advice of wide early way off base? Suggested suggestions?
Bongo
PS: Yes, she'll get some better coaching here in the midwest over the next couple weeks. But I'll still pull her a lot more than anyone else.