Entrance Gate Timing, where do you fit in ?

[RichardDoane]

My best entrance gates @ shortline, are when I turn in later, am either in the center or nearer to the left side of the gate, and carry the best angle to get wider and earlier to the 1 ball.  It seems that keeping to the extreme right side gets me less angle, so I'll be  later at the one ball.

[MattP]

Richard- I feel the same way about my gates. Even though for some reason I feel like that I should be hitting the gates farthest right I do better when I am farther left. I think it is because the distance from the right side,or any part, of the gate to the 1st buoy is actually farther than from where you would cross the center of the course going from buoy 2 to 3 so it would make sense to be later on the gates to the 1 ball.

http://www.utoronto.ca/ski/water/ca/rule9596/diag1.gif

[jdarwin]

Richard:

I think if you tracked your path from 1 to 2 ball, 2 to 3 ball, etc., you would see that the path would be similar to tracking over the left side gate buoy.  Trying to sneak inside the right side gate buoy is a hard habit to break and  we tend to panic somewhat when we feel we are "late" thru the gates when in reality, we're tracking pretty close to how we will ski the remainder of the course.  I agree, some of the best gate-shots/1 balls I've had were when I felt I barely made the gates.

[disland]

I have posted this before. I worked the slalom tower in the middle of the lake at the Masters 2 years ago. My biggest take away was that every single pro almost without exception went right through the middle of the gates for all their passes even 39. They dont flirt with that right gate ball. This is in stark contrast to local and regional tournaments where as a judge you are always having to make tough calls on the gate shot.

[Thomas Wayne]

...

[RichardDoane]

Shoot for the middle, that way there's plenty of room for error, just in case you need it.

[Old MS Accout]

No matter when you hit the gates, the key is to take what you took and go with it. Do not adjust your speed or angle just to hit the gate in the correct spot. Take what you took and go. If you are early, stay early and miss it. You can make it on the next pass.   

[Deke]

From a purely analytical standpoint I don't think brushing either gate ball tells the whole story. You can have bad angle and still come close the right hand gate simply by turning in early. The greatest angle would be a later turn in and brushing BOTH gate balls. I'm with MS, you can't change your mind once you commit.

 

-Deke

[Old MS Accout]

Deke brings up a point that Chet was really pushing this spring while he was coaching a B2. You want to get 100% of your angle right then and there. Hit the right side of the left and the left side of the right ball for maximum angle.   

[Thomas Wayne]

"Hit the right side of the left and the left side of the right ball for maximum angle."

Can't be done.

TW

[ski6jones]

It a good mental image though.

It's like counter rotating on your offside turn.  I like to think about rotating my hips to the shore.

I can't actually do it but it helps me to maximize that movement.

[jimbrake]

Chuck Norris can do it.

[skibug]

 

"Chuck Norris can do it."  Now that is too funny!!!

[Old MS Accout]

His point was to take 100% of available angle at all times, nothing less. 

[ski6jones]

When the boogey man goes to sleep at night, he first checks in the closet for Chuck Norris.

http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/ 

[Ed_Johnson]

While filming his TV Show in Texas, Chuck was bit by a huge Water Moccasin......After 6 days of extreme pain, the Snake finally died.

[skibug]

I think Chuck Norris has officially Hi-Jacked this thread.....and no one is saying anthing about it to Chuck if they know what is good for them.....

[lkb]

When Chuck Norris skis, the doesn't pull him...it runs from him.

[scoke]

 

 Chuck ran an easy 2@43 at our lake back in September but our end course video was broke.

 Said he did it all the time.

 

[RichardDoane]

I heard Chuck was has become a "Trick Specialist".

[lkb]

he stared at the video and it shattered

[jimbrake]

2 @43? Are you kidding me? Chuck runs 45 off whenever he damn well pleases.

 Chuck Norris has counted to infinity - twice.

 If by some strange space-time continuum, Chuck Norris was able to fight himself, he'd win. Period.

 Most ninjas grow up wanting to be just like Chuck Norris. Instead they mostly grow up to be killed by Chuck Norris.

[skibug]

I heard Chuck stacked up ten O'Brien Elites and karate chopped them.....just to prove they weren't

[Old MS Accout]

Chuck is Gay.

[Old MS Accout]

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[RichardDoane]

hence the "trick specialist"

[thager]

Wouldn't that be Tiger?

[skidawg]

Chuck is the total gym, and black jack master,  loves shreveport and the boats, got a friend who used to deal black jack to him quite often.  Tried to get him to ski but he said it was to easy, boats can't fight back!