Descriptionary

rambling cross-country walking on skis, a slower and more relaxed form than langlauf.

ramp a slope linking different levels of a mountain.

reverse crossover same as a stepover, only with one ski crossed over the other from behind instead of the front.

royal christie a classical ballet skiing maneuver in which one ski is lifted far behind the skier and brought forward gracefully to make a turn.

royal spin a complete turn with one ski held in the air and turned in pirouette fashion.

schuss to ski straight down a steep slope without turns or traverses.

sideslipping slipping sideways while making a turn.

sidestepping walking sideways up a hill with skis on.

sitzmark the form left in the snow by a skier who has fallen backward.

skijoring skiing while being towed by a horse or vehicle.

slalom a race over a winding course marked with posted flags.

snow cannon a cannonlike device that shoots a spray of water into cold air, forming ice and snow, used by ski resorts.

snowplow bringing the tips of skis together in a V shape or snowplow formation to slow descent or brake. Also known as a wedge.

somersault a backward or forward somersault in the tucked or untucked position.

spatula the front or curved-up end of a ski.

star turn a stationary turn made by raising and put­ting down the skis alternatively, creating a radius or "star" in the snow.

stepover a ballet maneuver in which one ski is stepped over the other, followed by a royal christie.

swallowing absorbing the impact of a mogul by relaxing or retracting the legs and feet.

undulation a swell or wave in the snow.

traversing a diagonal run across a slope.

washboard a series of small, bumpy waves in the snow.

wedelns a series of very fast and slight changes in direction made by flexing the body joints.

skydiving

automatic opener a device calibrated to deploy automatically a parachute at 1,000 to 1,200 feet, used with student jumpers.

auxiliary chute a reserve parachute.

bag deployment the fabric container enclosing the parachute canopy.

batwings rigid or semirigid surfaces attached to the arms and body to facilitate gliding and slow descent, used illegally.

breakaway the jettisoning of the main parachute to deploy the reserve chute; the cutting of suspension lines to release the canopy.

cloth extensions sections of fabric sewn into the armpits and crotch area to facilitate gliding and to slow descent; not the same as batwings.

crabbing directing the descending parachute side­ways to the wind.

delta position a freefall position in which the arms are held back at the sides with the head held low, to increase the rate of descent.

deployment the release and unfurling of the para­chute from its pack.

deployment device a sleeve or bag that contains the canopy, slows its opening and reduces shock.

docking joining hands (or other body parts) with another diver in midair.

drop altitude the altitude at which a skydiver jumps.

drop zone a specified area where a skydiver plans to land.

exit point the point in the air, often over a landmark on the ground, where a jumper exits the plane.

freefall the portion of the jump in which the para­chute is not yet deployed. Also, any jump in which the chute is deployed at the skydiver's discretion, as distinguished from a static line jump.

frog position a freefall position in which the jumper assumes a spread-eagle posture with arms upraised.

glide horizontal movement through the sky.

groundhog any nonjumping spectator on the ground.

hank to pull or yank on a steering line.

harness the webbing and strapping that cradles the jumper and connects with the suspension lines.

holding directing the canopy against the wind to slow ground speed.

hop 'n' pop pulling the ripcord immediately after exiting from the plane.

inversion a deployment malfunction in which the canopy becomes turned completely or partially inside out.

jumpmaster an experienced jumper and jump leader; one who oversees the jumps of students.

line-over a deployment malfunction in which one or more lines get caught up over the top of the canopy. Also known as a Mae West.

opening point the point in the air at which the jumper should pull the ripcord in order to land within the specific jump zone.

opening shock the shock or pull felt by the jumper when the chute opens.

oscillation the swinging back and forth of a jumper under a descending canopy, usually occurring during turns.

pack collective term for the parachute assembly, including the container, canopy, connector links, ris­ers, suspension lines, and reserve chute.