Next Level Skiing S5, E3 | KRISTA CRABTREE: The Strength of Femininity in Skiing

S5, E3 – Krista Crabtree: The Strength of Femininity in Skiing

Krista Crabtree has spent decades introducing women to skiing. Her 'She Skis' clinics gather beginner-to-expert women at resorts across the world to celebrate their passion for skiing. And from her start at SKI magazine in the 1990s, Crabtree has meticulously tracked the evolution of women’s specific ski gear, watching ski and boot manufacturers move beyond "shrink-it and pink-it" to designing intimately researched skis and boots made for women of all abilities. There’s nothing like a chairlift ride with Krista during a ski test … she has a savant-like ability to discern how different designs and materials translate into on-snow performance.

From her Division 1 racing roots to shepherding countless women into a celebration of snowy play, Krista’s perspective and insights offer all kinds of strategies that can help everyone better enjoy their time on snow. 

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Topics

[1:10] New England ski racing at Bates College
[2:00] Trouble flexing German skis, easier flex with French rides
[2:40] Skiing the Women’s Pro Tour in the 1990s
[4:00] Adjusting to powder out West
[4:40] Interning at SKI magazine in the 1990s
[5:30] The Volant Ti Vertex by Hank Kashiwa to the K2 Phat Luv line
[6:40] The role of women and women’s specific skis
[7:10] The end of shrieked and pinked
[9:00] Evolution of women-specific skis
[10:20] Not coddling but challenging
[12:00] Intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation
[13:30] Big mountain weekend for women at Silverton Mountain
[15:10] Start with the gear, bootfitting
[16:00] Get fit. Confidence plummets when not in shape
[16:10] Consider a women’s clinic
[17:00] Pinching quarters in your ski boot
[17:20] Three tips. First: foundation and athletic stance
[18:00] Second, hands in front
[19:00] Third, think about weighting the downhill ski
[22:20] Never waste a turn
[22:50] We are all works in progress
[24:40] The culmination of decades of women’s R&D in today’s skis
[26:30] Larger investment in diverse women’s skis
[27:00] Shorter skis are easier to flex
[28:00] Embracing femininity as a strength
[29:30] Consider more forward mounting of bindings
[32:00] Mentoring women and becoming a mentor
[35:10] Be available to others who are learning

More Episodes

S5: E1 – Chris Tatsuno: A Lot Less Ego, A Lot More Amigo
S5: E2 – Lee Cohen: The Cosmic Release
S5, E3 – Krista Crabtree: The Strength of Femininity in Skiing
S5, E4 – Nadar Jamal: Empowerment Through Skiing
S5, E5 – Steve Casimiro: The Transformation of Skiing
S5, E6 – Angela Hawse : Finding Your Center
S5, E7 – Mark Morris: An Ambassador to Life
S5, E8 – Adrian Ballinger: Putting Work into Fun