Year after year, all the local skiers are excited and impatient to again hurtle down those snowy slopes. The most fortunate will be lucky enough to open the season and experience the thrill of the special day.

Some skiers will want to head right back onto Expo where they finished up their season in April. They buckle their boots up tight and launch themselves at full speed towards the groomed run, a matter of beating the pack. The first turns are a bit unequal. That’s okay. Time to rediscover my prowess of the end of last season….

Then I lengthen my turns so I can feel the edges bite into the half-ice, half-snow turns. And in this way I slalom through the crowd at warp speed. You can imagine what happens next as well as I can…. So this is a brilliant example of behaviour to avoid on the first day.

You’ll all too often see this way of doing things from the general public, but from also from young racers. As a coach, I can guarantee you that we’ll get right into reprimanding the athlete: “Hey, Johnny, nice waste of training time!”

Is it possible to start the season where you left off?

Yes, but you have to pay attention to the following.

Warming up

Make sure you warm up appropriately. If it’s not by doing ballistic-style stretches, you can warm up on your skis at moderate speed doing an exercise of your choice.

Activation

On your first runs, focus on simple movements such as keeping your balance on the outside ski throughout the turn. Use these first days to ski at a moderate pace. It’s safer for everybody and lets you get back in touch with the basics.

“Carving is not everything”

Don’t be embarrassed to brush the start of the turn. For now, concentrate on making a good job of executing the turn, from the fall line to the transition.

Equipment

Don’t do your boots up too tightly the first day of skiing. Your feet spent the summer in sandals, and your arches have flattened a bit. Allow them time to get used to the rigidity of plastic. A mobile ankle will bring precision to your movements. You can unbuckle your boots on the chair, as well, and give your feet a chance to relax so they warm up faster.

This year, stay in control and start the season off using your intelligence. Enjoy!

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