FlowPointTV 20.8 - BOB LAPOINT

[ROBOT]

Bob LaPoint, true life Hero that changed my life -

 

The year is 1987. The World has 2,700,000,000 less people than it does today, the Giants beat John Elway in the Super Bowl, Richard Branson makes the first Transatlantic flight in a Hot Air Balloon (2,790 miles) & Freddy Krueger is a serial killer....and a 3 event skier. I remember that Plane flight like it was last year though, because it was my first time in an Airplane. Scared, excited, and eagle eyeing out the window harder than anyone in history...there was soooo much to see!!!! And everything looked unlike anything I'd ever seen before....houses, roads, lakes, mountains....all the stuff I'd already become familiar with in my 8 years of life....but it all looked so different from up here. As we made our approach into West Palm Beach Int'l Airport, I remember looking out the window and pointing to the trees and asking my dad "DAD DAD, look at those trees!!!....they look like pine trees!!??...how is that possible??!" See, on the west coast, in my world, I had only ever seen pine trees in the mountains...where it snows. I knew Florida had neither of those things, so it blew my mind.

 

A couple days later, after my brother competed in his first U.S. Water Ski Nationals, my mind was about to be blown again. This particular year, 1987, was the first year the Nationals week would be capped by a US Open on the weekend. It was my second year skiing, and I knew all the names of the best in the World...but I'd never seen them ski anywhere other than ESPN (remember when water skiing was on ESPN?). The weekend didn't disappoint. As an 8 year old kid with stars in my eyes....I remember standing on the shoreline thinking, "These guys were INSANE!!!" Some guy no one had ever heard of, Jeff Rodgers, showed up and cranked the shit out of some 1,3,5's. I remember the rumor being that he'd just started skiing a few years before and ran the slalom course the first time he ever tried it. That, to my little pea-brain, was hard to fathom. And here he was already fighting to beat the best in the World. A West Coast legend, Carl Roberge, ended up tying for 2nd at that US Open, right before my eyes. In 1987 he was the defending Tour champion (5 years later Terry Winter and I were chasing Carl's Jr Boys Western Regional slalom record...3 @ 35 off). I had 2 hero's before getting to watch that US Open..Bob & Kris LaPoint. They were West Coast skiers, and legends around the World. In 1987 Bob LaPoint won the World Slalom Title at Thorpe Park, London (5th World Title) and won at Marine World and the MasterCraft invitational. And when I left Okeeheelee, after witnessing the greatest sporting event I'd ever witnessed, I had a new goal: I wanted to be out there someday, doing what those guys did. The US Open was the seed planted...it was everything I needed as a kid looking for something to hold onto..and it was a pivotal moment in my life..the moment that sparked everything that was to come.

---------------

Exactly 20 years later, in 2007, I found myself standing on the dock at the US Open, shoulder to shoulder with the best skiers in the World: Drew Ross, Thomas Moore, Nick Parson, Will Asher, Jamie Beauchesne. MasterCraft & Chris Sullivan had joined forces and pulled off one of the greatest water ski events I've ever been a part of. They brought the US Open to Disneyworld. It was at night, under the lights, and I was fortunate enough to make the 6 man final, squeaking in by beating out Jeff Rodgers..one of the Legends that inspired my ski bug 20 years prior. The conditions were pretty tough: dark, rolly, lumpy,...unpredictable,...just how I like it. The boat ran its simulation pass, I pooped in my pants a little...and it was time...

 

And somehow, when the spray settled that eve, I ended up in a Tie-breaker with my buddy Thomas Moore.

 

Going out first, I was able to run 38 off cold - not very pretty tho. Coming back at 39, I knew buoy 2 was going to be all or nothing...TMo could crush 39 on his second effort & I knew I had to leave it all out there. I think I got lucky,...I blacked out at 2, slammed it as hard as I could, and somehow my ski stayed in the water. I ended up running the pass, and finishing with 1 at 41. TMo looked so solid in that runoff. I'm not sure what happened at 39, but he was late at 3, and couldn't finish the pass.

 

Afterward, I was standing on the shoreline, bare feet in the wet florida grass, just like it was only 20 years before...gazing down the lake, lights half blinding me, thousands of people lining the waters edge...realizing that two decades prior and a couple hours away, I had been lucky enough to witness this very event, an experience that had changed my life. I stood there in disbelief that I had won the US Open....hoping that my buddies and I had actually inspired some kids that night....hoping that we had sparked a light for the next generation.

- Marcus Brown

[skibrain]

@MarcusBrown thanks for doing this. For tying together the threads and fabric and the people of our sport. So cool.

[Ed_Johnson]

I was there Marcus when you won that...The Lake was a bathtub, terrible conditions. Outstanding JOB !!!!

 

 

[Mortyski]

@MarcusBrown great interview with one of my all time heroes. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[jimbrake]

@MarcusBrown - awesome interview with one of my (and most everyone's) heroes. Love that last little story you told about the A2 that you and Brett Muhlitner couldn't even get to the gate on and Bob ran 38 @ 36 on it. That is crazy and does demonstrate his amazing talent. I remember watching Bob at one of the CalCups at Berkeley Aquatic Park, when I was first getting into the sport - probably like '77 or '78. All the competitors were struggling just to get as far as they could at 35 and Bob ran it so easy, so connected, and so far ahead. You could just see his talent level was so far above all the others. I got to go to his '87 Worlds celebration dinner because I was training with Mark Solich back then and he and Bob were tight.

[chris55]

Wow thank's so much for this with the legendary waterskier of all time !!! In 1987 I found 2 VHS made by Mike Suyderhound and Bob Lapoint, that how I started learning waterski. Loved the explanation....unfortunatly a friend borrowed from me the 2 tapes....I never got them back ....he is not my friend anymore (just kidding....)

Great interviews ....all of them.....thank's Marcus

 

[6balls]

@chris55 I learned to ski buoys from those VHS tapes with Bob and Mike, too! Wish I still had them...tho I'd need something to play it, too

[oldmanskier]

The Flow Point with Wade and this one with Bob are my favorite flow points yet.

Sorry for all the detail below but, we have been cooped up due to everything shutting down for chrono virus issue and just got carried away thinking about the bygone era of slalom.

Brought back a lot of fun memories that took my mind off the Chrono virus issue going on now.

I started skiing the slalom course in 1978 at a young 24 years of age.

No internet back then but I started researching the best I could everything about Tournament Waterskiing.

I joined what today is called USA Waterski (I think it was called something else back then) just to get the magazine they put out.

This was about all the ski information I could find back in the mid 70’s on Slalom technique.

This is when I learned about Bob and Kris Lapoint.

Those guys were the in my opinion Slalom gods at that time.

Then a magazine called Spray came about and more information about Slalom was available.

My first Slalom video was Advanced Slalom Clinic by Mike Suyderhound with Bob Lapoint.

That video helped me go from running 15 and sometimes 22 off at 36 mph to running 28 off consistently.

I know that does not sound like much but to me it was a big stepping stone.

I know technique has changed a lot since that video but I still watch that video occasionally while doing cardio workouts.

Bob makes Slalom look so easy, fluid and it is fun to watch.

I met Bob one time (I think in the late 80’s) when the Pro Tour came to Chattanooga TN on the Tennessee River.

Horrible site with all the boat rollers and river current but all the pro’s gave it their best shot and put on a good show.

Bob talked to a group of us for a few minutes and was very patient with a bunch of slalom wallies that were in awe of his slalom skiing abilities.

I have also met Kris a few times at Big Dawg tournaments and listened to him talk to others about skies and technique.

The knowledge these two brothers have about all aspects of slalom is amazing.

Marcus you have done Flowpoints with Wade and Bob.

Not for sure if possible or the people would be willing but would Love to see more Flowpoints with other greats from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

Example: Kris Lapoint, Mike Suyderhound, Carl Roberge and the Roberg sisters, Sammy and Camel Duval, Cindy Todd, Lucky Lowe, Denna Mapple, etc.

 

Thanks to Bob and Kris for all they have done for the sport over the years.

Thanks to Marcus for doing these very, very well produced Flow Points.

Oldmanskier (Tom Smothers).

 

[ALPJr]

Wow, that was awesome! Nice job. I’m with @oldmanskier bring on Suyderhoud KLP Lucky Duval’s etc.

[bigtex2011]

well done marcus brown!!

[Mortyski]

I’m with @oldmanskier too @MarcusBrown I had the distinct pleasure being beat on by Mike Suyderhoud at Lake Shasta for about six or seven years. He was an awesome but tough coach. I would love to hear from him again.

[MarcusBrown]

Wow guys!...thanks for all the positive feedback! Was fun to sit down with both Wade and Bob....I feel fortunate to get to do what I do, and be able to share it with you all out there. Many of you have been contributing to the sport for the past many decades, and its in large part due to your continued enthusiasm, interest, and support, that we still have a somewhat vibrant "sport" today. Gotta keep the stoke alive anyway you can, especially during these tough times!!