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RistoLevel 4 – Course Skier
You run the course consistently at 15 off at fast speeds (32 to 36 mph) and are close to mastering 22 off and 28 off at fast speeds. You're learning one-handed turns and keeping your hands close to your body while crossing the second wake. Working toward understanding the differences among styles, such as traditional and West Coast slalom, you're keeping an open mind about how to apply their physical principles.
Name: Nestor Agramonte
Skills: As a lifelong skier, Agramonte has the course wired at slower speeds but wants to start going faster, shortening the rope and perfecting his technique. Since he is only able to ski once or twice a month, his timing needs work. And because he has back issues, he often tries to overcompensate with arm strength.
Working On: Agramonte wants to carry more speed through the gates while making sure not to overpower the course with his arms, and he wants to stay balanced over his ski. For his back, stretching and dry-land exercise should lead to pain-free skiing.
Coach's Take: “He did awesome,” said Chris Parrish. “I found a major problem with his fin: He had it way too shallow. We worked on carrying a little more speed on his gate and making sure that he didn't try to overpower the course with his arms. He was using a lot of arms, and I told him to just relax and ride through that turn.”
Tip: Stay Balanced
Even when you've reached this level of skiing, it's important to remember the fundamental skiing position you learned early on. Terry Winter, who worked with Nestor on his stance, noted that the biggest challenge was getting him to stay balanced over his ski. “There are a few fundamentals in skiing that work for everyone,” he says. “Staying balanced over the center of the ski is important for the ski to work well.”
Tip: Use Video
One tool that can help skiers across the board attain that perfectly balanced stance is video. Says Chris Parrish, “I recommend [to all the Fantasy Camp skiers] that their training partners video them and go over it.” When you go back and watch the video after your training session, keep an eye out for where the water breaks on the ski. If you're watching one of your turns, and you see the water breaking behind your front binding, then you obviously have too much weight on your back foot.
