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| Camber |
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The curve built into the main body of a ski to allow an even distribution of the skier's mass over the whole ski in contact with the snow. A soft-cambered ski will exhibit an even distribution, whilst a stiffer or harder-cambered ski is constructed so that the mid-section (or wax pocket) of the ski is held above the surface of the snow except when it is being heavily weighted (as occurs when kicking).
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| Carve |
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To make a clean turn, using the edge of the ski, with no skidding.
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| Carving |
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A method of turning at high speed with minimal skidding of the skis, and determined by edging, plus the side-cut and camber of any given ski.
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| Catch an Edge |
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To have an edge of a ski dig into the snow, causing a fall or near fall.
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| Catch Some Air |
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To take flight briefly after skiing over a small hill or mogul.
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| Centrifugal Force |
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The force produced when an body rotates around the centre of its orbit. A skier will notice this when turning, in the form of an outward force away from the centre of the radius of the turn.
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| Centripetal Force |
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The opposing force to that of the centrifugal force. This must be applied by the skier to maintain balance and counteract centrifugal force when turning.
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| Chatter |
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Vibration of a ski caused by the edges bouncing off hard snow instead of biting in.
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| Christiania |
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The original term for a christie, or a turn in which the skis skid for all or part of the turn. Christiania (now Oslo) was the place in which this term originated.
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| Christie |
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A braking turn on which the tails of the skis are allowed to skid.
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| Citizen Racing |
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Recreational ski races (often large), generally over 10-80 kilometre distance, and with a mass start.
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| Classical Cross Country |
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A cross country race in which skiers use the traditional straight striding technique, leaving distinct parallel tracks, with considerable assistance from the ski poles. Skating is not allowed.
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| Classical Skiing |
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Track skiing without skating, as was more often and generally performed prior to the rise in popularity of snow-skating.
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| Combined |
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See Alpine combined; Nordic combined.
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| Combined Pursuit |
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A cross country event that's made up of two races. The first is usually a 5-kilometer classical race, the second a 5-kilometer freestyle. Competitors start the second portion in the same order in which they finished the first portion, and separated by the same amount of time.
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| Compression |
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Flexing of the legs to absorb bumps, and also to start turns over moguls. The French often call this term 'avalement'.
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| Converging |
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When the ski tips are closer together than the tails -- as in a snowplough, or when stem turning. See also diverging.
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| Corn |
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Small, rounded kernels of snow, most often seen in the springtime.
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| Cornice |
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An overhanging lip or ridge of snow.
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| Counter-Rotation |
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Rotating the body one way, and the legs the opposite. When turning, the legs turn into the turn, whilst the body turns outward, creating the effect.
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| Cross Country |
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A type of race that takes place over a considerable distance. See classical cross country; freestyle cross country.
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| Cross-Country Skiing |
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A term generally used in most of the world to describe only the track-skiing aspects of Nordic skiing, although sometimes used in Australia and elsewhere to include off-track skiing, XCD, and ski touring.
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| Crud |
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Difficult snow conditions -- often crusty or icy on top, with soft mush underneath.
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