How many buoys are you hoping to progress this year?

[Moggie]

I started skiing again 6 months ago after 6 years away and have gone from 28mph to nearly running 36mph 15off. I've started thinking about what I'd like to be skiing by the end of the year but being in unchartered territory I was curious what other ballers are aiming for and how they’ve progressed. Obviously it’s highly dependant on current ability but thought, accompanied by a brief narrative, it may give some insight to help set realistic / achievable goals.

[Than_Bogan]

I have gained about 1 buoy on my max in the last 10 years, so 1-3 is a pretty big range! +1 I think is possible. Great new ski and some good things to work on doing better this year. Plus I seem a little stronger so far (although I'm not quite sure why -- regular off-season gym routine).

 

+3 would be a bizarre miracle. That would mean rounding 4 @ -39 in a tournament (yeah right!) or 5 @ -39 in practice (almost equally absurd).

 

+3 to my tournament rating score is possible, though, mainly because my tournaments in 2012 weren't so great. +3 to my best ever tournament rating score (4 @ -38 from 2011) would be back in the miracle category.

[auskier]

2 months state side this year for me then straight back into aussie summer. im looking for 2 passes.

[Ed_Obermeier]

I've kinda struggled with my funky rear knee (right knee) the past couple of seasons making my offsides inconsistant. With a new and properly fitted knee brace giving me a lot more support I'm optimistic going into this season. My PB is 5 @ 35, adding 3 would put me at 2 @ 38 which my ego tells me is acheivable. If the damn weather would just cooperate...

[Horton]

If I added a ball to my PB that would be amazing. Heck if I ski as good as last year I will be totally pumped.

[ForrestGump]

Tournament PB was 5@35 last year, practice pb of 3@38. My goal for 2013 is seeing the backside of 38 in a tournament and running it in practice.

[MattP]

Tournament PB is 2.5@32, practice PB 3@35. My goal is to run 35 and get into 38 in practice and tournament.

[Horton]

@ShaneH 5 is a terrible score at any pass

[ForrestGump]

@horton Actually it was 5.5, not 5. Which is worse! I was already celebrating and then realized I was wet.

[A_B]

5@39, 5@41, 5@43, all sound really good to me!

 

General heartbreak of not running 6 understood...

[Skoot1123]

My goals this year are to run 28 more consistantly. If I get that going and run a couple 32's this year that would be amazing. Have only run 32 three times, if I get 1 extra buoy on my PB that would be 4@35. I'd love to run a full pass at 35, not sure if I'll be able to do that this year - depends on my water time.

[thager]

Being way optimistic here. Reality is just matching last year I will be happy. Injured knee and leg strength issue seems to get worse each year I age, not to mention any other health issues that can pop up. You always think you are invincible and can train or doctor away anything, when the truth is eventually your body will betray you. Winter sucks and so does aging!!!

[Wish]

On the way to 6 ball at 38 last tournament of last season will haunt me this year. So butt around 6 ball and maybe get the ski outside of 2 @ 39 would be fantastic. Have no idea if that's realistic expectation. Hope so.

[gsm_peter]

I have the advantage of starting from a very low level so I expect a great improvment.

Has already made 4 PB in my first 3 sets with plus 6 Bois.

Plan to manage 6 at 30 also. Long term goal is 6 at first 22 off.

[MISkier]

I want to run 32 off in practice and get deeper into it, say around 4 ball, at a tournament.

[Waternut]

Improvements come faster when you start at the bottom...haha

[The_MS]

If I stay injury free and get back to my 2011 numbers I will be happy. 2 big injuries kept me out last year.

[SkiJay]

I devoted the whole winter season to drills and technique changes, and now that I'm skiing the course again, I'm running -32 more consistently and my in-course form is improving quickly (as in as quick as a snail instead of as quick as paint fading). I think three or four more balls this season is realistic.

[thompjs]

I checked 18 since right now I'm barely running my opener.

 

Might be a bit ambitious

 

[Jody_Seal]

as many as I can get!Deep water starts seem to be the key!

[Chef23]

My tournament averaged jumped 5 last year from 4@32 off to 3@35 off with a PB of 4@35. I want my average to be into 38 this year of course that would require running 35 off. My practice and tournament PBs are the same right now.

[Roger]

PB is 2 @ 38 (98 buoys). I want 100 because 3 digits is better than 2 :)

[PT Mike]

Tourney PB was 2 @ 35 last year. Goal is to get more consistent @ -32 in tournaments and get deep -35 regularly.

[MattP]

Just picked up another buoy this afternoon!

[6balls]

Be happy to match last year with a good number of practice 38's in the books and 2's and 3's at 39. Got a 2.5 @ 39 at a tourney. Not sure I can push the tourney score up much though, even if I make practice progress as my 3 tourney avg usually comes from 3 tourneys...gotta crank it out in all 3. Would take being a very consistent successful 38 off skier to have hopes of a better 3 tourney avg...but that's the goal. One buoy greater tourney avg would be great.

[RichardDoane]

I'd like to see my avg. at 105, jump 100', and trick 2000

[webbdawg99]

Finished last year with 2 4@38's in the same tourney. This year's goal....39 or bust!

[rayn]

Tournament PB is .5@35/34mph. Practice is 4@35. My goal for the year is run 32 in 3 tournaments and get past 4 ball once at 35. My ranking score is 89, so I would like to get it to 92.

[Chef23]

I forgot to add that my primary goal is to stay ahead of @rayn

[RichardDoane]

@chef23 - you are fortunate to have someone on your heels, giving you a "push" to keep getting better

[Stevie Boy]

On a come back, two years to recover from surgery, with a little bit of management, I am starting to believe, I can get back to where I was, and maybe further.

It,s good to be consistently running passes again.

[teammalibu]

My goal is to beat Shane in every round we ski together!!

[ForrestGump]

hahahaha. I was thinking the same thing, Erb!

 

[Murrski]

I had a big leap last season going from tournament pb of 4@28 to a tpb of 1@35. This year I feel fortunate to even being able to ski (rotator cuff / labrum issue). This season has started well. I'm running 32' consistently but 35' is a new ballgame but I'm cracking on it every time I'm on the water. Would love to run it by seasons end and have a crack at 38!

[RazorRoss3]

I'm definitely not upping a PB by 12 buoys because 0.5 @ 39 sounds a little exaggerated but I think getting past the 1 ball at 38 isn't unreasonable and getting a piece of the 2 ball would up my PB by 7. I was on the verge of something last fall when I got onto my Razor so I'm looking forward to what I can do with a full season on it.

[Razorskier1]

My best season so far my average was a shade over 102 (I think). Last season I spent way too much time trying things instead of sticking with what works and it fell to a shade over 100. I'd like 104 as an average this year. Some of the things I learned skiing with Chet and CP should help me get there if my body holds out and my knee works post-surgery. Like MS, it really is about staying injury free this season.

[gsm_peter]

Waternut

Im am the guilty one of this first wote on plus 12.

This years initial goal was 10 but since I reached plus 6 the third run I reviced my goal to 12.

I stepped from 6 at 26 last year to 6 at 28 and 1/4 at 30 when I was really tired.

So yeas I believe I will do one at 32.

Most of you might not remember that struggle.

 

Anyhow I will get very much fun progress that fast.

[gsm_peter]

Status update

My goal was to progress two speeds (12 bois, no entrance gates).

Baseline was 6 at 26.

Just made 6 at 29. The Wakeye made the job so it is now on film

It was not one of my best runs....

 

Have not done so many 30 yet. Just a few with 2/3 bois.

Need to be more consistent on 28 first.

So sort of 9 in progress.

Still hope I can make 30.

 

Changed from my Theory to Senate a few weeks ago.

I do not think I ski better but it is more fun.

[cwillygood]

haven't improved as much as in prior years, although i have been skiing less i believe, iv added a buoy, but i feel now that im at 35 it is harder to improve, although im still slightly disappointed, but i have improved a fair amount this year in trick and jump! so its all good

[bogboy]

I am now starting my first pass at 28, -15' and getting more than half of my 30, -15's. I have gotten through 4, at 32, -15. I would like to get a break through and get 6, at 32, -15mph, then consistent 32 mph's. and I would be ecstatic to get 34mph. Then maybe go to -22? I never dreamed that I might be shortening to -22. Do some skiers shorten to -22 at 32mph instead of 34 mph? Thanks.

[Chef23]

My tournament PB hasn't improved but my practice has improved. I am running -32 much more consistently and have run -35 for the first time and gotten to 5 ball on a few other occasions. -35 doesn't feel impossible to me anymore. It is progress but not quite where I want to be yet.

[bogboy]

I meant, do some skiers shorten to -22 without ever completing a 34mph,-15? Then of course at -22, I would back down to 28mph, or even 26 mph.

[jwr]

After being hurt last year and not skiing, then tearing my ski up before the first tournament I will take what I can get. Got a new ski, and I'm starting to get it figured out. Getting some decent starts at 38 in practice, and hoping to at least get back into 38 in a tournament before the end of the year. 100 was my goal to start the year, and 102+ is always my goal. Only run 38 once in practice this year, so I have a ways to go. Feel like I'm right on the edge though.

[Omland]

2 balls short of my goal of running 28 off @ 36mph. I have turned 4 a few times and thought to myself "I got this", that was the last thought before I crashed.

[gsm_peter]

@bogboy

We just ski for fun.

Why not shorten at 26 or 28?

It is really fun to ski 22 off.

I made a full pass at 26 mph at 22 off.

[ntx]

Wonder who was most over what they predicted and who fell the most short?

[Porkfight]

I've yet to round a buoy, so 18+ in the course of a year seems reasonably attainable, provided I actually ski on a course.

[markchilcutt]

3-6. last yyrs tourny pb was 5@35! last weeks tourny i nailed 1@38 Saturday then came back in the next days tourny and skied 2@38! I guess i have already meet my goal for 2013!!!!!

[MattP]

I've gone up 5 so far this year.

[Waternut]

@bogboy I skied my first 22off pass at 32mph when I couldn't make 34mph. Went to 28off as well but couldn't run it. Even if you hope to ultimately go to 34 or 36mph, I think it's good to change it up every once in a while. Keeps it fun and it can help get you out of a rut. Shortening the rope really highlights your weaknesses too so I think it helps.

 

I plan to spend most of my time at 34mph but I wanted to at least run 36mph and even made it around 6 ball at 36mph 22off before eating it.

 

It's not a tournament so who cares where you cut the rope or what speed you stop at. I do think you should at least run the pass once before you move up though. Like one guy I ski with... He never actually completes a pass the whole set. He struggles at 32mph 15off but he starts at 22off. Once he can make 3-4 buoys, he moves on to 28off where he continuously falls or gives up at 1-2 ball. I try not to be judgmental but it's really annoying to drive for him.