Little Mountain Pro AM this weekend

[gmut]

I understand that an outstanding array of skiers will be chasing several records at the Little Mountain Pro AM this weekend. I hear that it will be a true Pro AM format with lots of storylines .

[skihart]

Any webcast?

[MattP]

I don't think there is a webcast. Ballofscores will have a stream and it will be on the front page as well. @ob I guess he is talking about a pro being paired up with a few Ams on a team for handicapped scoring like in a golf ProAm.

[JohnCox]

It's a pretty cool concept. The top half (I think) will be one half of each team, in order from rank from top to bottom. The other half of each team will be the other half, in reverse ranking (i.e.: top seed paired with bottom seed). Then handicapped somehow....every team has a chance of winning the cash. I think it will add some interest from top to bottom.

 

It doesn't hurt that there are numerous serious opportunities for national and/or world records (7, I think) in various divisions.

[9400]

Also known as the annual "Time for Jeff Rodgers to Bump up the MM record tournament".

[JohnCox]

That would be cool @9400. I've had the good fortune of skiing with Jeff a good bit this year, and he is a really good guy. He's been a huge help to me with my skiing. And it's pretty fun to drive for him, too. Last time out, he had just put in RevR...so when he got to 39, he just kept changing settings (drastically) and running them. Really fun.

 

I'm skiing with him tonight. :)

[The_MS]

This is a tweet from:

The Pro Ski Tour @theproskitour

Little Mtn. Home of Ed O'Neill,Grandfather of Neilly Ross who is coming to ski in the ProAm!

[The_MS]

Al Bundy on a slalom ski.

[skibug]

Typ O'

[gmut]

@OB what @JohnCox said, Pros and Amatuers will be paired together to form teams that will be eligible to win awards and prizes.

[Razorskier1]

@JohnCox -- lucky dog!

[gmut]

@JohnCox....ditto@Razorskier1

[JohnCox]

As unual, had a blast. Jeff is always such a huge help to me.

 

I ended my second set because I didn't see the one ball at 38 until I realized I had turned ahead of it. But Jeff wanted a couple of passes. At his 32 opener, I had to almost stand up coming around the turn to find the course. I asked at the end if he wanted 35 or 38....he said, "let's go one more." So, with barely enough light for me not to hit the shore in the turn, he ran the 39. Dang.

 

Fun times.

[Razorskier1]

Someday I want to have enough free time to just go to one of these tournaments just to watch the great skiing all day. Sure, I'll ski, but that will be secondary!

[JohnCox]

Here's my friend and coach Jeff Rodgers ripping it up in round 1. On his Mapple 6.0.

 

There are quite a few Mapples here.

[Texas6]

So Jeff no longer rides the mystery ski? So now can somebody tell us what it was?

[JohnCox]

No. :)

[Texas6]

This is like guessing the recipe for Coca Cola, only more of a secret

[Horton]

@scotchipman was not an old Goode. I have skied on it

[Horton]

I nearly pulled my hamstring trying to get into those bindings

[MattP]

I have video evidence of some skiing on said ski.

[waterskicorey]

Kind of neat to see Chuck Forrest skiing, haven't heard much from him in years, unreal skier in his day, 9 straight National Championships

[klindy]

Unreal today too!! Second round 4-1/2 @ 39. He would have run the pass but got the tip of his ski over the rope around 5.

[Wish]

Isnt he into biking?

[JohnCox]

I will post pictures from the tourney later. An awesome event!

[estrom]

@Horton, the bindings would probably fit better if you turned the ski around.

 

[Texas6]

It's really cool to see people attempt a different tournament format @JohnCox - I am curious if you might be able to elaborate a bit on what a typical day on the water is for Jeff Rogers? Is he a single set guy, multiple sets, one long set? I am curious to see how I guy who skis at his level trains

[JohnCox]

Good question, @Texas6. I've heard stories about MULTIPLE sets back during the pro tour days, spinning and running back to back passes (SHORT passes), long sets, and the like. Crazy stuff. But, at least now, with me, Jeff skis basically the same format as me. We meet after both of us get done with work - usually around 6:30 PM. The norm has been that we each ski 2 sets, about 6-8 passes each. With the days getting shorter, it's getting harder to squeeze that second set in (which is why Jeff did 3 passes last week in his second - 32, 39, 41...).

 

I don't think he gets to ski more than 2 or 3 days a week, and not every week. He has a family, runs a business, and has all the other things in life that us "normal" skiers have.

 

It is a lot of fun to ski with him. Obviously, his coaching has helped me tremendously, but, even though the focus is on skiing well, remembering that it is just a fun hobby for most of us is key. I really appreciate his patience with my driving...I've always felt like I was a decent driver, but I have never had the opportunity to drive someone that skis like Jeff. Somehow, I must forget what he does when he gets to 38+ sometimes, because there have been a few times that at 1, he just about pulled me out of the boat path! But, he runs it, anyway, I apologize at the end, and it doesn't happen again. He's always smiling when he pulls out after running one of those...and is extremely gracious about it. Not only is he helping me become a better skier, he's helping me become a better driver.

 

Jeff is a genuinely good guy, and I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to hang out at the lake with him. Skiing (and the rest of the world) would benefit from more guys like Jeff.