My Gates - Why I think I am skiing so well

[Horton]

I am skiing the best of my life right now. I am certainly not in the best shape of my life. My first year of marriage, work and this silly web site defeated my fitness goals last winter. The ski I am on fits me but there is a logical limit to how much credit you should give to a ski. So how can I be skiing so darn good?

Last fall I spent a weekend working on my gates with a crusty old dude I like to call “The Ghost Skier”.  The result is what I think is making the biggest difference. If you are left foot forward, stop reading now. I have no idea what to tell you.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4-6ay9R-bLE/TASQJJffGGI/AAAAAAAAC0s/b3ESb_DfVKg/s400/DSC_1574.JPGFrom May 2010 Adobe

So here is what I am doing. As I approach the green 55s I make sure I am on my front foot and twist my hips right as much as practical. Standing tall in the foam next to the dish I lead with my left hip out at a medium intensity. Gauging the right intensity is perhaps the hardest part for me. On the way out, I keep my hips countered to the right and even keep my eyes on the wakes for most of the outbound travel.  

As soon as I think I am at width (no idea how I gauge this) I let go with my left hand and rotate my hips as far left as I can and allow the ski to start to arc back to the wakes. I do not understand why but a little slack is almost a good thing here.

From the wakes out and back I always try to stay tall on my ski. Hips right on the way out and hips left all the way back to the wakes. The result is a ton of angle and a one ball that feels more like an early 3 or 5 ball.

 

[RichardDoane]

Confidence is a big part of skiing well, you must be "feeling it", good work.

[Skihack]

I think it is 100% the ski.

[Marco]

Sounds like the same thought process for lefties as well.  It's just harder to counter the hips as much on the turn in.  A "little slack" may help allow you to get your left hip under the handle and get back toward the wakes before the rope begins to load...

[thager]

JTH,

That's exactly the way Drew Ross taught it to me. Thanks for the refresher! I'm skiing like crap right now so this is what I will work on since for me the gates make or break me especially with ZO. I am LFF and your explanation works the same for us.

[londonskier]

Horton, thanks for that description, I can feel it!  it makes me want to go back to a one hended gate.  As a leftie, I think two hands works better for me.  I've been coached by Aaron Larkin, so my pull out is short like a one handed gate, but I dont let go.  My key is to stay facing downcourse with my chest and wait for ages for the ski to keep turning under the line before I load it. Also I'm told as a leftie I dont have to get super wide on the pull out. Regards from sunny UK.

[Andre]

Ton of angle?

According to Wade Williams in last WS mag,all you need is 45' ...

Working for me at 28  but would it be enough at 35 and shorter for you guys?

Remember Andy's video where he run the gate from behind the boat at 35?

Thoughts?

 

André.

Don't know why my user name shows that spelling?

[jwr]

Makes me wonder.  Last night I pulled out too early for my 38 gates, and drifted back on the boat.  I ended up getting a decent 1 and got 5 just missed 6.  If it was a tournament I would have thrown my ski out there and gone for it.  So, I came back determined to run the pass.  I pulled out later and got out about as wide as the turn buoys.  Slow progressive turn, with more angle.  I ended up with too much speed at one, late for two and back to the wakes for the obligatory 2 @ 38.  I had previously thought that I was too early at 1 ball at 38.  It felt like I was hitting my apex and then on my way to 2 ball before I ever got to 1, instead of hitting my apex at 1.  I tried hitting the left gate ball instead of the right, and that helped some.  It brought me down course, so my apex was closer to 1 ball, but I was still carrying too much speed.  I thought it was because I was rushing, from not being used to running my gates that late.  Now I'm starting to think, I have just been creating too much angle.  More angle would give me more speed, and would make me too early for one.  Maybe I will just back off, and take it easy to one.  Cant hurt trying. 

  

[Horton]

I think later at the gate is a mistake. I am not good at it but feel that I should be very close to the right hand ball if possible.

The point of my gate method is to “make space”, be consistent and not be frantic at one ball. In short make the turn in as much like a 2/4/6 turn as possible.

Perhaps it is not radical angle but I have plenty and there is not a huge load on the line because I can carrying speed from the pullout.