For a while ago, Jeremy hinted at an alignment problem possibly being the root cause of my right turn problems. I just had the opportunity to ski two days, in (being Swedish slopes) quite nice conditions: first day 2 dm powder (well, not the dry type you guys in US west are spoilt with...
but anyway, and the second day 0 degrees C and firm groomed slopes.
Anyway, after a few initial carving runs, where I from time to time again noticed the right turn problem, I popped into the ski shop and asked if they had wedges (shims). They just looked like I were from Mars, or something... So, really determined to try out if things would improve with a wedge under my boot, I "manufactured" one on spot myself , by cutting (an old!) credit card in half, parallel to it's long side, and and taped it under my right boot's inner side heel. That lifted the inner side of the heel about 1mm, which should give about 1 degree tilt (the boot heel width is 70mm). Back to the slopes, and I was really amazed to notice that immediately, my right turns were quite improved! I still needed to "focus" on the right turns, but it was much easier to tilt the free ski, and to keep both skis at the same edge angle. And when keeping the skis at the same angle, the tendency for the left ski to "shoot straight" vanished.
Today, I started with practicing "Von Grunigen moves", and moved onto using weighted releases in carved turns. I could immediately notice that my ability to link carve turns was much improved with the wedge under my boot, and after a couple of hours practicing weighted releases, I suddenly got into a "flow", which I can't describe in any other way than a "breakthrough"! I was able to carve "short turns" even at a steep section of the hill, where I never before could get away with "non-skidded" short turns! I don't know if I can describe the sensation in any reasonable way, but all of a sudden, the legs and skis acted as a "pendlum", flowing almost effortlessly from side to side under the body, and I could really experience the "rebounce" ! No problems what so ever to get enough edge angles ! My hips almost touched the ground! When the turn had solidly started, I strongly extended my stance leg, which really shortened the radius. Then, to turn, I tried to be as quick as possible flexing the stance leg, while still standing on it during release. Those actions combined almost "threw" me into the new turn, body downhill, and the "new stance ski" was at the downhill edge at the "high C" part of the turn!
For me, this experience really proves the importance of alignment! I find it amazing that such a small change in alignment can make such a difference: once I got my right turns in order, all of sudden the entire game of carving improved a lot for me. I guess the reason is that the alignment change, combined with the weighted release, enabled me to really "use the force" for my turns.
"A really happy camper"
Cheers,
Tommy