the purple loop

[skier2788]

I was starting to advance this summer into 38. I could run back to back 35 and then take a shot at 38. My main issue I guess is my gates. What ended up happening was come through the gates and to 1 then almost safety turn one because of a feeling of too much speed. I had a great skier tell me that at 38 and shorter you are just going to feel loose at the finish of the turn and the only thing to do is commit to the turn and ski back towards the boat. Said it was one of the hardest things to learn but once mastered 38 wouldn't feel impossible. Also said that while learning this you will pop the handle a lot and score a half. Which is exactly what happened to me. So I guess my question to all of you that run 38. Do you feel loose at the finish of your turn. Do you focus more on skiing back to the boat with no load on the line? I feel like if I ski straight back in I will create more slack not help eleviate it.

[skier2788]

To give a visual I would finish the turn then stand up tip of ski pointed toward the boat wait for slack to come out and then make my pull.

[ColeGiacopuzzi]

@skier2788‌ I will tell you, when you get to 38off and shorter, you do not always have a loose line at the finish of the turn, you can run 38 and 39 with tight line. It sounds to me that your carrying too much speed into 1 like you said above, and standing up at the finish of the turn, which is a direct result of too much speed because the ski can't handle it. The key to 38 is the gate, On the gate, make sure to get wide and stay wide, focus on really turning the ski in first to create angle, but not loading the rope immediately. Wait until you have your ski pointed too shore, then initate your pull! You will find yourself at 1 wider and with less speed. Good luck!

[6balls]

Most feel too hot at 1 ball 38 when they begin attempts (and after that, too). Avoid the urge to convert to a narrow gate so that you never build speed and thus are more comfortable at 1. It's tempting and it can be run that way, but not consistently. All the great skiers are up wide on gate pull out.

 

 

[A_B]

All of the above, focus on doing your work before the centerline and trust it will get you out there. If you add a little more resistance late to make sure you get out there, pass over. I focused on being in the correct position and nothing more. You need to pay attention to when you set the ski on the turn edge for the buoy, to late and your done. Work the pass backward from when you have to preturn and adjust how hard you resist to that point. It takes a few passes, but you will find out just how much resistance it takes, and then don't do extra. I Rico'ed more passes at 5 ball (RFF) pulling just a little bit more to make sure I was ahead and then carried too much speed and blew it. If I had a dollar for every one...

[Wish]

Only your ski has to go around the ball. And that happens before the apex at 38. You will feel late, narrow and rushed to turn. It's a lot of visual and conceptual things you have to get over compared to 35. Narrow feel can = at 38, your eyes will be on the inside of the buoy line running up to the ball compared to 35. Fast feel can = a lot of what happened before or at the ball at 35 will now happen after at 38..like the turn. Rushed = since all this is happening after the ball, it is inherent to think 2 ball will not happen unless you "do something" and do it "now". It's that last one that can hold you back. And it's the last one that might answer your question. The "commitment" may be more of an understanding that ball 2 will come with patients. The "commitment" may not be to hit a harder turn but to be patient and wait for the load...waiting is hard to do...and understand that it surves you better in the long run

[Razorskier1]

You have to make an effort not to hurry toward the ball. It is tempting off the wake to spot the ball and go toward it. Then you have speed in the wrong direction. AM always says you can't have too much speed, but you can have speed in the wrong direction. I believe in being wide on the gate, building my speed before the first wake, and then staying at the end of the line moving out instead of moving toward the ball is what works. Don't go to the ball. Stay away from the ball by maintaining outbound angle and let the line bring you to the ball.

[skier2788]

Thanks everybody. Will work on these things. Now I need it to be summer again.

[Wish]

@Razorskier1‌ that is well worded. Would like to shortn that to "...let the line bring you to the ball" and stamp that on the front of my ski.

[Razorskier1]

@Wish - perfect!