This photo of Ambre Franc and her Vapor is....

[RichardDoane]

appreciate beauty in all things

[Skoot1123]

Knowing the context makes a huge difference in perception - of anything really. This picture is far more tasteful than many others posted in car magazines and the like. You can walk to any beach or swimming pool and see much more revealing outfits - bikini or not. I believe the thought behind this was solidarity with another skier - that much I applaud.

 

Now - having two of my own daughters gives me a different perspective. Ditto to what @wish has already said.

[ozski]

Its hardly shocking people. Consider what at least 40% of teens get up to these days in the form of sexting (google images) and its a total yawn. In the context of this website this sort of stuff needs its own category, then people can make their own choice.

[GOODESkier]

My vote comes from the fact that I am a music teacher and often have ball of spray open on my desktop at school. The last thing I need is a female student (or male for that matter) coming in to say hi and seeing me reading this thread............. I had a student ask me about Kilo Kai and that was an uncomfortable moment as it was. Thinking many of us sneaking BOS at work, would rather not have this as an additional liability............

 

[skihard]

@Horton - this is an opinion poll isn't it? Other than the fact there is a picture of a woman with a waterski on it to start the thread is it any different than any other thread we all post here looking for others "OPINIONS"?

 

I agree some of you are way too up tight. This is a tasteful picture of a beautiful self confident girl. Leave it at that! If my daughter has the strength and self confidence to do something like this when she gets older all the power too her! The way some of you are responding you'd think this young lady had posted XXX main stream porn on here.

 

Look at the boat manufactures media and promotions to sell their boats now; magazines with young guys and women who are dressed in small bikinis. I've been to boat shows where booths have girls dressed in small bikinis handing out brochures. Why? Because really - I remember who gave me that brochure! :)

 

Oh ya I also have no problem with my wife knowing I liked the picture because my wife would know why and not because I'm going to bed tonight to dream about it!!!

[Edbrazil]

Wonder who on here remembers the Suzanne Somers topless Maharajah ad. You probably

need to be a genuine Real Oldie to remember it. Thanks to Google, etc., you can still

search and find that picture with a fake tattoo on her. Anyway, the Ambre Franc picure

is quite mellow compared to that.

[Dacon62]

Nice pic, beautiful gal, nothing wrong with the pic.

However, if you have to ask the question, is it right for Ball of Spray, you are already doubting that it is...

Someone can explore the internet for a full range of photos of partially to scantily clad women. I don't come to Ball of Spray for that.

[A_B]

Ed, I have a copy of that Maja poster.

[gator1]

Maja poster, Camille and O'Brien, all the Lange soft inside posters, hard bodies and swim suits are inextricably a part of our sports. If this was a chess site, I could see the issue. Anybody see Gretzky's daughter's picture on the cover of golf? @jipster43, the word you were looking for was "puritan", or if you wanted a pissing match "prude". I don't want a pissing match. I have a grandaughter I'm already freaking out over, and she's only 3. But she's gotta live in the real world. Sex sells boats, cars, motivates heroism, drives art and powers innovation. And wars. You can deny it if you want, but you are, as we say where I grew up, just crapping your pants to fool the teacher. If not seeing a picture on BOS helps you do a more thourogh job of fooling the teacher, then more power to you. Its not what I read this site to see, but if one shows up, kind of helps get over the irritation at conflicting instructional ski tips. And I can't figure out where I draw the ogle line....is it my age minus 10 years? 15? @wish will have to publish his guidelines for me. ONe good thing about being old is the universe of ogle-able gals gets bigger ever year. Can't wait till I'm 90.

[Mortyski]

I completely agree with Gator1 and loved AB’s comment on barefooting. I’m not trying in any way impose my values but the reality is sex sells. She is a beautiful young lady supporting another. This photo of Ambre is sexy but does not cross any of today’s lines by the majority of people in my opinion. Would those that were offended be less offended if Ambre were not such a pretty girl? Just look at the poll results: the majorities say Great Pic or Who Cares.

 

Sports Illustrated sell more copies by multitudes of their swimsuit editions than normal magazines. Do we see the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition of athletes doing their sport…rarely and only pretty athletes, and do you think it’s a fluke that Sports Illustrated picked February for the swimsuit edition… I think not as February was in the past their lightest sales month.

 

Newspapers have girl Friday issues to sell more papers. Magazines have girls posing near cars etc etc etc.

 

We are (generally) hard wired to look at and be attracted to the opposite sex to ensure the survival of the species. Advertisement agencies recognize this.

 

Mr. Horton, I submit to you if there was an alternate Ball of Spray site with content exactly as yours in every way but the alternate site included a “Girl Friday” tasteful shot of a beautiful girl associated with water skiing that site would get significantly more traffic…even Schnitz has girls of water skiing on his site. Not everyone would go to that alternate site, I agree, but I am saying more people would go there to look at tasteful shots of pretty girls… and the women would complain there were not the same kinds of shots of the guys.

 

I can tell you from personal experience that even in China the billboards and magazines are now way more “attractive” than they were 5 years ago.

 

Your mileage may vary so don’t flame me I’m just giving my opinion and some observations looking at things.

 

Murray

 

[ral]

@Mortyski‌ , back from China?

[Mortyski]

not yet RAL...just looking at Ball of Spray and wishing I could say hit it to some one who understands english and has a boat

 

[Mortyski]

@ral did your e-mail change...I just tried to send you an e-mail from China and it bounced back

 

[ral]

@Mortyski‌, If you have @mincom.com, it is now @cl.abb.com or @ventyx.abb.com

[Chuck_Dickey]

@gator1‌

Well said.

[gregy]

I think its great @ambreski is supporting her fellow female athlete. I was not aware of the Jacky Chamoun situation and I suspect a lot of others here weren't either, Ambre you succeeded in bringing awareness to more people. So giving the situation it's perfect acceptable.

 

I have 2 daughters and it does change your perspective on things like this. Yesterday we got one though college. While watching the graduation I saw a number of women that were completely covered except for there eyes, got me thinking about this thread. I gotta say the fact that women are still treated like this offends me a whole lot more. I felt so bad for those girls. I'm really glad my daughters are living in a place and time where they have the freedoms and equalities that we have in our society.

[Moggie]

Nothing wrong with it...although I wish I'd opened the picture at home instead of at work with my boss over my shoulder.

[A_B]

There are a few of us out here old enough to remember Ridgid Calendars hanging up at the workplace, and on the other side, Chippendale Calendars for the ladies. A lot has changed over the last 30 years. I am not sure it has all been for the better. It seems we are a society that is so concerned about not offending someone or some group, at times I wonder if we are all morphing into one being and losing individuality.

[SkiJay]

Like it or loathe it, it's interesting that there are more ballers posting here than on most ski theory related threads. As passionate as we are about skiing, there's something hardwired about our other passion.

[tjm]

I want one!

[escmanaze]

So I was in the small minority that voted inappropriate, but especially knowing that Ambre has seen this thread, I feel the need to explain. I almost felt like there were other choices needed, because the choice I chose didn't really depict my thoughts.

 

I don't intend to cast stones at Ambre and tell her she's a bad person or anything. I lived in France for two years, and it's just part of their culture that women showing breast is completely a non-issue, so especially with her French background, I don't mean to condemn her at all.

 

However, I do know also, that I come from that "Puritan" (Prude) background and I'm trying to raise my kids the same way. I would really prefer that my daughter not have a picture taken like this in her lifetime, so it would be fairly hypocritical for me to hang out on a forum all day with this pic in the ad banners and then ask my daughter to behave differently.

 

In the end, it's totally your choice Horton, and I don't consider you a bad guy either way. However, I would be part of that minority group who might consider this to be not completely "G" rated and frequent the site less or maybe even not at all if this became more prevalent.

[savaiusini]

what we have here is a woman showing off nothing more than she would be if she were wearing a bikini...

[CReckard]

She did the picture to draw attention and based on this forum, it worked. Right or wrong is not for me to decide. I don't care, because I can chose to view it or ignore it. People are going to do whatever they want and I can't control it. All I can do is listen to my inner voice and do what I think is right for me and hopefully be a good example for my kids. As for the poll, my opinion..... Horton should not listen to any of us and do what he feels he should do.

[bogboy]

Should be so uncontroversial, that it be off the radar.

[MattP]

Ambre is a friend if mine and we talked about this thread today at Masters. It's funny the "controversial" issue did not come up.

[Mrs_MS]

@MS‌

Interesting.....;)

[The_MS]

@Mrs_Ms We could take a shot like that with the Helix and post it.

[eleeski]

Censorship terrifies me. Especially when nothing is intrinsically evil or wrong (or in this case supports a good cause).

 

Sex not only sells but is necessary for the survival of the species. I worry more about daughters who have been too sheltered than tastefully exposed. A woman forcibly hidden in a burka is far more inappropriate to me.

 

Eric

[Horton]

@eleeski‌ generally you are the only one around here I need to censor

[thager]

Right?