JEANNIE SAYS: WOMEN DIG SHAPES

Jeannie Thoren is one of the staunchest proponents of shaped skis. Thoren has spent the last 10 years conducting ski equipment clinics specifically for women. Her workshops give women the opportunity to demo dozens of different models.

With the inclusion of shaped ski models into her clinics during the past two seasons, Thoren has seen immediate and significant changes in her clients’ skiing. Their level of progress has been exceeded only by their new enthusiasm for the sport, she said.

Women who are trying to master their turns and learn to carve tend to favor narrower waisted, more radical shapes. These women tend to ski slower and appreciate the control they achieve without stress or fatigue. More skilled skiers seem to prefer less radically shaped skis, that perform better at speed.

While shaped skis can help all skiers become better skiers, the real beneficiaries of the new geometry are women, Thoren says. Shaped skis respond to finesse more than muscle, which is where women tend to differ from men in their approach to athletics.