TIPS
From the Top
Follow this freeskiing advice for improving
your technique without a coach BY BILL MCCOLLOM
Balance is No. 1 on coaching lists of technical components for freeskiing.
Most masters ski racers don’t have the opportunity to
go to camps and benefit from professional instruction, es-
pecially at the beginning of the season. Oftentimes, the
first gates that masters racers encounter will be those
they see from the start of their first race. That doesn’t
mean, however, that you can’t be prepared, ready and
confident. Through focused freeskiing, racers can prac-
tice technique and tactics, as well as conditioning.
So, in the absence of coaching or gate training, what
should you be working on in your freeskiing? How can
you best prepare yourself for early season races, as well
as races throughout the season? Because so many mas-
ters racers can’t get to the professional coaches, in this
story we’ve brought the professional coaches to the rac-
ers. We asked six nationally known and respected mas-
ters coaches to identify the top three technical compo-
nents that masters racers should be working on in their
freeskiing. The coaches also explained why these ele-
ments were important, and offered some tips on how to
