Tournament preparation

[ScarletArrow]

So I'm competing in my first INT this weekend.

Any pointers / comments / advice?

Will ski Monday, Tuesday (on site), and Wednesday...plan on taking Thursday off...on site practice round is Friday and planned on getting in a couple of sets.

 Anthony

 

[Horton]

Do not ski too much this week. Do no ski hard Friday.

On the day of your ride just try to go relax and ski. Do not over think or do anything that you would not do if it was just a practice ride.

Have fun 

[Director Darwin]

Everyone has their own way of preparing for tournaments.  I agree w/ John to take it easy the day before the event especially if you are already familiar with the site.  If given the chance, I'll ski two passes at a new site.  I start at 28 off so I'll ski two 28 off passes to get the feel of the water and the visuals associated with the course.  Come tournament time, I visualize as if I'm skiing at my own site.  When in the water and the rope tightens, I visualize what I see at my home site.  I imagine my neighbors house in the distance and when I pull out for my gates, I visualize his house where it would be at my home site.  This tends to calm my nerves and lets me concentrate on my technique and not be too concerned with unfamiliar surroundings.  Afterall, the buoys are in the same place everywhere you go (except Jim Michael's site).  Good luck and have fun.

 

jhd 

[cliveous]

Make sure you start at a speed or rope length that you know you can run easily. We see so many skiers on there first tourny fall on the first pass because they might have been nervous, made an error, poor conditions and there is most proberbly another hundred reasons why they might not run there first pass. If any of the above problems do occur you need to be able to deal with it, so make sure you start with a comfortable speed or rope length that you can ski whilst writing out the shopping list and you will have a successful day that you will always remember. Good luck. 

[Horton]

Part of the deal is that you just need to ski in more tournaments. When you have done it a bunch of times it will be easy. For that first tournament I recommend that you just go have fun.  

[Marco]

Thank you all for your words of wisdom!  I too skied in a tournament for the first time this weekend.  I eased up on the pre tourney skiing, but did go to the site for a few practice passes.  The water was 85 deg- 10 deg warmer than where I ski, and the practice set kept it from being a surprise on Sat morning.

I barely knew anyone at the tournament, and my nerves were in overdrive on the dock.  Once I got in the water, I let my brain go blank, gave myself plenty of rope (orange)and my first set I got 4 @ 35, and my second I got 1.5 @ 38.  My practice PB is only 2 @ 38, so I was obviously happy with my scores.  Not to mention, I met a lot of really good skiers.  I am now hooked and can't wait for the next opportunity.  I can't believe I waited so long to try it.

[Horton]

First tournament ever and you ran into 38. Shut Up!

[Marco]

No Kiddin!  I am waiting for it to post on the AWSA West site to make sure I wasn't dreaming.  That 38 set even included a re-ride at 32 when I encountered ducks @ 5 ball.  And I had that one in the bag too.  Couldn't have wished it any better!

[ScarletArrow]

Nice job.

My results don't compare...didn't finish the course...my ski buddy (also his first time) finished 5 @ 28...we had a blast.

Anthony

[Marco]

In this sport, at least at the amature level, results are relative.  In the tourney I skied in, there were at least 3 skiers who were dissapointed with their scores in the mid to deep 38's.  What I learned last weekend was that satisfaction is relative to expextations.  My hope was to make my 32.  Anything else was gravy.  Of course, all that probably changes at Regionals, Nationals, or the Big Dawg, not to mention pro tournaments, but I am just guessing, never having been there.  Words of wisdom from a newbie with no past experience, so take them at face value.

I'd like to hear some further perspective from the seasoned tournament veterans on this board.  In the meantime, congrats on you and your buddy going for it.  I wish I had started tournaments earlier. There seems to be so much more to skiing tourneys than mere ski ability...state of mind, confidence, desire etc...  It is what makes this sport so  awesome.