Hannes Schneider and Arnold Fanck in the Die Wunder des Schneeschuhs, 1928 (The Wonders of Ski-ing, 1933 English translation), clearly explain the importance of the “stick” in straight-running and turning:
‘During the downhill run the arms are almost straightened out, and the hands holding the sticks are kept quietly by the knees. One must avoid waving the arms in the air like a tight-rope walker…The sticks are held outwards at back…Every swing is really started with the stick, i.e. by gently pressing the snow disk of the inner stick (on the inside of the curve) into the snow, far to the side and a little to the back of the body… The stick, of course, does not support the body…the only purpose of the stick is to aid the balance by strong contact with the slope. The disc also provides a kind of centre for the swing to turn around.’ 19
1928 - Photo of straight running or “Schuss” in Arlberg, and how to hold the sticks. Hannes Schneider and Arnold Fanck, The Wonders of Ski-ing, New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1928 (1933 English Translation), 82
1928 - Photo of stem turns and the use of the pole while executing them. Hannes Schneider and Arnold Fanck, The Wonders of Ski-ing, New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1928 (1933 English Translation), 143
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