Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 10/22/2009

Question
My Daughter is 11 years old and a 6th year ski racer.  She is ranked very high in the midwest and is a strong skier with excellent technique.  My question is:  Would she benefit from having two pairs of skis?  She is on Volkl racetigers SL now and we we're looking at purchasing GS skis for the second pair.  Will having skis for each event improve her skiing?

Answer
Dear Melissa --

If your daughter is beginning to have trouble holding her edges at high speed in a GS race, then she may need GS specific skis to continue improvement.  If however, she races GS smoothly on her slalom skis, then she does not need GS specific skis yet.

I do recommend getting skis for the level you want to ski at, as long as the "jump" in performance is not too big.  In other words don't make a huge jump in the length and stiffness of your skis at the same time.

So, if you can afford GS specific skis for your daughter, it may well improve her performance in GS races.  They will certainly give her more stability at speed during a GS race.  Just be certain she does not try to use her GS skis in a slalom race.  She will find them far less nimble and her slalom performance would likely decrease.  Of the junior race skis in GS I recommend either the Volkl racetiger, or the Dynastar omeglass.

Please write back, if you have additional questions, or need clarification.  Good luck to you daughter in her races this season!