sl/gs length for J-5 racer

Question
I touched based with you last fall about my son who was in a 125 Elan RCX.  We skiied the J-6 season in that ski--as I suspected, it was a bit short on him on the GS courses.

This year he will be skiing J-5 and I am not sure what to get.  It will defintely be a "learning year".  He is 55" and 68 lbs.

Any recommendations?  We like the Elan skis, but we are open.  He edges well, but is sometimes too heavy on the edging and sits back a bit.  Doubtful if ski selection will impact this.

Answer
Dear Dorothy --

If you like the Elan performance, but they are not stiff enough for your son, you might try junior skis made by Fischer, or Solomon for a dual purpose ski.  If the Elan RCX is still sufficient for slalom, you might want to buy a GS specific ski for this season.  Besides Fischer and Solomon, both Volkl racetiger, and Dynastar Omeglass have excellent GS versions.  The Dynastar will be a softer flexing ski than the Volkl.

If your son skids his edges and sits back during the turn, it may not be the skis that are the problem.  It is more likely he is in boots that are either too big or too stiff for him.  If he cannot flex forward in his boots when the boots are out in the cold.  They are probably too stiff.  Most junior racers shouldn't be in racing boots unless the racer is VERY aggressive, very strong, or very heavy for their shoe size, they should be in regular high performance youth ski boots.  Skiers who race should also be in three or four buckle boots, and not in rear-entry boots.  If he is really sitting back, you might want to have his bindings mounted slightly forward of center to give him more tip control, and more confidence in initiating and completing the turn.

Finally, have his stance checked in a ski shop with a good boot fitter, and make sure he does not need a shim in his boots to allow him to get his skis flat during the cross-over between turns.  A slightly edged ski, due to tiny imbalances in leg length, can make it very difficult to initiate and complete turns.  

Please write back, if you have additional questions, or want to discuss any options in more detail.  Good luck to your son this season.