The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of using an Inclined-Pole Method on the practice of an Alpine ski race.
The subjects of the race were 8 junior racers (ages 14.6±1.9). They performed slalom test runs seven times that were composed of 8.6 meters of intervals, 1.5 meters of shaking width (offset). The first, second, sixth and seventh runs were set in the usual way with Upright-Poles. From the third to the fifth runs, the Inclined-Pole Method was set up that put the flex poles at an inclination of 20 degrees to the side by which the racers pass. A digital video camera was set up at the front of the subjects. The angle variance of the skiers' lower legs and the time between the 8th gate and the 13th gate were analyzed from the above video images.
The results of this study were as follows:
1) The time that many subjects had taken was shorter using the Inclined-Pole Method than that of the Upright-Pole Method.
2) From analyzing the angle variance of the skiers' lower legs between the gate and the next gate, the switch timing of right to left turns (or left turn to right) were faster using the Inclined-Poles in many cases.
These results suggest that the Inclined-Pole method has a positive effect on making more effective timings of switching turns.

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The engineering approach is one of the most important methods for contributing to the sports research. In the analysis of the ski turn, the mechanism of the physical exercise has been analyzed from the viewpoint of dynamics. A carving ski is rapidly spreading in recent years for the high skiing performance. The skiing style has also changed in order to sufficiently utilize the performance of the carving ski. Although it has been pointed out that the difference of the inclination angle of pelvis affects the skiing, there is no research that quantitatively evaluated the difference. We already developed the measurement system that simultaneously could measure the attitude of the skier and the reaction forces from the snow surface under skiing. This measurement system was improved in order to measure the inclination angle of pelvis.
In this study, we tried to evaluate quantitatively the effect of inclination of pelvis on the ski turn using this measurement system. It was found that the forward tilting attitude of the pelvis expanded the range of motion of hip joint and that the hip joint was used effectively in the ski turn. Our evaluation method will be useful for not only development of the ski goods but also improvement of training and guidance methods in skiing.

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The purpose of this paper is the role of Theodor von Lerch as a skier before his dispatch to Japan. The historical materials used here are the official documents archived at the General Staff Office in Wien and the articles left by Lerch. The results of this study can be summarized as follows:
1) The start of Lerch's skiing in his own country was in relation to his duty in the army.
2) Lerch had worked hard in an alpine ski club, so he had many experiences to promote activities, such as skitours, ski-lessons and ski-races.
3) Lerch made efforts to introduce skiing to the army from his position as a General Staff Officer in the Ministry of National Defence.
4) Lerch had cooperated with Zdarsky for some time in order to compile a manual of the army on skiing techniques. so he mastered the various techniques suitable for military use very well.
5) Lerch as a skier before dispatching to Japan had learned many techniques in skiing and took the responsibility to import skiing into the army, as well as spread skiing to the populace.

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