Martin Olson

Reading Time: 2 minutesDid you know that:   • K2 was once owned by Cummins Diesel. And later by Rubbermaid. • Beatrice Foods owned Hart skis. • Kingsford Charcoal owned Scott. • Ski competitions […]

Reading Time: 2 minutesAs leather succumbed to the superiority of plastic in the 1960s, there was a period of experimentation and innovation that saw many new, now memorable, ski boot designs, such as […]

Reading Time: 3 minutesFormer Ski Canada technical editor Martin Olson of Golden, B.C., takes a nostalgic look back at some of the gear that made us ski better and safer. I cringe when […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteSeemed Like a Good Idea 50th Anniversary looking back About 40 years ago a strange boot design appeared on the slopes. Today they would be invisible under a pant cuff […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteAn exciting photo of Jean-Claude Killy making a recovery during a race back in the sixties is sometimes credited with launching a technical dead-end. Sitting way back on the edge […]

Reading Time: 3 minutesFor good reason, most people remember Mike Wiegele for his renowned heli-ski operation in Blue River, B.C. I remember him as my coach, mentor and inspiration during the years I […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes50th Anniversary looking back Back in the day, when the epitome of style was skiing with feet and legs glued together as one on skinny, unshaped 207s, there was an […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes  ‘‘I’d noticed a direct relationship between pain, snow hardness and ski width… ’’ Repeated visits to an orthopaedic surgeon revealed exactly how my knees had worn with time. This got […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteIn this photo Todd demonstrates well a key trick of the best powder pros—don’t sit back! Notice how his hips are well up over his feet. He could be skiing […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteHave you noticed how fast many of the powder pros ski? It’s not just because they are pros, it’s also because turns are more effortless with speed. Increasing speed is […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteReal powder doesn’t have a solid base underfoot, which means that trying to push off or hop is an ineffective waste of energy. Novices try to bounce, while experts bend […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteIt may seem too obvious, but powder snow is where wide skis actually make sense. The float provided by skis that are more than 100mm wide underfoot really do make […]

Reading Time: 2 minutesBeing aware of rotation isn’t enough to correct it. Rotation is the result of the skier trying to turn his or her skis. Skis should turn the skier, not the […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteYou may find that I constantly harp on the idea of edging the ski to turn when it seems more intuitive to “turn” the skis to turn, but there is […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThink of applying weight to your working ski by bending the other leg. The secret to getting expert levels of edging is to flex the uphill leg to shift weight […]

Reading Time: < 1 minuteExpert or “performance” turns are not for everyone, but if your goal is to ski like the world’s best (including Silver Star’s Rodger Poole), start with these reference points.   […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes by Martin Olson in December 2014 issue Moguls have become an endangered species at most resorts, but they can be fun when you find them. One of the shortest roads […]

Reading Time: 3 minutesMYTH 1 – GOOD SKIERS USE A WIDE STANCE A common error seen in good skiers who are trying to improve is skiing with feet too far apart. It can […]

Reading Time: 2 minutesRotation is a way for the skier to turn the skis with upper body movements. Here, Anne demonstrates one turn using edge angle and ski shape, and another using upper […]

Reading Time: < 1 minutefrom Winter 2007 issue by Martin Olson                    

Reading Time: 6 minutesAs Ski Canada celebrates its 40th birthday this season, we thought a nostalgic look back each issue was an appropriate way to rejoice. Leading the sentimental season is a subject we […]

Reading Time: 2 minutesReach for the next turn Good skiers show a wide range of movement, but without coaching those movements can be misinterpreted. A good example is the situation pictured, where the […]

Reading Time: 2 minutesFull StyleFile page layouts with images During this particular photo shoot at Lake Louise, we were constantly interrupted by snow squalls and flat light. Unexpectedly, the demonstrator gave a rare […]

Reading Time: 2 minutesAll 2007 Ski Test data is available for subscribers at www.skicanadamag.com, so there’s not much point ?lling pages with numbers again—but maybe it’s worth reviewing some highlights. BEST TUNING There […]