Which term describes turns where the skis travel on an edge with minimal lateral slipping or skidding, leaving a clean track?

Which term describes turns where the skis travel on an edge with minimal lateral slipping or skidding, leaving a clean track?

• A. Skidding turns
• B. Carved turns
• C. Pivot turns
• D. Slalom turns

Answer: (B)

Carved turns describe turning with the skis on their edges, letting the ski’s sidecut shape the arc so you leave a clean, continuous track in the snow with minimal lateral slipping. This happens when you roll the ankles and knees to grip the edges and apply steady pressure through the outside leg as you transition from edge to edge, so the outside edge holds and the turn radius is defined by the ski’s shape rather than by skidding across the surface. The result is a smooth, precise line where the tracks look clean and the skis track along the curve without significant slipping. In contrast, skidding turns rely on the skis sliding across the snow, creating more skid marks and spray and a less predictable path because edge engagement is reduced. Pivot turns emphasize rotating the skis around a point, often with less emphasis on maintaining a continuous edge grip. Slalom turns refer to a racing/technique pattern, which can be carved or skidded but isn’t itself the defining feature of a carve. So the term that best fits turns with minimal slipping and a clean track is carved turns.

Carved turns describe turning with the skis on their edges, letting the ski’s sidecut shape the arc so you leave a clean, continuous track in the snow with minimal lateral slipping. This happens when you roll the ankles and knees to grip the edges and apply steady pressure through the outside leg as you transition from edge to edge, so the outside edge holds and the turn radius is defined by the ski’s shape rather than by skidding across the surface. The result is a smooth, precise line where the tracks look clean and the skis track along the curve without significant slipping.

In contrast, skidding turns rely on the skis sliding across the snow, creating more skid marks and spray and a less predictable path because edge engagement is reduced. Pivot turns emphasize rotating the skis around a point, often with less emphasis on maintaining a continuous edge grip. Slalom turns refer to a racing/technique pattern, which can be carved or skidded but isn’t itself the defining feature of a carve.

So the term that best fits turns with minimal slipping and a clean track is carved turns.