The wedge christie on skis: start the turn in the wedge, actively rotate the inside ski parallel and shorten the wedge phase step by step – with milestones.
In the wedge christie you still start the turn in the wedge but actively rotate the inside ski into a parallel position during the steering phase. The second part of the curve is therefore already parallel. That turns the wedge step by step into a parallel turn.
This is exactly the path the German Ski Instructors Association describes as the learning goal "first turns in a parallel ski position", with the "stepwise shortening of the wedge phase" or the "stepwise reduction of the wedge position" [1]. The Level 2 topics also list "reducing the wedge position – two ways" and "parallel edge change of both skis" [2]. How many stages you need depends on you.
The difference from the stem christie: in the stem christie you start the turn from the traverse with a stemmed uphill ski. In the wedge christie you already stand in the wedge and turn parallel from there. Both are ways to the parallel turn, neither is mandatory.
How hard is it? If you master the wedge turn securely, the christie often appears on the side once you aim for it deliberately. I cannot back realistic learning times with studies.
Ski rhythmic wedge turns with weight change. That is a learning goal of its own in the curriculum and your base [1]. Milestone: eight wedge turns in a row, even.
Make the wedge progressively narrower. The tails come closer, the angle between the skis gets smaller. You still ski arcs. Milestone: the wedge is so small that the skis are almost parallel.
As soon as the curve is running, you actively rotate the inside ski parallel: knee and foot of the inside leg turn into the direction of the curve. The tips run parallel, the skis ski the second half of the curve parallel. The upper body stays calm.
Shorten the wedge phase per turn. First you stay in the wedge for long, then only briefly at the start. At the end the wedge is only an impulse. Milestone: the start of the curve is a small hint of a wedge, then parallel.
Repeat the christie on slightly steeper terrain and at slightly more speed. The faster you are, the earlier you must rotate the inside ski in – you notice immediately.
With each christie you add a bit more edge in the second half of the curve. That prepares the parallel turn.
Fix: rotate the inside ski actively, quiet upper body, reduce speed beforehand.
Turn the inside foot, not the knee. Imagine the toe of the inside leg pointing at the spot you are heading for. The inside ski then follows parallel almost by itself.
A practice plan for one session (practice, no study evidence):
Once the wedge is only an impulse at the start, you have practically arrived at the parallel turn.
A turn you start in the wedge and in which you actively rotate the inside ski parallel during the steering phase. The second half of the curve is already skied parallel.
First rhythmic wedge turns with weight change, then keep the wedge increasingly small and actively rotate the inside ski parallel. Shorten the wedge phase from turn to turn [1].
In the stem christie you stem a ski out of the traverse. In the wedge christie you already stand in the wedge and turn parallel from there. Both lead to the parallel turn.
If you have almost fully shortened the wedge phase and edge both skis cleanly parallel, yes. The transition is gradual [1].
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