Taking It to the Next Level

I had a revelation while skiing today. Lately, I've been jumping off cliffs and losing my balance in the air, which causes me to take a nasty spill on the landing. Sounds like fun, ey?! It really isn't, but you only get better by pushes it. Right? Anyways, I couldn't put my finger on the cause of my problem because the time in the air was a blur with the snow quickly rushing up to me.

While watching a skiercross competition on TV the other day, I noticed that the skiers moved their hands forward and down while they raised their knees to their chest on jumps. Besides being an aerodynamic position, this stance made them balanced in the air and gave them full control of their skis on landing.

In the photo above, I mirrored this stance on this takeoff and nailed the landing. During my flight, time slowed down and I was able to spot the landing. It was a great feeling and my best cliff drop of the season so far. More to come!!!

Thanks to my friend, Max, for capturing this moment. It's a great shot. I love the light and my silhouette among the sky and trees.