Evening star., 1936-02-16
BY w. H. sHIPPEN, yR.

By w. h. SHlFfENs IN.
~ o YOU want to learn how
to skip
How to swoop and dart
- and fly like those daring
young men and women on the
February magazine covers?
Well, frankly. so does the writer.
He learned all the wrong ways to ski
several days ago, and still has the
bruises to prove it.
The first thing to do, If you want
to do it wrong (and the writer speaks
from experience) is to get a pair of
racing or jumping skis and walk to
the top of the highest hill in the
neighborhood. Please select an icy
slope with a rocky ravine at the
bottom.
Then slip your toes in those little
straps which look safe but offer no
control whatever, and take off without
your ski poles. Very soon you will
discover that this Is the wrong way to
ski. You find that your hickory run
ners are taking you for a ride.
See those rocks, trees and stumps
down there? But don't worry, you'll
never reach them-not on your skis,
you won't! BY this time you're
sitting. voluntarily or otherwise, on
the rear ends Of two flying, independ-
ent toboggans.
What ride they take you for . . {.
bump {. bump :. bump :. wheeee!
What SPORT
All right? Any broken bones? Fine,
then try and unscramble your legs
from Is feet of hickory runners. Kick,
and one ski ScootS into the ravine,
far below: stand suddenly. and the
other ski destroys what remains of
your equilibrium. Fine sport! Great
business, this skiing.
Study Seems in Order.
Anyhow. some such an experience
sent us limping in search of liniment
and learning So, while the writer has
first hand knowledge of the wrong way
to ski, he must refer you to higher
authority for The right way.
Not that DR.. Glenn Giere knows all
there is to know about the sport. AS
a matter of fact, the wiry young doctor
is quite modest, despite his 20 years Of
skiing in Minnesota and the Midwest
under the tutelage of his Norwegian
kinsmen. Giere raced off with a
few cups in intercollegiate jumping
matches, although jumping is the
smallest part of skiing, in his opinion.
This is the doctors advice to the
beginner:
Buy fairly good skis-ash or hick-
ory, not pine, as pine runners will
roughen. Get them of a length you
can reach with extended arm, and of
more width if you are heavy.
Don't buy racing or jumping skis.
which are the same width throughout
and made for speed. Get cross
country skis, which are wider at front
and behind and made for turning
Such ski, when you tilt it, will
present curved surface to the snow,
and swing you around.
Get skis with heel straps, and use
ski shoes or some heavy, high shoe
which is fairly square of toe and will
give you control over the ski The
| ski equipped with only a toe strap
looks safe to the beginner. who thinks
he can kick out Of the strap if he gets
into trouble. AS matter of fact, the
toe strap is dangerous, since it gives
no control over the ski.
"The heel strap should be fitted to
allow the heel to rise about three
inches from the ski. The ski should
be put on to give comfort. freedom of
motion and a maximum of control.
A fairly good pair of ash or hickory
skis can be bought for Sc or So and
the ski shoes should not cost more
than $3.50 or 81.
Poles Are Big Help.
Don't forget the ski poles, which
are important. In cross-country work,
the poles provide almost as much
traction as the skis themselves, and
they are valuable balancers while run
ming downhill.
For starter the beginner should
ski on the level, using his poles and
getting the feel and balance Of the
runners under his feet. He shSlld
first try gentle slopes and not in
crease the pitch until he has at least
an inkling of the simpler turns.
"The long sweeping turn is ac-
complished by placing the outer ski
slightly forward and tipping up the
outer edge of both skis.
The stem turn is toe-in, with the
weight thrown in the direction of the