To stop fast skiing, you effectively use a controlled skid maneuver that turns your skis perpendicular to the slope.
Stopping when skiing at speed requires good control of the skis and good coordination. The primary technique for a quick stop involves skidding your skis sideways across the hill.
Performing a Controlled Skid Stop
Based on effective skiing techniques, the method to stop fast involves specific body positioning and ski movement. Here’s a breakdown of the key actions:
- Body Orientation: Keep your torso facing the slope (downhill). This helps maintain balance and control during the stop.
- Leg Position: Ensure your legs are bent over the front of your boots. This forward lean and bent-leg stance are crucial for stability and applying pressure to your skis.
- Ski Movement: Turn both skis at the same time perpendicular to the slope. This simultaneous rotation of both skis puts their edges across the direction of travel, creating friction against the snow.
- Control and Weight Distribution: The fine-tuning and power of the stop are managed by your knees and the distribution of your weight on the skis. By adjusting the pressure through your knees and shifting your weight slightly, you can control the intensity of the skid and the rate of deceleration, bringing you to a complete stop.
This maneuver, often refined into a "parallel stop" at higher speeds, relies on using the edges of your skis to dig into the snow sideways, quickly dissipating your forward momentum through friction. Mastering this requires practice to coordinate the body turn, leg bending, and simultaneous ski rotation effectively.
