Grippy wheels up front?

[vasocreta]

It's more than likely your stance/form and weight distribution, as a beginner I find I get antsy when I start pumping hard through a course and I start to lean forward, which takes weight off the back and makes it slide around. Keep weight on both feet.

Coming from a snowboard background on East Coast ice, I have this tendency: to lean forward to much and unweight my back truck. It SUCKS!!! Especially at high speeds.

Any thoughts or techniques for learning to keep that back foot weighted would be great.

[AGENT WD-40]

@ Chaput: The board I am using is an Axe II set up right now with a 20" wheelbase. The trucks are Rts/x and the front truck is very loose. The back truck is pretty tight and dewedged a bit. Right now I am talking to a guy that lives in Oceanside that said he could sell me a cheap Indy offset and could help me set my board all up. I am thinking this will help solve the traction problem, and allow me to run tighter courses without the worry of sliding. Also, are you planning on heading out to Pump Station on May 6th? I am hoping to buy a set of Zig Zags in 80a/83a.

@ Lynn: I am most definitely going to head out to Pump Station. I have already planned on it, and I will try my best to improve my current slalom status (absolutely horrible ). I went to the last one, and that was my absolute first time ever trying to slalom. This time I should be a little better, but I still suck. I will see you there.

[ChrisChaput]

I got noticably more traction when using an offset truck in the rear of my Axe. You may want to look at a toe stop that prevents your front foot from migrating too far forward.

Everything else is most likely technique. Try rotating your hips and shoulders so that you're faced more forward. Swing your arms across your board in FRONT of your body (don't let your your "trailing" arm swing back behind your hip). This helps you to get power from your pump instead of an awkward and ineffective "ankle turning" style.

BTW, the Pump Station Crossover is May 7th. Is there something on the 6th too?

[EBasil]

BTW, the Pump Station Crossover is May 7th. Is there something on the 6th too?

Yes!! Lynn Kramer and her commando team of La Costa Boys Slalom Coaches are coming out for a Hybrid Slalom Clinic, on the same model as the TS Clinic they put on with Silverfish, just before the TS Challenge Race.

Since the "Crossover" race is set for the early AM and its course conflicts with the "hybrid area", we just picked Saturday the 6th to ensure an open course.

[Lynnibob]

I agree with Chris that the indy offset will definitely help keep you from sliding most of the time.
See you Saturday.

[AGENT WD-40]

Awesome...I will ask the guy if he is heading out to Pump Station and I could buy the offset from him there. I will see you all there...

[ChrisChaput]

Well I'm glad that I asked. May 6th is my daughter's 7th birthday and so I'll be busy being a dad that Saturday, but I'll make sure that I have some equipment down there to try out and/or give away.