Req 7a6 — Linked Wedge Turns
Linked wedge turns move you from braking to actual turning. Instead of just wedging to slow down and stop, you steer the wedge left and right in a continuous, rhythmic S-pattern. This is a major milestone — controlling your speed by turning, not just stopping.
How Linked Wedge Turns Work
Start in a gliding wedge — tips closer together, tails apart, weight even, knees slightly bent.
To turn right: Shift slightly more weight onto your left ski and look toward your right. The wedge will steer you that way. Small weight shifts do most of the work — you do not need to lean hard.
To turn left: Shift weight onto your right ski and look left.
Link the turns: As you complete one turn, immediately begin the weight shift to start the next. Do not let the skis run straight between turns — the continuous arc is what makes them “linked.”
What Your Counselor Is Looking For
- A consistent wedge shape maintained through the turn (not just at the start)
- Smooth direction changes — turns connected without a flat, runaway section between them
- Speed managed by turn shape, not by stopping
- Body position: weight centered, hands forward, knees bent
Official Resources
🎬 Video: How to Do Linked Wedge Turns (video) — https://youtu.be/1BdMf9rmubQ
🎬 Video: The Wedge Turn (video) — https://youtu.be/9bEH6JCq83U?si=5ru69RVAgDgQfAif