Carving is where the edges cut into the snow so well that the
skis do not slide sideways, and travel straight along their
length. Because the edges on modern carving skis are curved they
cut into the snow in a slight arc, the skis then follow the
edges and this takes you around in a turn. This is the most
efficient way to turn, as the least amount of snow is being
moved as you turn (i.e. wasting the least amount of energy
possible), and is also when you can get the largest reaction
force from the snow due to the grip of the edges. Ski racers try
to carve all the time, as it is the quickest way down the
mountain, and conserves as much of their speed as possible.
Bending the Skis If you look at a ski carefully you will see
that it is wider at the front and back than it is in the middle,
and that the edges curve inwards and back out again as they go
along the ski. Because of this shape when a ski is leant over,
it has to bend for the edge to sit in the snow along its length,
and the more a ski is leant over, the