Full Buoy Score Debate

[HO 410]

AWSA Rulebook

 10.12

© 1 point when the skier has crossed the line of the gate buoys before passing
the level of the next buoy (or the end gate in the case of the final buoy)
with a tight line under the power of the boat without falling.

Debates have been floating that this rule is dangerous.  At the Waterski event this week,  CP held onto a slack line in order to score a full buoy (I believe if this was scored last year, if he pitched the handle he would have received a full 1). He could not hold on and the handle was slingshot into the boat striking the driver. Letter of the law, if you can hold on you get 1.

I do not dislike the rule: it rewards skiers that are able to maintain the rhythm of the course and continue on to try and reach the next buoy. I thought the rule implied that a slack situation would not count as 1 so everyone would be best served by pitching the handle. I believe this is the interpretation that the IWSF and AWSA intended, but the language was not created to explain what does not count as a "tight line"

I suppose the questions go: Do you like the rule? What needs to be tweaked to make the rule safer?

[Horton]

Dam if you do and Dam if you don't. The old rule could be dangerous in some cases as the new rule is.This rule does not affect me because I do the old trick slalom swerve to get that extra 1/2 ball.