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For the U10 skier

  • SL Ski

    Votes: 9 50.0%
  • GS Ski

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • They need both, an SL and GS ski.

    Votes: 3 16.7%
  • Combo ski

    Votes: 6 33.3%

  • Total voters
    18

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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I have to admit, I am a little intimidated about this question on the ski wall because I see the athlete size, strength and demeanor and wonder what the coach is seeing that I don't see. Some of these kids look tiny, but the coach may see strength and power.
That being said, if the family can only afford one ski at this age, which one do you get?
 

HBrosenius

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Not much of a question in my view. You can do GS on SL skis, but you cannot do SL on GS skis.

Also, all the drills will be a lot easier to do on SL skis.
 

murphysf

Ski Well, Be Well.
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I heard that a SL with a 10-13 meter radius is great for GS. Most kids can easily ski GS with a SL that has a higher radius.
 

murphysf

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I just saw this on the Squaw Valley U10 Ski Team Website Program Guidelines section:

Skis: 1 pair of GS or multi-discipline race skis regularly tuned
 

crazycanuck

Getting on the lift
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I was excited to read this thread, as I am dealing with this very question right now. However I was laughing as I read it because the challenge I am running into - i.e. that my son's coaches have a range of opinions and reasons for those opinions when it comes to skiing SL, GS or multi ski in U10 - are practically verbatim the same as in here! :)

When he was U8, my son was on a multi ski, and that worked fine for him. However once he moved up to U10 last year, it was recommended to us that he move to an SL. In large part, and I still 100% agree with this approach for last year, the goal was to challenge him by moving him from a softer easier to bend multi (Blizzard) and onto a more genuine race ski (Head iSL RD) that was stiffer. I think it achieved the goal because the first two weeks he got spanked by them because it was less forgiving of occasional bad habits, and it caused him to up his game. By the end of the year his turns had improved immensely, and those iSLs were instead rewarding his improved technique by really holding edge well at high speed. Based on the NASTAR-style time trials he is one of the better racers in that U10 group (gold level time, and about 2 seconds off of platinum time).

SL ski if only one ski. Better skiers should also spend time on a GS ski (not for specilization) but instead to properly learn to carve the ski rather than just ride the sidecut.
Fundementals are key, GS ski illuminates things that can be masked with SL ski at that age.

I just saw this on the Squaw Valley U10 Ski Team Website Program Guidelines section:

Skis: 1 pair of GS or multi-discipline race skis regularly tuned

At the end of the year I was talking to his coaches and asking about what we should put him on for next season (which will be his second in U10) so as to best suit his level and to support his development. The opinions I got were basically similar to the quotes above.

One coach said that he definitely should stay on the iSL and just increase the length. One coach said that he should go to a GS ski but shorten the length so that he can't just rely on the sidecut to help him and to challenge him to try and turn the GS ski without the SL sidecut helping him (and in the shorter length the GS radius isn't tragic anyway). And then a third coach said to get a multi race ski and split the difference (although at least one other coach worried that many multi race skis would be too soft for him next year).

So... there I am still stuck with my dilemma. haha
I am leaning towards staying with a iSL and just moving the length up, and certainly my son himself said he loved the iSL and would happily ski it again!
 

crazycanuck

Getting on the lift
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They're never too young to introduce them to the concept of a quiver. Just say'n. :ogbiggrin:

Oh believe me he is fully onboard with that already! We just can’t figure out the race ski for next season. He would love to have iSL and iGS, but I think at his age it would be more confusing to his progress than beneficial.

In addition to his race skis he has twin tips, powder skis, and some beater/rock skis for east coast “glade” runs. :). He loves skis as much as his dad. His mum on the other hand is happy accumulate expensive ski jackets, because of course it is critical that they match the top sheet! Lol
 

silverback

Talking a lot about less and less
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From the USSA equipment regs:
U12 and Younger Equipment U12 and younger athletes should limit skis based upon the recommendations in the Alpine Training System and the Course Setting matrix.
• U12 - two pairs (SL, GS), length ski/size appropriate. Only one pair of skis is allowed within the race arena for inspection and competition.
• U10 - one pair (multi-event), length ski/size appropriate.

If I remember correctly, my son was on 130cm Rossignol Radical RSX (Combi) the first year and 130cm Fischer SL+ 144 Rossi GS the second year of U10.
 

hbear

Out on the slopes
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Aug 17, 2016
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890
You really can't run a kiddie SL course in a GS ski....just saying if you had to chose one.
That will not promate anything good at that young age...they simply do not have the ability to properly arc and bend a GS ski into much smaller radius (frankly most U14s don't either as they don;t know how to bend a 25m ski into a 19m set but that's an aside).
Running a short GS ski will promote feet turning, chucking it sideways and sliding vs. arcing in a SL course. What do they set at that age for SL 4-8m? Good luck to jr if they are on a GS ski.

Proper tool for the task, there is a reason kids run both a SL and GS ski. But again if you only can manage one...choose SL unless jr is only training GS.
 

Swede

Making fresh tracks
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In U10, how much GS is it? A muli event (they are not all created equal) or a SL is appropriate until GS becomes a distinct different course/dicipline. It varies from regions/countries—in Scandinavia that is U12. Re multi events, the ones I have seen are proper race skis with side walls and wood core, with that said my experience with ME is limited to a couple of brands. I have positive experience with Elan RCX plate, which back in the day came in 125 and 130 cm and had a 9-10 m radius (specs pro’ly might have changed). Great learning tool for young skiers.
 

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