Safety check

[ballsohard]

It seems that the pros safety check about half of their turns when the rope gets really short. (According to Wade Cox)

 

What's the proper technique and use case for the short line safety check?

[Wish]

Not a “safety check”. It’s the skier waiting for the boat to advance far enough to connect and go. Sometimes they have to wait. Looks like a pause.. because it is IMHO. But to me they are not doing a safety turn/check to make sure they get the next ball. They are simply being patient to get back in to the swing rhythm with the boat.

[skibug]

Is the safety check any thing like the safety dance?

[wart]

@skibug, only if you are a man who skis without a hat.

[Horton]

@ballsohard safety check is not a thing I have ever heard skiers talk about.

[ISP6ball]

Safety check and Coxy were the words of the day, ha.

[Than_Bogan]

The Malibu webcast was super-fun, so I guess I wanna purposely "bury my complaint" a little in this thread. But anyhow the combo of Tony and Wade is not my favorite.

 

On a more positive note, my brief list of amazing announcers has recently added Seth! I think my top 3 favorite slalom announcers, maybe in order, is now:

 

Freddy Krueger

Freddie Winter

Seth Stisher

[jhughes]

The "safety check" seemed to be sold as some strategic "letting up" to make a certain score to make a cut vs. just going all out, which I don't buy. I was definitely chuckling when a skier was like obviously doing everything to make a turn in any shape any position and Wade would be like "oh a little safety check at 2" as if they were strategically being less aggressive to "only" make a certain score as they hurtled around the ball in an insane frenzy at 41.

[Wish]

Honestly there’s so may terms that get redefined in this sport. So let’s go with safety check. Ya, when I’m ahead of the boat and I KNOW I’ll be turning into slack so I need to extend my turn and let the boat advance, it’s ALL about safety And it is a check. Each time he used it it was exactly that and at short line it happens often. So I’m gonna give him a pass and all good. Agree with @Than_Bogan on all accounts and would add Ben to that list ( less the calling a pass made at ball 2)

[jjackkrash]

I think Tony and Wade do a very good job. But if we could lure Cotton and Pepper away from the Ocho, I'd also be good with that.

[Ed_Johnson]

Have used the term Safety Check for years, but only as it related to 5 ball. If you had a good pass going and coming into 5 ball you would do a Safety Check, which meant "DON'T CRANK IT," but make an easy turn and pull a little long to 6 ball, as an insurance policy. Anywhere else in the course was scraping.

 

 

[Lars]

@Than_Bogan just take a drink anytime Tony says alright then here we go and you'll be happy as a clam!

[JackQ]

Example safety check: at Nationals the year, last skier out, best score was 2@39. I came into #2 with alot of speed, and knew i only had a 50/50 chance of making it off #2, so I stood up for 2, taking my chances in run off, rather that a likely 1 1/2, if I tried for 3. A sound strategy that utterly failed for me in this instance.

[Than_Bogan]

Woah I just got a spam email for a product called Safety Checker. Maybe I need that!?