Record vs Class C

[markchilcutt]

Looking for input from people who have skied Record and class C tournaments?

What was your experience? Did you ski better at a record did you ski worse or did you feel like your performance was close to the same? Maybe this is a lame question considering venue changes water temps, air temp, wind, travel etc etc?

[thager]

No difference for me. Still a hack!!

[ForrestGump]

Same

[Jody_Seal]

I ski the same REL or C. Living and skiing where I do in Florida we predominantly have REL tournaments! I can say that the class C tournaments I go too I have more fun and they are to me a more relaxed experience. I see the same officials at C's as I do at REL tournaments.

[ntx]

and you sure pay a LOT less for a class C

[bigtex2011]

I used to sweat the record. But now since zero off, they really feel about the same. I really just try to run my 38. i have no chance at winning or breaking a record. Some times I get lucky and the top few seeds fall early and I get 4th or 5th. I guess in a strange way, I am benefiting off of bad luck. hmm, it makes me smile..:) But I go for the venue, or the wifey. She had and has a record, so I just tag along. So to answer your question, I like to ski tourneys. it doesn't matter what kind.

[MrJones]

I have to say you should ski better at the record. I appreciate the cost savings of class C and don't care about the world standings list. Given this, at a record you will typically get the best drivers in well set up boats and will be on the dock with better skiers who you will hopefully ski up to the level of.

 

This is NOT a knock on Class C tourneys. I go to lots that have great driving, boats, and conditions. These are often the exact same as at E-L-R. (i.e. Cottonwood) Having kids and a wife who ski, entry fees are a big deal. I look for class C tourneys so we can all go have fun and not break the bank.

 

I am simply saying don't avoid a record because you might think it is somehow going to be more difficult.

[Klundell]

@markchilcutt are you planning on skiing in some records next year?

[Klundell]

I think it depends on the record event. If it is a three round record then it basically feels like a regular event to me. If it is regionals or nationals then it is a lot more stressful because you only get one shot.

[BRY]

I ski the same. Pretty much every "C" venue I have been to will also hold "R" tournaments. The lake, course, boats and most officials/drivers the same. Just fewer officials needed and no video required.

I have to agree with @jody_seal that the "C" tournaments seem to be more fun, more relaxed, more social. But then I am more of a participant than a competitor, no threat to win and definitely no threat for a record (except maybe most 5@35 ever). I recently moved from the NW to FL. The NW has mostly "C", lots of them, at great record capable sites with a few "R". In FL seems the opposite, fewer "C" and mostly "R".

[LeonL]

We, in KY only do C. Many reasons, but mostly why do REL? No one who would come can set a record, nor are they on the World Ranking List. Just shows we're mostly a bunch of hack skiers statewide is my guess. Oops, shouldn't speak for others, only myself. Back to the subject of the thread. Other than Regionals and Nationals I rarely go to an REL. They do a REL + C at Columbus IN twice a year and I usually ski there. As stated, they do record and C interchangeably throughtout the day. Only things that change are some officials and the camera in the boat. I ski about the same, regardless of class. Really, there is nothing that would impact my skiing by classification. As @Klundell stated, if its a one rounder the pressure may have an effect,but that's all.

[markchilcutt]

@Klundell i am not planning on skiing any records other than Regionals and possibly nationals. Something tells me i may be100% into mtn bike racing next yr which would eliminate me from doing regionals or nationals. I was just thinking about the differences (if any) for people who have competed at record events and their thoughts. That is the reason i asked the ?

[skidawg]

same

[Chef23]

Same for me I don't ski any different. We ski a tournament where we run a C on one lake and a record on the second lake and I usually ski the C because it doesn't really make a difference to me whether it is a record or not.

[klindy]

Many E/L/R tournaments will also have some skiers skiing in class C with a lower entry fee. For me personally, it doesn't matter if it's a class C, E, L or R. The location (travel time), events (three-event is better or at least slalom/trick), and factors such as people, whether I've skied there before or my schedule on the Friday (or Monday) make the difference. I pretty much ski the same at both and spend more time judging at the ELR tournaments. In the past few years I've probably been to more ELR tournaments than C because I've been asked to be an appointed/PanAm judge or TC.

[lpskier]

Nothing makes me feel better than sitting in the water at a Fall Southern ELR and having those three sweet words roll off my lips: "Pull, please, Tommy." (Or Chris, Lee, Gordon, Jeff, Jody, Becky, John... You get my point.

[ToddL]

If your area has skiers who need IWWF rankings, then L/R becomes of value. If your area has skiers who want to "train" er, uh compete in Nationals-like settings, then L/R becomes of value.

If you have neither of those types of skiers nor are you wanting them to travel to your site from out of town, then there is no reason to take on the effort, gear, resources, time, etc. required for L/R. In most cases, sites who do L/R often use the same technology for C/E. This can be good and bad. It can drive up the effort to put on a C tournament and thus add the PITA factor to the entry fees. I'd like to see Class C stay as simple as allowed by the rules so as to drive down the effort and costs to host. I've only skied a couple of non-C tournaments. I skied about the same or a little worse, but I'm new to it. The main difference I see is the entry fees are significantly higher for an experience that is not significantly different from this skier's point of view. But I'm a hack who isn't worried about IWWF ranking.