Ilay started off with her snowplough technique and would only very cautiously and insecurely attempt to ski down the beginner’s run in Tignes Val Claret.
Making Ilay into a real skier…
To begin with we did some skating turns on the flat – changing direction incrementally. This is done to make the skis diverge instead of converge – guiding the skier away from the snowplough stance. We then worked on sideslipping and then onto basic pivoting into a turn from the uphill edge of the uphill ski. I did the exercise using the ski pole in the ground and pulling the tip of the ski against it – to feel the proper pulling inwards with the adductor muscles. Bugra tried it too but had a tendency to twist and “push” the heel outwards instead of pulling inwards with the adductor muscles. I supported Ilay through some complete pivots so that she would feel them. Bugra remembered this from before and was able to pivot quite well as an exercise. We added “jumping” to initiate the turns because this brings the skis together parallel in the air and is an exaggerated way to prepare for a pivot – the skis being completely off the ground when swinging them – instead of pulling against friction on the ground.
Kutay and Hulya – First Steps
Kutay and Hulya took over after lunch and as complete beginners we walked around on one ski for a while – changing skis and then going to two skis. Kutay’s coordination was typical for a little boy his age and also his re-interpretation of my movements which he wasn’t really able to copy. The main thing was to get him used to the skis on his feet and used to straight running and accelerations.
Hulya’s coordination was very good for climbing with either a herringbone step (skis diverging) or a sidestep and she gradually became more comfortable with the small accelerations of straight running onto the flats. For both of the beginners the bodies reflexes were settling down and the over-reactions to the accelerations were disappearing.
Aprés Ski!
We took a long bus trip back to Val Claret from Le Lac and then I returned to my car to to get changed and go for a 10k run. It was cold changing but the run – around Tignes and across the lake both directions – was enjoyable. On returning I started the car and left the engine running while going back outside and closing the door – then “clunk!” – the central locking closed on me, shutting me out of the car with everything I needed inside the locked car – and the engine running! I found someone else leaving a car and borrowed a hammer – smashing a window to get back into the car. Leaving the car park I wasn’t concentrating on driving so ended up spinning completely out of control on the ice and the back of the car ploughing into a snow wall – fortunately with no damage.