Turn closure concept

There are many things that I like about Carv, but the turn closure is one new thing introduced this season that make very little sense to me.

I don’t think turn closure is an objective measure of good skiing. It is a matter of preference, style, terrain, slope width, etc. Closing the turns too much can stall momentum, and at least to some extent skiing is about maintaining momentum and projecting the center of mass down the hill.

I listened to the Gear 30 podcast with Carv guys and I know that the Carv skiing model essentially comes from high-level instructors. However, ski instructors may focus on the visuals more than on the actual outcomes.

Here is one example. I don’t want to offend any Carv users, but, objectively,

Henrik Kristoffersen is a much better technical skier (at least in carving) than anyone on Carv’s leaderboard not named Ted Ligety. Here is HK freeskiing:

https://youtu.be/98QGJYOgbdI?si=nK5Ib0gUv19xWE7F (on SL skis)

https://youtu.be/6ZiWxaldc6I?si=3IqlKsmebG-6YueB&t=175 (on GS skis)

Does he close his turns all the way? No. Does he get his hips on the snow? No. But he is perfectly balanced on his skis, his skiing is dynamic and athletic, he keeps the momentum going down the hill.

And it’s not just HK. If one looks at the clips of other top World Cup skiers free skiing, it’s the same thing. Fundamentally great skiing, but nothing unnecessary.

The current Carv carving ski model, and specifically its emphasis on turn closure, rewards skiing to show off. It does not necessarily reward fundamentally good skiing. I think this is something worth looking into.