new skis for a junior racer

Question
My son is a 1st year J4 racer.  He has not had alot of success on the race course yet and is becoming frustrated by it. He loves racing though and is a very aggressive and fast skier when playing around with friends. He can't seem to carry this over to the course, however. He has been racing on a pair of used Dynastar omneglass 64 140s.  He is 5 foot tall and weighs 85 lbs.  He reports that he is sliding a lot more than the other kids and can't control the skis well.  We were wondering if buying him a newer pair of skis would improve his confidence and speed on the course.  We are also unsure if he has the right skis at all.  We just want him to have the best opportunity to race at his potential.

Thank you for your advice.

Answer
Dear Christina --

Sorry it took me so long to answer, I have been away on business.

The Omeglass ski is an excellent ski for a technically skilled skier.  These skis are designed for rapid edge to edge transition for slalom racing.  They will be less versatile in giant slalom races where holding an edge through a longer turn is critical.

If your son is skidding or sliding through his turns the problem could be that the ski is too stiff for his weight, it requires more strength than he has to hold it on edge for the turn duration, that the used skis have already lost their camber, and are not flexing sufficiently to hold the carve, or that his edges are not sufficiently tuned for the ski conditions he is racing under.

Without seeing the skis or your son skiing on them, I cannot diagnose what the issue might be.  I hesitate to recommend a more forgiving ski (easier flex, or less stiff) if that is not his problem.  However, I think that the Omeglass may be too technical a ski for his current skill and weight.

If you have a good neighborhood ski shop, see if you can rent various junior racing skis recommended for his weight and height (weight is more important here) and allow him to race in some NASTAR races to see how the skis feel.  If he finds one that allows him to carve through a GS turn comfortably, then rent that model for the rest of the season.

Some of the more forgiving junior race skis are the Fischer, the Solomon and the Rossignol.  However, there are many good junior skis out there so don't discount a shop's recommendation, unless they are always pushing you toward the most expensive brands.

Good luck to you and your son.  Please write back, if you have additional questions or concerns.