What comes first, the stance or the tipping?

[h.harb]

Watching the women's slalom from Lienz, where Schild won her record breaking 35th slalom, the women who had their lower legs at the same angles all the time, skied the fastest and skied the best.
This way of skiing creates success at all levels of skiing in all conditions and isn't exclusive to the best skiers in the world. PMTS campers learn to ski this way and can ski this way.

Those that did not have this way of skiing in the last slalom were pushing out the new ski to the big toe edge and not releasing the old big toe edge, in other words a high level wedge push off.
The other observation that is clear is the skiers that were the most successful had the narrowest stance.

The question is then, is it easier to keep the legs and skis at the same angle because the skis are closer together or must the skis be held closer together to be able to tip the inside ski easier and first, so the angles can match?
Answers or guesses are welcome!

[arothafel]

I'm game.... I'd say the second.

My rationale is that you can still keep the lower legs and angles equal with a wide stance, but angles will not be nearly as deep as the more narrow stance.

[jclayton]

I'll take a punt .

If the legs are held closer together balance is better and it is thus easier to initiate the new free ski tipping first and keep it ahead of the new stance ski through the turn . Also better balance means higher sensitivity to , or perception of edging and pressure build up timing , as the legs are more relaxed .

Come to think of it my impression is not of " holding " the legs together , they seem to converge naturally as a result of the release .

"The question is then, is it easier to keep the legs and skis at the same angle because the skis are closer together" - this seems to refer to the old "feet glued together" syndrome .

[jclayton]

Art , you beat me to it !

[h.harb]

Yes and if you even can tip with both leg angles equal, with a wide stance, much of your balance and pressure is already on the inside ski at the initiation, not very favorable.

[Max_501]

Heh...that is a trick question!

...is it easier to keep the legs and skis at the same angle because the skis are closer together?

Yes!

must the skis be held closer together to be able to tip the inside ski easier and first, so the angles can match?

Yes!

[h.harb]

I knew someone would go there. Right, no wrong answer.