Nate Smith On The 2014 D3 Quest

[ozski]

We were fortunate enough to have Nate here with us for the weekend and the local D3 rep along with a bunch demo skis still in the wrapper. According to Nate this was the first time he'd seen the new ski. It did not take him long to put his fin and bindings on the new new one and run a -41... First set, new lake and conditions were less than ideal. Quite a few people rode that same ski over the course of the weekend, I think somebody ended up keeping it. Have a close look at 4 ball at -41...

 

 

 

[Jordan]

What length was Nate on?

[ral]

@ozski, it was great to meet you guys at Chacabuco.

[ForrestGump]

4 ball is what I was talking about in the post on Regina last week. If her and Nate get a crappy turn like that, they just point their knees across and drive the ski back down and across. I'm done if I make a turn like that at 28 off. Can't imagine being able to do that at 41. Geez. He doesn't drive his knees and ski back across until the ski tip is at the white water.

 

btw....... looks like the driver wasn't blocking hard enough and got taken off the 2nd wake a bit to 3 giving him a loose line and causing him to have to drop his shoulder into it at the whitewater once it picked him up(about 8 ft inside of where he got picked up at 1 and 2) going to 4. Probably a contributing factor to the turn at 4.

[Kelvin]

Crazy skiing, but he missed the entrance gate.

[Skoot1123]

Even with the turn at 4 - he makes -41 look like it is a piece of cake.

[klindy]

Looks like that rope still has 3-4 more loops too.

[mwetskier]

@klindy - thats what i thought too but on close inspection i think theres just the 43 off loop and then a switch section if anybody still uses them.

[Texas6]

@Kelvin, are you sure he missed the gates? Not sure how on Earth you saw that

[Kelvin]

@Texas6 It was purely by accident. As I was watching the video, I hit pause to switch to full screen and HD resolution. It happened to stop right on that frame and clearly showed the ski on the outside of the right-hand gate buoy.

[ForrestGump]

Yep. I managed to freeze frame it at the same spot. Clearly outside the right hand gate ball.

[ToddL]

I guess this is what @Kelvin saw...

[MattP]

First set on the ski and you are talking bout his gates at 41 even though he ran the pass in practice... talk about nit picky.

[ToddL]

LOL! @MattP - We're just jealous.

 

I hear the new skis are made out of unobtainium.

[ToddL]

It is very clear in this video clip that Nate releases with the handle in and low, pushes his hand lower and forward, then reaches down-course as he extends. Thus, he makes his pivot point low and in front.

[ozski]

Yeah I agree @MattP, there are plenty of reasons why Nate probably should have not run that pass. The flight over here is pretty long for a start so who knows what time of day his body thought it was, this was his first set on the ski / lake / driver so no tune up time either. The wind was pretty gusty as well particularly at that end of the lake. Most people were opting to ski on the other more protected course.

 

I also have to agree he one of the nice guys you meet as you go through life and skiing is lucky to have him! He did plenty of coaching while he was here and gave his time freely to anyone who asked. I was lucky enough to ski 2 sets with him in the boat and he certainly identified a few things that will give me another 4 - 6 bouys if I continue to apply them.

 

 

[ral]

@ToddL, I am convinced that unobtanium is all over the place in this case.

 

You can analyze the handle, the ski, the knees, the hip angle, the ankles, but none of it will lead to anyone doing anything similar.

 

We need to deconstruct Dave Miller, or someone like him.

[ForrestGump]

@ral I agree. But damn I don't want to look like how Dave Miller skis. He kills it. But I cringe! lol

[6balls]

Regina and Nate are something I've never seen in the sport...with all due respect to previous greats who at their peak deserved the same comment. Really, who else makes significant mistakes at these lines (world record-ish) and still runs the passes they are running? Is it any wonder if they are able to do so that they run it more often than their competitors who are able to get out, but need to be much cleaner to get out? They have a much larger margin for error and can still run the pass. Crazy talent, crazy skill...I'm sure crazy time and effort as well.

 

As always, hats off to greatness.

[mwetskier]

both lapoints, roberge, lowe etc all made significant mistakes at the then current extreme line lengths and could recover and run the pass. thats the nature of greatness. good skiers dont make mistakes but *great* skiers know how to fix them.

[thager]

Regina demonstrates that crazy strength to weight used correctly can be a hugh advantage!

 

 

[jwroblew]

Is that Nate or his evil twin, when is the last time you've seen video of him skiing without a heater shirt?

[Kelvin]

I've judged from the boat at several Big Dawg events. Believe me, many of the 39s they run are not pretty.

[Simonm]

I was fortunate enough to take up the opportunity and to be at oz ski resort last week. Not only is Nate's skiing incredible to watch but his coaching was superb. He is very down to earth and has time for everyone. Both Emma (Sheers) and Nate are fantastic ambassadors for our sport.