Carving skis
Carving skis are skis with a thicker sidecut and shorter than classic alpine skis and are therefore particularly suitable for carving . Further essential design features are a comparatively soft flex (in order to enable the bending on the transverse axis required for the carving technique ) and high torsional rigidity (in order to keep torsion in relation to the longitudinal axis low despite bending and thereby ensure the necessary edge grip ).
Because of their easier cornering (at the expense of stable straight-line stability), carving skis have almost completely replaced conventionally built skis. The carving skis were developed by the Race Alpin Snowboard Snowboard , which was newly developed at the beginning of the 1990s , with which curves can no longer be driven very sportily on the sliding surface , but exclusively on the edge of the sports equipment. With carving skis and the appropriate skiing technique, carving , this feeling of speed and mobility can be experienced in skiing .
An essential feature for the classification of the carving ski is the curve radius given by the sidecut. Usual radii are 10 to 20 meters, depending on the application. The skier can reduce this technically predetermined curve radius while driving depending on the deflection and the edging angle.
Carving skis, which allow very small radii, were usually used with a heightening plate under the ski binding in order to prevent the ski boot from touching the slope when the skis were tilted and the steel edge would no longer grip and thus trigger a fall. The height of the binding plates affects the driving characteristics; the higher the plate, the longer the path when edging. As a result, recreational skiers largely forego large elevations. Racers, on the other hand, prefer high elevation plates because of the aforementioned advantage in the case of severe inclination. Since the FIS limited the height of the elevation plate to a maximum of 50 mm due to the increased risk of injury, all drivers only drive this maximum value. As carving skis have become wider and the number of bindings higher in recent years, the popularity of such elevation plates in popular sports has declined. The plates currently in use are so-called flex plates, which fit the surface profile of a particular ski or are already supplied with it, have a hinge or a helical spring for length compensation and, with a compatible ski binding, form a system that, when loaded in the binding area, forms a system The ski should affect its own bending line as little as possible.
Carving skis are also colloquially called "carvers" and are usually offered under the following names depending on their area of use:
- Race-Carver (sometimes with the addition GS for Giant Slalom ) : heavy, more strongly damped skis with a radius of about ten times the ski length, i.e. usually 17 to over 19 m, in design and driving characteristics based on giant slalom racing skis and designed for high Speeds. A race carver only develops its autokinetics (which is expressed in the feeling that the ski is going through the curve on the edge by itself) at higher speeds and is characterized by high directional stability and smoothness. Body size is often given as a rule of thumb for recommended length; However, since the pressure on the edges is decisive for steering the skis, good arguments can also be found for the formula "body weight in kg plus 100 results in length in cm". According to the specifications of the FIS, since the 2016/17 season a giant slalom racing ski must have a minimum radius of 30 m (previously: 35 m) and a length of 1.93 m (previously: 1.95 m) for men and 30 m (previously : 30 m) at 1.88 m (previously: 1.88 m) length for women, the maximum width under the binding is a maximum of 65 mm (previously: at least 65 mm). The blade width is a maximum of 103 mm.
- Slalom -Carver or Race-Carver SL : very manoeuvrable and lively skis (radius about eight times the length of the ski, i.e. 13 to less than 12 m), in construction and driving characteristics based on slalom racing skis and designed for tight curve radii. Characteristic of the autokinetics of the slalom carver is the rebound , which isnoticeablewhen driving with a "hip bend" as a relief to initiate the next swing. As a rule of thumb for the recommended length, chin to mouth height is often mentioned, sporty drivers can also orientate themselves on "body weight plus 90". The maneuverability of a ski is not only determined by its length; the influence of the ski width should not be underestimated due to the leverage effect. According to the specifications of the FIS, a slalom racing ski must be at least 1.65 m for men, 1.55 m for women and at least 63 mm wide, a minimum radius is not required.
- Supercross carver : sporty all-round carver with universal driving characteristics for use on and off the ski slope , the curve radius lies between the race carver GS and SL.
- All-Mountain-Carver : Skis with a waist width of at least 70 mm with a lot of lift in heavy snow types such as deep snow or spring brine.
- Freerider : very wide skis with a waist width of up to 130 mm for off-road use, deep snow, heliskiing.
- All-round carver : a "good-natured", easy-to-turn ski with a small to medium radius that is forgiving of mistakes. Mostly lower weight, simpler construction and shorter lifespan than Race-Carver GS or SL.
- Fun-Carver : a very short ski with a very small radius for extreme curves, but also suitable for beginners. Is sometimes used in ski schools as a learning ski. In the meantime, the "fun carver" is practically non-existent, it has been replaced by the slalom carver or by very strongly tapered all-round carvers.
The first attempts at carving technique go back to Vorarlberg kuk Oberleutnant Georg Bilgeri (1873–1934), who was already practicing the wide-legged driving style with short military skis. The first carving ski was built by Rossignol in 1909, but could not establish itself on the market. In Germany, carving skis were first produced in 1989 under the name Snowrider, based on an idea by the Austrian Reinhard Fischer.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ski length calculator at www.carvingski.info
- ↑ a b Specifications of competition equipment and commercial trademarks. (PDF, 1598 KB) (No longer available online.) Fédération Internationale de Ski , archived from the original on October 26, 2017 ; accessed on November 8, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Tips on ski length at www.carvingski.info
