The Conversation That Changed How I Understand Skis: Jurij Franko on the Birth of Modern Ski Design
Big Picture Skiing PodcastShow Notes
This is a remastered release (2018) of one of the most eye-opening conversations I’ve ever had about skiing. Before I had proper mics or a real podcast setup, I sat down with Jurij Franko - the physicist, former racer, and engineer behind the original shaped-ski revolution at Elan. The audio is now cleaned up, and I’m thrilled to bring this episode back because it genuinely changed how I understand skis.
Jurij’s story starts in the late 80s, when he became the first person to apply mathematics to ski design. His work validated the idea of sidecut and helped spark the carving era we now take for granted. In this episode, he explains the thinking and experiments that shifted skiing from tradition to science — and the breakthroughs that came from asking the questions no one else was asking.
We dive into ski behaviour in a way few people can articulate: • why a ski carves vs. skids • how torsional stiffness and center of mass influence grip • the real physics behind vibration and “feel” • and why so many long-standing beliefs in skiing were never grounded in science.
What I appreciate most is how Jurij connects design to human movement. He explains how great skiers adapt their body position, predict what the ski will do, and make thousands of small decisions based on feel and repetition. His way of cutting through jargon and simplifying the essentials is refreshing - especially for instructors.
We also challenge a lot of myths: flex, vibration, “performance characteristics,” and the tendency to overteach. Jurij’s view is that skiing improves when people are given the space to explore, develop awareness, and feel how the ski interacts with the snow.
This conversation blends physics, history, technique, and genuine passion. It’s a rare look inside the mind of someone who shaped the modern ski - and for me, it’s still one of the episodes that permanently shifted how I think about skiing. Enjoy.
Improve your skiing with me as your coach. I own an online learning platform that will teach you to become a better skier It’s Called Big Picture Skiing and is my way of being able to share everything I have learnt about ski technique, equipment and becoming a better skier. There are over 250 videos sorted into categories for simple learning. If you’ve enjoyed my YouTube and podcast then I think you would get even more out of the BPS learning platform Podcast listeners can take 25% off any membership with code: PODCAST CHECK OUT BIG PICTURE SKIING
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
More from Big Picture Skiing Podcast
Have you ever wondered why your ski boots feel great in the shop but don’t quite work on the mountain? Or why your legs feel cooked by lunchtime, you struggle to find a balanced stance, or you can’t seem to get the performance you want from your skis? The answer might be hiding in your boot setup. In this episode, I sit down with Phil from SkiTalk to explore three often-overlooked aspects of ski boot geometry: binding delta, boot board ramp angle, and forward lean. We discuss what these angles actually mean, how they influence your stance and movement on skis, and why the same boot setup can work brilliantly for one skier but feel completely wrong for another. We also explore how calf size, ankle range of motion, and individual body proportions influence the forward lean that works best for you. In this episode, we cover: • What binding delta is and how it can influence your stance • Boot board ramp angle and why it matters • Forward lean: finding a setup that works with your body • How calf size and ankle mobility influence boot fit • Why a boot setup that works for someone else might not work for you • What to consider before changing your boot setup Want to improve your skiing? Big Picture Skiing is an online learning platform packed with practical video lessons to help you understand your technique, improve your skiing, and become a more independent learner. Visit https://bigpictureskiing.com/ Use code PODCAST for 25% off your membership. Enjoy the episode!
I first met Alex Hackel in Austria filming a video where I taught him to improve his short turns, tracked by CARV, the digital ski coach. What struck me most was how good a learner he was — focused, determined, and genuinely humble. That’s a big part of why I wanted him on the podcast.
Are your ski boots holding you back from the performance your skis are capable of? In this episode I sit down with Master Boot Fitter Brent Amsbury to break down everything you need to know about plug boots — the type of ski boot most top level technical skiers are wearing.
If moguls intimidate you this episode is going to change that. You’ll learn a clear, repeatable method for going from avoiding bumps entirely to skiing 60 in a row with control and actually enjoying it. Expect practical handholds: how to control your speed and direction, why “just get small and absorb” quietly sabotages most people, and the mindset shift that turns a scary bump field into a series of solvable problems.
Mark Sedgwick finished this winter as #1 on the CARV global leaderboard for short turns, with a Ski IQ of 180 — the highest recorded this season. In this episode, I sit down with Mark to find out exactly how he got there.