When you go to a tournament what is your goal?

[Horton]

Yes I know that most of us want to click more than one option. Just click the one that is MOST true

[6balls]

...because if I beat my own personal average...it will also improve my position in national rank.

[LZywicki1]

Just going to start to go a few tournaments this year so I'll go with personal best.

[Razorskier1]

I love to compete and to be consistent about hitting my scores. I also really enjoy hanging out with friends. Tough call.

[thager]

As age catches up with me I care less and less about my average. It's all about friends and having a good time.

[Than_Bogan]

I need multiple selection. Every reason applies, although the first one is least relevant to me except maybe at regionals.

[Marco]

Ditto what @Razorskier1 said.

[bishop8950]

Depends. Regs/Nats/BigDwag to compete with the skiers on the dock. Most other tournaments a combination of preparing for the big tournaments and having fun with friends. Overall I feel like I am skiing vs my average. Rankings are neat, but not a big motivator for me

[E_T]

@horton beer is not a option..

[jipster43]

There are too many reasons to go to tournaments to list on one thread.

[Wish]

What @6Balls said...

[Chef23]

I need one that says I am there to beat @rayn. In men's 4 I am not good enough to win. My goal is to run -35 in a tournament and qualify for Nationals.

[h2oski]

Beating my average at a tournament, makes a great day better.

[Horton]

@rico you live in Florida, you do not work and you are over 6 feet tall.

 

If you do not pass my average this year you are a failure as a human being and should be shipped back to France in disgrace .

[Ed_Obermeier]

In the few tournaments I've ever skied in my primary goal was basically just to not suck.

[Horton]

@rico I have 2 jobs & I am rounding up when I say I am 5'9

[markchilcutt]

Watching my daughter pb is the highlight.Fun and friends is next on the list. Also really cool to watch Rossi and Parsons rip it when they are skiing!

[RichardDoane]

it's a bonus to be able to hit your average at a new site

[LeonL]

What @6balls and @Wish said.

[Jody_Seal]

This is one of the better pol's recently. It shows the mind set of How the skiers in the trenches think about the sport and how it has changed since the advent of national rankings vs Ratings. Our Sport is no longer a sporting competition but rather a "Trials". Our rules are set up for group division competition and change in many of the current rules should be made to accommodate the Trials / Record mentality that the sport has become.Their really is not a true Competition until Regional's and National's or cash prize. Time for a new set of rules?

 

I voted "I am there to compete against the other skiers on the dock" However that one should have read: I am there to compete against the other skiers in my division or ability.

It is a kinder gentler world and every one needs a medal nowadays!

[MattP]

I would say I'm there to compete against the other skiers on the dock in my division but I am usually the only M1 skier so I'm there to compete against the rankings list not because I want to but that's all there is for me. I'm also there to have fun and hang out with other skiers and see my friends and make new ones.

As a college skier I get to compete against 30 slalom skiers about 7 times a year which is awesome and I wish more would ski AWSA in the summers.

[6balls]

@mattp true. Not trying to hijack or redirect thread but I can't think of one of my former ski team members that has skied any tourney's since. Many ski recreationally, some ski buoys, but no tourneys. Not sure how to get more to make that transition.

More "on topic" I do also go to tourneys to catch up with others socially, to just "hang out" around skiing, and hopefully see some skiers put out some amazing performances. I LOVE boat judging shortline 36 mph skiers--holy buckets they are fast!

[Alberto Soares]

I am heading this week to Guadalajara, Mexico - great oportunity to learn with the big dawgs and have a good time with my latin friends. Also want to raise my ranking and will do my best to win my category.

[The_MS]

I usually go head to head with @Horton if he is skiing on the same weekends as I am.

After that, its friends, beer and having fun.

[Horton]

When I ski against @ms the goal is to see how far below his average I can make him ski

[OTF]

@horton why is there not a icon for me laughing my a off?

[webbdawg99]

What @6balls said

[Razorskier1]

Part of going to tournaments is to prove to yourself that you can ski your practice scores in tournaments, when someone is actually keeping score. I find the tournament setting energizing, exciting and fun and I really like to watch skiing. Boat judging is cool. A cold beer at the end of the tournament day with friends is awesome!

[Moskier3ev]

Everyone of the items listed, except I do not ski in tournaments. There are guys on the dock I want to beat. I want to improve my average or move up on a list. Drink beer at the end and say I missed it by that much... with my friends.. Its fun seeing kids do well. I really enjoy helping put on a tournament where everyone skis well has fun and makes it to the river for post tournament evaluations.

 

Jeff Lindsey

 

 

[chris_logan]

Unless I go to a tournament out of state, in AL I am pretty much the only M2 skier and definitely the only consistent M2 3 event skier, so I basically go out looking for a PB every tournament to improve my rankings. I want to feel like I deserve to be at Regionals for at least one event, since I have been qualifying by default. Otherwise, I am really there just to hang out with friends and have fun. Key goal: Big spray and crew amusement.

[skibumm]

I have only been to one tournament and that was the Utah State Barefoot Championships. I went to that reluctanly and hoping to not make a fool out of myself. I won my division (It was the entry division if I remember) so had a blast. I am afraid of a slalom tournament because running 28 off at 34mph (PB) at age 49 is pretty crappy in comparison. But if I ever do go it is to have fun and enjoy myself I would hope. I'm very competetive so I would most likely injure myself trying to do something I am not capable of.

[RazorRoss3]

There are a few M1 guys in Minnesota and there is some friendly competition among us but the goal is to beat my average and see friends.

[Horton]

@skibumm‌

You will find slalom skiers at all levels at a local tournament

[disland]

we did an inner club head to head with two boats with a handicap system last fall for round 3 of our class C. First 2 rounds set the bracket and the handicap. No sandbagging because everyone in the club knows where each other can do. I had more fun at a slalom tournament then I ever had before. It became a real competition against the other skier on the dock. Super fun!!!

[Edbrazil]

Once again, back in the back-when, and I was mainly a jumper, the

goal was to be able to drive back home with all my parts intact.

[schafer]

@disland‌ that sounds like a ton of fun

[Craig]

:ast year there were 4 M2 slalom skiers in GA and 2 M2 jumpers. Even when we were at the same tourney, they are all significantly higher skill than I am (I did take the state jump title though, by default). There really is no competition, so I just want to move up the ranking list and continue to get better.

 

The social atmosphere makes all the difference. We went to 6 tournaments last year, looking at 8+ this year. Without some friends and other good people we met last year we wouldn't be as interested in more this year.

 

[Horton]

when you talk to people about what's good and bad in the sport... some people think it's a terrible thing we've lost a lot of the on the dock competition. the ranking list perhaps sealed the end of that era for many of us at the local level

[chris_logan]

@Craig I feel you completely. We have a couple M1 turned M2 this year in AL that will be smoking me in slalom, but I feel pretty secure with my jumping that I can hold my own for another year.

[6balls]

@horton the rankings only does take the competition out of tournament day to a degree. If it was still placements at the tourney...I'd be saying I go there to compete and I hope I ski well enough to win. Non-skiers understand that better, too. Whenever I go to a tourney, especially if far away the first question at work is "Did you win?" or "What place did you get?"

[Horton]

@6balls‌ those are the two questions that annoys the crap out of me. If Larson shows up I "lose" by a pass even if I PB. If on one else shows I win by default. Means nothing.

 

I ski against myself (mostly)

[teammalibu]

My goal is to beat Shane!

[ForrestGump]

My goal is to beat @teammalibu ! And then drink beer.

[Horton]

@teammalibu‌ is there a support group or charity we can organize to help you reach your goal. I am willing to do whatever it takes.

[6balls]

@horton annoys me, too, especially since it takes a long winded answer to tell them it's about scores/rankings/skiing against myself after which time I get a "oh" that sounds a lot like "meh"