On Monday, June 24, 2013 11:10:02 AM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
I believe TA simply misspoke when he said "S" turns and that he was actually
describing a figure 8, the proper procedure.

I assumed that TA intended to execute a figure 8 and then accidentally executed (half of) an S turn.

I've heard S-turn and figure-8-turn used interchangeably (and incorrectly) by glider-only pilots (myself included), but of course they different geometries, and yes, a true S-turn is incorrect on a ridge.

On Monday, June 24, 2013 10:45:02 AM UTC-4, Andy wrote:
A figure 8 turn puts the wings parallel to the ridge twice every complete turn but the glider is headed *away* from the ridge each time and NEVER towards it.

An incorrectly executed figure-8-turn (turn 45 degrees too far) becomes an S-turn and will result in the glider wings being parallel to the ridge (and the glider pointed towards the ridge). I don't know what TA did, but I could certainly make that mistake, especially if I was tired and stressed.