Poll, how many can ski -38 and shorter?

[Orlando76]

Ok not a pole, Not sure how to do a pole on here, not sure if this is really worthy of a pole or not.

 

How many people, let's say worldwide, do you think can run 38? 39? 41 and shorter? Am I naive to think maybe 800 people can ski 38? I would think those running 41 would be the names we see in tourneys but are there regular joes who ski 41 and just don't care to compete?

 

 

[Than_Bogan]

Do you mean at 36 mph? It's a pretty darn different list. (Example: I am on one and not the other.)

[Texas6]

I like the question. 34 or 36 would be a much bigger list than just 36 - but 800 still feels pretty high to me

[Bill22]

I am pretty sure this question was discussed a few years ago.

[ski6jones]

Look at the rankings list of deep 38 for each age division and you get that number. I bet if you add in regular Joes you only add 5% max.

[Horton]

I would bet the number who can run it is bigger than the score books show.

 

I am 46th in M4 this year and one of my 3 scores is 2 at 39. You could go through the score books. Not too hard and 80 to 90 percent of the high end skiing is in the US.

[Orlando76]

34 or 36, doesn't matter. -38 must be hard at either speed.

[MrJones]

Orlando... It is hard, but it does matter.

[MichaelGoodman]

Quick look at ranking lists for those with a avg of 100 or better or 4 at 38

Mens Number

 

7 1

6 15

5 38

4 58

3 35

2 31

1 33

Boys

 

3 13

 

Total 224

 

Open woman 7

 

I did not include open men because a lot of them are

already listed in the age group ranks already

[wtrskior]

@Horton so youre saying practice count's? :) Thousands of skiers will tell you they've run -38. How many were rc quality though?

 

 

 

 

 

[Texas6]

@Horton - Men's 4 is a brutally competitive division though

[6balls]

I know some guys who can run the occasional 38 who don't ski tourneys. Can argue about it counting or not...but if I drove it on my course I will count it for them and figure it's pretty legit. If nothing else...they are good skiers observe one pass and you know what's up.

 

I'm sure there's not a ton of 38 skiers who are not skiing tourneys but there are some out there. My brother skis with one in Cincy as well. I don't know the accuracy of his course or his times, but I've seen a still frame of a guy high on the boat, head and shoulders up, inside hip low about to rip. Not just anyone looks that way...his technique is solid. He doesn't ski tourneys. Sometimes it's life priorities. I love to ski bouys and oftentimes a tourney is an inconvenient way to do so.

[Horton]

@wtrskior depends on the metric you want

[Razorskier1]

-38 is tough no matter what the conditions, driver, etc. I think most guys would tell you their best passes are with great driving. Sometimes people seem to think that because it wasn't record-capable or that it was in practice that it must have been "friendly driving". I can tell you what I tell every driver -- DON"T TRY TO HELP ME! I will have my highest odds of running -38 when the driver is true to the line and in rhythm with me as a skier, ie, countering correctly. If somebody tells me they've run it on ZO with a solid driver, I believe them.

[skidawg]

Key in driving is rhythm for sure @Razorskier1

[lantley]

Not me - I couldn't ski 38 off on Dr. Michael's pond with the boat weaving around the guides!

[Horton]

@lantley funny you say that. @OB1 ran 41 at Dr Jim's house last week

[Horton]

Counting 38s is a funny thing and can make some folks all defensive. I always say practice does not count because in a USAWS event one would assume ZO , surveyed balls, measured rope and a good boat path. I personally ran a LOT of 38s in practice before I finally did it in a tournament. I still do not run it as often as I want but I can promise you that if we were talking Perfect Pass or a slightly narrow course or a slightly long rope I would run it 10x as often. I can CRUSH 36.5 off and I can CRUSH a Perfect Pass 38. When everything is in spec the pass is a LOT harder.

[MrJones]

I miss Perfect Pass.... Classic