Jack M

I agree completely, the technique you describe is totally fine. What I was talking about is finishing a toeside carve, standing up, then crouching down into a sitting position before tilting the board up on edge. It's just not necessary. Patrice and Jacques do not have this problem at all, they are excellent carvers. Maybe I'm not describing it well enough, but I wasn't referring to the push-pull technique, which is a fine way to ride. It's actually quite similar to cross-through.

If you can't wait for a Coiler, Volkl's had Titanal construction for some time now.

JF, great idea, thanks. Why ride alpine? I think when you boil it down to the basic pleasure, carving corduroy in hardboots tickles many of the same spots as riding powder in softboots. Both are exhilirating right down to the core. Whether you're surfing the pow or slicing down a groomer, at that moment, you're doing exactly what you dream of doing every other day of the year. What happens on a powder day? The parks and pipes are deserted. Friends trample friends to get to get first tracks. People ride for the sheer sensation of riding itself. The mountain comes alive and invites you to enjoy all she has to offer. For an alpine snowboarder, it's the same thing everyday we wake up to fresh cord and blue sky. No alarm clock needed, we bolt out of bed and bee-line for first chair. At the top, the sight of an empty, unspoiled run in front of us and a growing crowd behind us fills us with that same sense of urgency and excitement as first run on a powder day. The term "first tracks" applies any day we can dig our trenches in the slopes, and then admire them on the chair ride back up. It is that same connection with the mountain, and the ability to harness its forces, that keeps us booting up, latching in, and carving down, day after day. I pity those who will never know it.

This is a little premature, and not quite the way I wanted to say this, but I guess now I have no choice. The event that happened last year at Sugarloaf is going to rise again next year, with full support from Catek, Bomber, BJD, Donek, etc, etc. I have assembled a team, but haven't yet contacted all the sponsors, so I can't give out the full list yet. Next year's session will be everything last year's was and more. We'll have all the deals, demos, prizes, parties, a better banquet, and plenty of other good stuff. So, I'd recommend taking a break from Sugarloaf this year, and have some fun exploring somewhere else. Thanks, -Jack

sorry for the delay! Hmm, intermediate carving runs... Superquad: Tote Road, King's Landing Bucksaw chair: Windrow, Scoot (also accessible from Superquad) Timberline Chair (summit): Timberline trail, Binder (narrow), Cinder Hoe, Tote Road Spillway Chair East (long side): Tote Road, Double Bitter Spillway Chair West (short side): Sluice, lower Gondola Line Wiffletree Superquad: everything (easy) Double Runner: everything (easy) King Pine quad (steeper): Ramdown, Boom Auger, Wedge West Mountain chair: West Mountain trail - but don't go below midstation. Start with Tote Road, that's an intermediate's dream trail, but just know that it is patrolled by mtn "ambassadors" who will yell at you to slow down if they think you're going too fast. It's 3.5 <i>miles</i> long from the summit. The Bucksaw chair is uncrowded, but slow. Great intermediate terrain over there though, worth checking out. You can also access all the Bucksaw area terrain from the Superquad. West Mountain trail is a wide uncrowded blue/green, I just don't go over there because it's kind of lonely and I feel like I'm not on the resort any more. Have fun, it's my favorite mountain in the east. Here is the trail map.

in addition to what neil said, I would read the article on cross-over, cross-under, cross-through. cross-through is the goal. gotta run.

This is hard to talk about on a computer screen. Initiating a turn with your knees by using them to flick the board from one edge to the other is good. I think that's what you're saying. I'm just saying I'm seeing some people who finish a toeside carve, stand up, then crouch down into a sitting position <i>before</i> tilting the board up on heelside edge. It's hard to pressure the nose and it's hard to angulate from this position.

I agree with PSR's advice - driving the knee across the board to get it up on edge early. Another thing that happens when you simply crouch down with your knees before leaning in to the turn is it tends to pressure the middle of the board at a time when you need to be driving the nose. Pat Donelly just sent me this video clip: http://www.uc.edu/geology/geologylist/2-11-03.mpg It's a good example of simply leaning in to the heelside without sitting into it first. The rider is pretty much just using cross-over technique, which isn't very dynamic, but this can be applied to cross-under and cross-through as well.

A few years ago when I interviewed Mark Fawcett, he said something that got stuck in my head. He complimented Jasey Jay Anderson's technique, saying "I think he's using a little more bone structure than I am, he's a little more straighter-legged, a little more squared-up, and those are things I'm constantly working on." I've been watching the SES/ECES dvd (multiple times since I can't get on the snow and I'm jonesing pretty hard), admiring all the different carving styles out there. I've noticed some people are having a little difficulty on heelside. I've been trying to diagnose what I'm seeing, but I was having a hard time putting my finger on exactly what is happening. Then it hit me. I've noticed something simple that ALL the good riders in the dvd do in common. On heelside, they tip the board up and lean into the turn FIRST, and bend their knees SECOND. Some people who are having a little trouble on heelside appear to be "sitting" into the turn first, then tipping the board up second. The lean-first technique uses more bone structure, the bend-first technique relies more on muscle, and it would appear results in less balance control. In fact, the lean-first people's legs actually don't appear to <i>do</i> anything other than manipulate the edge angle of the board. Once they've settled into the carve, the knees are just used for shock absorption. Bending the knees first puts you in a sitting position where you don't have as much freedom to control the board, and you're relying on brute force from your quads and shins - and you haven't even tipped the board up on edge yet. Check out the dvd and see if you can see what I'm talking about. Anyone else notice this?

here and here.

pretty sure Burton shapes haven't changed much in about 5 years. I'm sure that 178 is the same.

https://www.klugriding.com/R17specs.html

Again, look at that picture of Paul. He made the edge change before the board pointed down the fall-line, and is carving the downhill edge.

toe lift on the rear foot?? Wow, I've never tried that. I do use some negative canting on the rear foot though. My stance angle is 65, but my cant disc angle is only 55.

from Bruce: "For SL he was using an identical shape to his previous models. It is a 164cm (146 RL) x 18.5cm x 9.9m with 3mm taper . The static stiffness was pretty much identical to his old models when I tested it but the dynamic stiffness is different as the metal seems to have different flex properties when actually in use. The PGS model is a 185 ( 165 RL) x 18.8 x 15m with 6mm taper. Also similar static flex to his older boards. Both have radial sidecuts and the secret mix of ingredients!"

I wouldn't worry about it on heelside if you feel like you're carving well. It's just evidence that you are really driving forward and pressuring the nose, which is a good thing. Paul K certainly knows what he's doing. Knees together is more of a problem on toeside. Having knees apart on toeside is waaay better for balance and power, like this and this. "Old school" would be if your knees were touching <i>each other</i>, which is not what you're describing.

Human/Octopus hybrid desired for composites assembly and general factory work. Must have own respirator and coveralls. Some late nights required. Apply to Coiler Snowboards, Etobicoke, Ontario.

It's not a metal board. See Bruce's comments in the World Cup Watch. It is a pretty conventional construction with a wood core and everything, but with a layer of Titanal alloy added to the sandwich for dampening and I believe torsional rigidity. Volkl actually uses Titanal already.

"the Swiss and their high tech metal boards" -- what are the Swiss riding? Kessler?

Umm, I take it you haven't seen Ray's thread: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4596

Seth Wescott wins boardercross!!! my Sugarloaf homie!! http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=SB&raceid=4643 And on a Dynastar too! http://www.transworldsnowboarding.com/snow/news/article/0,13009,832534,00.html

Cool! Got any pics? I once rode at Sugarloaf with a guy on a UFO who raved about it and the customer service.

interesting choice of words. :p

I got the same impression from that TWSB article.... but the list of his claimed inventions is so long it almost becomes suspicious. I wonder if he can document it all.

Burton would tell you to put it on the rear foot, but you can try it on either. See which works better for you. Whichever foot you put it under, make sure that it is sloping towards the center (waist) of the board!!