What is the most frustrating score you can get?

[Than_Bogan]

I decided not to do this as a poll, because it's kind of open-ended.

 

I've noticed that I really have trouble getting over coming up about 6-9 buoys short of what I thought I should be able to do given the site, conditions, etc.

 

Better than that and I'm not necessarily happy, but it at least feels like I showed up.

 

And worse than that takes it into WTF category and I just kind of chalk it up as "whoops."

 

Also, I'll give everyone one guess why I'm bringing this up today...

[ForrestGump]

1/2

[Than_Bogan]

I don't recall if I've ever scored 1/2, but I've certainly missed openers over the years, including twice at Nationals (one time only about 80% my fault as the baggage handlers were kind enough to significantly move my fin).

 

No doubt that sucks, but I find I can move on a little more easily from something like that, because it seems like such a fluke.

[alex38]

51/2 is the worst

[MattP]

-0

-5.5

-6.0 no continuation

 

[The_MS]

Something less than @Horton.

[ral]

For me, with 1/2 you can blame conditions, etc... That falls into the WTF. Most frustrating x me is between 4 and 12 buoys total. Meaning you are out between 4 on your opener and a full second pass.

 

Last time I did it, was a f*#k up at 5 in the second pass. Turned 4 and was skiing well and sooo early at 5 (LFF), that I was already thinking about PB's... Suddenly, I was totally forward, looking closely the tip of my ski. Found myself regaining balance and standing straight behind the boat. Pulled to the left with all I had and missed 6 by 10 inches. Screams were heard miles away...

[Horton]

5

[ski6jones]

5.5. Done it twice in the last year.

[Than_Bogan]

@ski6jones So you won't be changing your handle to ski5.5jones any time soon I'm guessing?? :)

[Chef23]

I think it is the 5.5 score at a line length you have never completed before. @Than_Bogan I understand your frustration because you have been skiing well in crappy conditions at home. Chalk it up to a bad day and have a good outing next weekend. On the plus side I think your daughter had a blast even though she didn't ski.

[ski6jones]

@Than_Bogan, NEVER!! Those 5.5's were both 35 and it just made the full pass that much sweeter when it came. First time running in a tournament this year.

[JMN]

0 but make the gates or .25

[Horton]

anything less than 3 you can feel like you just screwed up. anything more than four and a half you thought you had it

[TylerR]

6 no continuation

[Drago]

5 at anything, 1 at anything. Most proud"wtf" was a 0, and I made the gate:)

[Andre]

Can someone explain the no continuation rule please...

[Rich]

6

[Drago]

To get 6 , you can get back to the left hand boat guide line with the handle, however you can miss the gate on the inside, or lose the handle after that= score of six, no continuation. Or you can get out the gate , jump up and down celebrating, and stuff your tip and face plant=6 no cont.

[Than_Bogan]

@Drago I came REALLY close to doing exactly that the one (and so far only) time I ran -38 in a tournament. It was a crazy site with a hard left not long after the exit gate, and I was still flailing about wildly when suddenly the boat yanked me left. Can't remember how I avoided falling, although it would barely have effected my mood even if I had!

[Than_Bogan]

@Drago Oh, and about 0s with the gate: Another guy, at that same site on the same day, also ran a -38 (not his only one, but they are rare for him). The setup in both directions there is weird (but the water is miraculous0, and he ended up totally screwing up his gate and didn't even get all that close to getting outside of 1 @ -39. So I beat him with my 1 @ -39 vs. his 0 @ -39!

[webbdawg99]

2@38......or less

[The_MS]

Pulling up after 4 ball on opener thinking it is 6 ball.

[Edbrazil]

Back in 1975, best of my recollection, when 3 top Open Men skiers visited our NH site seeking a World Record (on the newly-mandated metric SL course), Mike Suyderhoud got into a lean-lock on his first pass at 28 off in Round 1?, coming out of buoy # 6, and missed the gates, with a score of 6-no continuation. Don't think that he was going for # 7, which also rarely happens. Skiers were Suyderhoud, Mark Crone, and Kris LaPoint. Later that year, at Horton Lake, Kris scored a 4 @38 that became an eventual US Record, and also a World Record. However, I believe that the IWWF listings omit it, in error.

 

So, I'd vote for 6-no continuation. Although I once ran into #6 seeking to run a rare 22 off, did and out-the-front, and ended up with a cut foot. Don't recall the score, but it was a big disappointment.

 

6 No Continuation can also happen when you get to wakes and maybe go through the gates, but get sprooooinged by the slack and lose the handle.

[gregy]

I'd say 0 missing the gate but running a tough pass.

[Brady]

One of @ShaneH exes

[ForrestGump]

They are exes for a reason, @Brady. Of course, that can be said about me too, I guess! lol

[ral]

Just remembered something that must be pretty frustrating (never happened to me up to now). Kid had been shooting at 38 for months. Then, after a pretty good 35, he comes back. Good 1, nice 2, a bit late @ 3, surviving @ 4, hanging out @ 5, almost killed @ 6 but manages to get thru the exit gate. Fist in the air, big shout, the whole nine yards,... Until he is informed that the crew forgot to shorten the rope...

 

That must be pretty darn frustrating.

[thager]

Thru the gates on opening pass, way wide and early, ski hooks up and snap turns right in front of one ball. Zero, zip, nada!!!!

[JMN]

I agree with 6 and no continuation, but having @Horton score you a .25 bouy is a sad day!

[GOODESkier]

Missed the exit gates last tournament........ ARGH!

[lpskier]

Tying your own PB. Again

[ozski]

LFF - If I turn 4 well and fail from there I'm not happy.

[Rico226]

Ended up being most embrassing & frustrating, fell into the entrance gates, had 3 hours to think about it, before I could redeem myself next round, haha

[rayn]

any score that leaves me losing to @chef23 by .5 buoy

[Rpc29]

4.5, means I'm turning 5 and probably have the pass run. Then I fall. Oops.

[A_B]

The score that drivers me nuts is 5 @ anything. If you get to 4, especially a RFF skier, you darn well ought to make 6. I wish I had $5 for every time I have over-pulled and came in flying to 5 ball early and going 90 mph. All I was trying to do was "make sure" I stayed early. Duh.

[Chef23]

@rayn you should be used to losing to me.

[Than_Bogan]

Intriguing how many people "voted" for a number of buoys without any line length attached. My emotions operate a different way, I guess. For myself, I'd consider 5 @ -32 as a choke, 5 @ -35 as pretty annoying (unless in very tough conditions), and 5 @ -38 as a great round. As always, I'd feel "I could have gotten more." Yeah, welcome to slalom. But I'd be saying that with a smile on my face if the 5 was at -38.

 

Also, @chef23, very true that Meghan had a great time. My wife asked her if she had a good time and she said "good is kind of a boring word for it." So now I may have to subject myself to the challenges of that site twice every year! :)

 

Oh, btw, back at home yesterday, no misses through 2.5 @ -38, including running a frequently-out-of-position -35 with backwash and a tailwind. Not sure if that makes me feel better or worse...

 

Finally, I look forward to the day that @rayn and @chef23 can stop beating only on each other and come after me!

[Chef23]

@Than_Bogan I think a lot of people didn't put a line length because it depends on the skier. Right now for me not running 32 off is disappointing but not crushing. If I don't run 28 I would consider it a choke. Anything less than 4@32 off for me at the moment I would say is subpar.

 

Once I get my heel healthy and can run some buoys I am coming to get you. It may take another year though.

[gjohnson]

2 buoys at what ever line length. As it pretty much means you're only as good as the last pass. Granted, if the previous pass is a first you'd be excited. After that, I hate 2 buoys.

[Kelvin]

I would have to say my OTF going thru the gates on the last round of the last tournament of the year ranks pretty high. It was a long offseason getting over that one.

[jwr]

Missed my entrance gates at regionals on my opening pass, then followed that up with two passes and an out the front jumping. Two zeros is very frustrating.

[Marco]

One of my tournament friends went out the front at 1 ball on his opener at Nationals a couple of years ago. That had to be emotionally tramatic. Turns out his inter lock was loose and he ejected when he hooked up off of 1.

[ForrestGump]

A good friend(who shall remain nameless) of some of us in Houston was the number 1 seed at Nationals a while back. His young son pb'd at nationals the day before his group skied. He was overheard telling people..... "Scott pb'd at nationals. I could fall on my opener and I'd be completely happy." The next day, after falling at 1 ball on his opener, he was heard to say........ "I lied! This sucks!" LMAO

[jipster43]

Any time you ski below your average at a tourney with only one round of slalom per day sucks pretty bad. I've got to get a trick ski for those 3-event tournaments.

 

[Drago]

@Than_Bogan: great stories. I don't remember who it was, but I witnessed the celebration-no-continuation scenario.my 0 was a Zero, your friend got 102 more! I would take a 5@41 ;)

[danspence]

Gunna have to say missing your entrance gates, falling off at 1 or even missing your FIRST pass is a bad one.

[skidawg]

Most frustrating score is not being able to ski at all!

[Marco]

@Drago That was Dave in GJ. Ran his -35 for his first time ever, and fell after the gates while fist pumping. Never got the shot at -38. Still, he was all smiles the rest of the day.