Who the heck is David Panneton? And what did he do at the Cypress Big Dog?

[Horton]

I thought the June round of the Eagle Sports Challenge was a done deal and then I saw that David crushed is handicap by 9 balls! What?!? 9 Balls! Is this for real?

[lhoover]

John, The Boy is the real deal! He skied lights out as KLP instructed him from their Acapulco meeting a couple of Winters ago. His lovely wife, Ann, and 3 great kids cheer him on in practice and in tourneys. P is a great reminder of how chasing balls in practice sets is NOT the way to advance. He runs the same pass methodically, say, 22off, working on technique and muscle memory. He tries to video most sets and keeps a log to review his progress. His humble beginnings of just a few years ago are paying dividends in spades. So pony up the jacket. It is well earned and deserved. Qualfying for his 1st Natls ought to earn him a cap, too. Agreed?

[DavidP]

Lowell,

Thank you for the kind words.

 

John,

Who the heck is David Panneton? I’m not a sand bagger or injured in 2010. I competed in tournaments in Mens 1 and in college (met my wife on the Texas A&M ski team) in the late 80’s. Once I started a career and didn’t have access to a boat, I stopped skiing. In the fall of 2008, my three kids showed interest in skiing and we bought a boat.

 

After giving up on skiing in open water in 2009, we joined a ski club in Conroe Texas and started relearning the sport – 55M balls, perfect pass & ZO, $1000+ skis, 80 strand ropes, fin adjustments. I gave up my trusty 1988 Connelly Concept for a Prophecy and started trying weird things like being open and looking at the boat, looking down course and one handed gates.

 

In 2010, my wife and I went to Ski Paradise for our 20th wedding anniversary. Our guest coaches were Kris Lapoint, Jennifer Lapoint and Will Asher. They were awesome and patient coaches! I was pumped after running a 28 off pass at 34mph that week and set a goal skiing in tournaments again and qualifying for regionals – my first and last regionals was in 1987 and I fell on my opening pass. After three tournaments I qualified for regionals and did better this time - posting a PB of 2@35.

 

This season I wanted to try a different ski and got an A1. My first tournament with the A1 produced a new PB 3.5 @35. Just this past weekend, I skied the class C at the Big Dawg in Cypress. I had let Kris know when I was skiing and was extra nervous with him watching. Well, in my effort not to embarrass myself, I started at my usual 1st round line length of 15 off and didn’t stop until I rounded 3 ball and crossed the wakes at 38 off! I had never run 35 off in practice and had never attempted the gates at 38. I was still on cloud nine on my second round, started at 22 off and over turned 5 ball – and fell back to earth. Slalom humbles you in a hurry!

 

Thank you for all of the work on the BOS website!

David

[Than_Bogan]

SWEET! Congrats, man.

 

That "big leap" is one of the great moments in any slalom career, so I am psyched for you. And it's an excuse to relive my "big leap":

 

About a decade ago, I had started running 36/-32 sometimes in practice, but I just couldn't get through -28 in a tournament. On what seemed like my 10,000th attempt at -28, I finally ran it. And then I went and ran -32 on my first ever try at a tournament! This was back in the days of EPs to qualify for Nationals, and I exactly hit the then EP of 2 @ -35. Heh -- I'm STILL psyched about that... Anyhow, that was a 9-buoy personal best.

 

Less surprisingly, I also ran 34/-35 on my first ever tournament attempt [also my first attempt period; I was still practicing at 36]. This leaves me with a bit of an ignominious distinction:

 

I ran the 96 buoy pass on my first ever tournament attempt at both speeds, but I've still *never* completed the 102 buoy pass at a tournament! Best at 36/-35 was 5, and best so far at 34/-38 is 4. (It's goin' down this year, though -- I'm skiing the best I ever have at this point in the season.)

 

Hm ... I don't mean to imply the same will be true for you! Keep working on fundamentals and you'll sail right past me!

[LagoLydia]

Wow, great skiing David. I freaked at 5 ball on my recent tournament PB - think we'd all kill to do what you did in practice or even in our dreams :-)!

 

I would like to donate my EZ fin tool that I assume I won for second place to you for your awesome performance.

 

Lydia Heard

[Horton]

I guess David is the man. I will wait for any last minute scores to be posted but I think it is wrapped up. I tried to find a good reason to adjust his handicap but it looks legit. All in the rules.

 

(9 freak'n balls! Who beats their average by 9 balls! Crazy)

[DavidP]

OB, thanks. If you're out there having fun, you don't suck! I'm glad my kids got me back in the sport.

 

Than, thank you and nice story on your "big leap." Good luck on getting 102!

 

Lydia, that's a generous offer and I'm sure I will see you at some of the Houston area tournaments this summer.

 

John, it is crazy! I'm not supposed to get into 38!

 

David

[Chef23]

David that is a great score it gives me hope. Nice job.

[Nick Sullivan]

Awesome story David. I seem to remember Greg Badal has a good story like this too.

[DavidP]

Thanks! I wonder how many similar stories like this are out there?

[bmiller3536]

It must of been the BOS Slalom Challenge that motivated him to that score.

 

[Chef23]

I have had a similar thing happen playing golf but never waterskiing. I improved my golf pb by 5 strokes in a tournament when I wasn't worrying about final score. I haven't been able to get out of my head when skiing.