I have been hearing it since I was 8 years old, “Be patient at the buoy-you’re rushing the turn!” In a way it is great advice, but it leaves out half of the information (and perhaps the most important part of the information)…how to make the ski turn.
The answer to this problem lies more in the edge change and “pre-turn” as it has been called, rather than in the turn itself. The key here is to move out to the turning edge powerfully in order to give the ski the ability to keep carrying out as you reach. As you complete the edge change, you must continue to move everything out and way and let the ski begin to drop back a little, which will move your hips over the leading, inside edge of the ski. Having your mass over this spot of the ski, causes the ski to begin to initiate the turn for you. IF the leading inside edge of the ski has pressure on it, the ski wants to move in that direction (or turn). At this point, you can “BE PATIENT” and actually feel the benefit of the age old advice.
Check out the pictures below for a better idea of what I am talking about. Thomas Moore does it much better than I do, but hopefully these images will help.
