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Show r BEN LOMOND BEACON, Jan. 1 8, 1 979, Page 7 n how So nd many parents of are discovering that the three Rs at ial considerations minutes to watch your child from a discreet distance, and if youre satisfied that he or she has adjusted to the class, go have fun skiing until the class is out. The age that children should be encouraged to take up the sport varies in the opinion of instructors. Eight seems to be a generally accepted age, but some enthuasiastic children learn as young as three. A good guideline is that as soon as a child feels comfortable walking on skis, he is ready to learn. A child learns best in a class with other chldren of the same age, whom he or she can relate to best. Children together will make a game of learning to ski, like follow the leader. Children are great imitators, and they will follow their teacher and mimic him very well as long as all the movements are not too difficult. Even a child who is hesitant will try to keep up with the others. non or a for both the Everything for a child must be directed toward making the skiing experience enjoyable, happy and pure fun. enroll your child learn to ski the correct and safe way with a qualified instructor, and progress will undoubtedly be faster. HIS FACE set in Once you enter your child in ski school disappear. Parents who hang around to watch may be a disruptive influence. Come back in about 20 determination, this tiny tot sets out to tackle the runs that awaits him. 'm y skiing is easy for kids to learn. In fact, it can be a childs stepping stone to learning any type of skiing. A childs natural habits as a walker y make him a natural for even before he puts skis on. Cross-countr- cross-countr- Even though all ski touring first- timers wont have the stride and glide of an experienced skier, they will be able to move around and have fun. Once this has happened, the learning process will take its own course. Kids will begin to ask questions as their interest grows. When children have the opportunity to play on skis, they learn quickly, since they learn better by experimentation and imitation than by verbal instruction. Its easier for them to watch and imitate motion than to try and translate verbal instruction into action. bindings are simple enough for any child to get into on his own, and outy is inexfitting kids for pensive. For under $80 a youngster can y be completely equipped. equipment is light and gives freedom of movement. It fits loosely, and doesnt restrict a childs natural walking movements. A child should start with a soft pair y of skis with very little camber and plenty of climbing wax to ensure a good kick. Nothing is more frustrating than a pair of slippery skis. There are a lot of waxless skis to choose from, and if you dislike waxing, one of the many models available may be right for your child. Each has its advantages and disadvantages; experience will help you decide which is best. Personnel in a good ski shop can also provide the assistance. a good idea for kids to ski in groups. Theyll learn more. There are y games kids can play many y skis: follow the leader, on tag, capture the flag and relay races to name just a few. sno-pla- cross-countr- k, To get the most enjoyment from their snow play, kids shouldnt have to y worry about equipment. Cross-countr- durable cross-countr- New models, new materials, and improved designs mark this seasons offerings on ski bindings. Cross-countr- cross-countr- y needed for than for alpine skiing. So dont overdress a young skier. Too many clothes will inhibit his freedom of movement and make him hot and uncomfortable. If outfitted with proper equipment good wax, the right clothing, extra clothes for stops and changes in the weather, some food and a nice trail to ski along a child should be set for a morning or afternoon of enjoyable touring. cross-countr- Its also Bindings,-Convenient, functional, When Viki Fleckenstein started to ski, on a short, steep hill operated by the Cazenovia Ski Club near Syracuse, N.Y., she was a natural. Coaches told her mother that Vlki had a feel for the snow and feet that were alive. Viki has her own style of skiing." teammate says Cindy Nelson. It's beautiful. By the time Viki was 13, she was one of the top junior racers in the East. Now, at age 23, she is technically one of the best giant slalom skiers in- - the world, in the assessment of her former coach, Jon Bowerman. When Viki went to Europe for the first time, in 1975, she established her talent immediately. She was 15th in the first race she entered, a World Cup giant slalom. Later that year, she was fifth in another GS. Though had better results in 1978, Viki says, that first year was the most exciting. Last season, Viki was third in a World Cup parallel slalom in Arosa, Switzer land, and second in four other World Cup races. Shes proud that one of them was a slalom. hope to get better at slalom," she says, explaining how she has altered her training program to accomplish that. She is partial to trainactivities that build enduring ance like distance running and bike racing but now she is working harder on gymnastics and quickness exercises. is something of a fanatic, especially when she is at home dursummer where she the ing can cook for herself. "She makes yogurt, and eats pea pods and liver," her mother laughs. She wont eat anything thats not good for her. Ski racing is my life right now," Viki says. Its fun, its exciting, and its hard. Im giving It everything have. You can help Viki and her teammates by giving something a contribution to the U.S. Ski Team Fund, Box 100 M, Park City, Ut. 84060. Viki health-foo- Reprinted with permission from SKIING Magazine, March. Copyright Publishing Company. All rights reserved. you CAN 1979 by DO IT TRANSFER WEIGHT EARLY TO ELIMINATE THAT STEM Difficulties in initiating a turn without stemming are common because most skiers attempt to turn the uphill ski prior to transferring their weight onto it. A stem is the unhappy result each time. Timing is very important in parallel skiing. Your weight should generally be transferred from the lower ski (the outside ski of the turn being completed) as soon as you wish to begin a new turn. Once the weight transfer is made, but not before, you can begin the turn. To improve timing and ski without stemming, try the following: Find a gentle hill that you feel comfortable on. Begin a steep traverse and make a complete weight transfer to the uphill ski holding the downhill ski off the snow (A). When your weight feels comfortable over the uphill ski, begin your turn (B) and turn the lifted ski simultaneously with the weighted ski (C). Practice until you can perform this exercise easily in both directions. Discipline yourself to feel the weight transfer before trying to turn your feet. Reprinted with permission of Ski Magazine. Technical assistance provided by Professional Ski Instructors of America. There are, however, no revolutionary designs this season. Most manufacturers have filled out their lines with familiar designs based on proven principles. Minor changes in existing models have been made, with the intent to increase both convenience and durr ability. . Most new models this season have been tailored for the recreational skier between 70 and 150 pounds, a range that covers the bulk of the skiing population. Most distributors have purged themselves of obsolete merchandise. There will be very little cheap close-oequipment available, and close-out- s should not be confused with good economy sets. ut are Practically all manufacturers offering ski brakes this season, but only a few have made them as an integral part of the binding package. Other manufacturers have chosen to wait and see what restrictions ski areas and state legislatures will put on the ski brakes. However, there is little doubt that ski brakes will make skiing safer and more convenient for the user. SKIING Magazine has tested ski brakes for three seasons and concludes that most of the new designs will stop skis effectively under most recreational conditions, but only a few are effective under extreme conditions of ice and steepness, and none will restrain an airborne ski. The last condition has worried area operators because of the risk of skis falling from lifts which cross ski slopes. Rules are pending which may require the use of an attachment while traveling on the lift. Price should not be the primary consideration in selecting a binding. In fact, a higher priced binding is not always a guarantee or even an indication of quality. To select the binding that is right for you, you will usually have to compromise among convenience, durability, versatility and performance. One factor you cannot compromise, however, is safety. Safety cannot be bought; it can only be attained through careful selection and retained by regular care and an understanding of the bindings proper function. Submit Sports tourers pass an unusual snow covered rock formation. Nordic skiing popularity all over the world. ENTHUSIASTIC ski in is gaining and scouting news |