Nate - 3@43

[bojans]

I heard about this Saturday, now it is "official" (not an R tournament)

 

 

 

[dave2ball]

Was not a record tournament. It would be a national record if all criteria is met and good.

[slow]

GOAT

[Broussard]

@dave2ball You cannot set a national record in a Class C tournament.

[dave2ball]

@Broussard I’m guessing you didn’t read my whole post. If it Mets the criteria.

[Broussard]

@dave2ball I did read your whole post - there are additional criteria to set a record other than the class of tournament.

 

A National Record can be set in a Class E tournament even though it would not qualify as a World Record.

[dave2ball]

@Broussard I’m sure there is I didn’t say the record would stand.

[Zman]

This is a great conversation. Keep it going guys. ?

[rawly]

No I didn’t , yes you did , no I didn’t , yes you did

[skibrent]

Just great to see someone get round 3@43 in any sort of tournament! I recall CP letting slip he and Andy had been round 3 & even 4 in practice. No doubt Nate & a few others will have also done this -most likely with a slightly slower boat speed. Someday the stars will align with perfect conditions, a skier in the zone and at a record event with surepath etc. just hope I’m there to see it!

[skierjp]

Becky pulled him 3@43 in practice a week or so ago with good Sure Path numbers.

[dave2ball]

@skierjp I saw the video and the sure path numbers were all good.

[BTheis]

Any video?

[Nater]

It was a great weekend at the Jacob Kauffman Memorial Classic with special guest and WR holder, Nate Smith. Nate joined us for a fun weekend with a big score of 3 @ 43 off behind the surepath system & driver Tony Drake here at Stillwater’s Lake, home of the Pro Team Challenge. Unfortunately this was only a class C tournament, but it was so amazing to see this incredible score put up at this event. Thanks Nate for coming up and supporting this collegiate event. Videos and pictures can be seen in the Ski Stillwaters Instagram post link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUFuuntrAxf/?utm_medium=copy_link

[Wish]

Ok, it was a class C. But with SurePath running, ZO, new boat, and a world class driver, what’s missing??... course certification, rope/handle measurements, end course vid?? How about a rule change?? If the class C meets all class R/L requirements, should it count as a US or world record ? .

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@Wish NO! You are going down a rabbit hole to making class R practice sets. I see a whole bunch of repercussions to your idea. Full Stop.

[Wish]

@Bruce_Butterfield probably...most likely . But it seems the letters CLR stand for less these days when a class C tournament meets the class R/L requirements. Shouldn’t a record be based on meeting certain requirements despite the class of tournament? Just a basic questions for not understanding what makes an R/L diff then a C if the tournament meets all the requirements for a record but chooses to file it as a C.

[ntx]

Keep in mind that the level, number, and location of judges are also criteria that separate the class level. Too many other factors than speed and sure path.

[Broussard]

@Wish

 

[Wish]

@ntx I get that. That’s why I’m asking if a class C meets them ALL. What’s the diff ?? (not suggesting they were met in this case)

[ntx]

@wish if you look at the requirements above, my guess is that most class c are not even close to meeting the next level up. Sr driver, scorer, judge and tech controller is a big requirement.

[Nater]

We were lacking a couple of Senior Officials in order make it an ELR tournament. We didn’t know Nate was coming until the night before. By then it was to late so we did everything we could to make sure Nate had a great pull.

[dbutcher]

During the class C parts of a C, L, R tournament, you can bet that some. if not many, of the L,R standards are not used. Only class C standards are used to give people (judges and technical people), a break.

[ETskier]

Did I see the word FUN in @Nater 's comment? It would like having Brett Favre come play in your annual flag football game.

[rockdog]

If I got a one ball like that at 28 I probably wouldn't get to three ball like he did. Unbelievable.

[ntx]

Based in the ID it looks like it might have been a colegate tournment?? I was not able to find the complete scorebook. I am sure I am missing something. ???

[Nater]

@ntx. See. http://www.waterskiresults.com/WfwWeb/wfwShowTourList.php

 

For results to this Collegiate tournament

[RichardDoane]

It is too bad that the LOC couldn't assemble the needed officials, and just make the group that Nate was skiing in a class L with the rest of the groups class C

[Broussard]

@RichardDoane Senior officials can be tough to come by - especially in certain part of the country. Central Florida, Central Texas, and Northern California are the exceptions.

 

I am sure the LOC did the best they could given the short notice and it sounds like they did a great job with the tournament and provided some great pulls. It looked like a phenomenal event from all accounts!

 

I guess my point is that there is a lot of behind the scenes work put in for a record tournament to happen and we should be more appreciative of the tournament organizers, judges, scorers, drivers, safety personal, technical controllers, and promo guys for giving us the opportunity to have these L&R tournaments.

[ntx]

@nater Thank you. I guess I still have not learned how to navigate the new website. It is not very user friendly.

[WaterLoo]

All the .5s 1s and 1.5s didn't do much to convince me anyone would ever run 43 but if he can get 3, sure makes it seem like it is possible to take it downtown.

[bishop8950]

Great skiing for Nate. He will do it again sometime, in a record.

[RichardDoane]

@Broussard I totally agree, it takes years to cultivate a crop of Seniors to run a L/R event, and a TC crew to make it happen. We are fortunate to have a great group of volunteers in WA.

[ScottScott]

Remember, he got 3 buoys 4 (?) years ago at swiss but the boat path was rejected. It will happen, but as often as he gets a look at 43 its a little surprising he hasn't done it yet. I guess that just shows how hard it is, which leads to how hard it will be to eventually run it.

[swbca]

Watching Nate from different angles, like in the D3 promo videos makes me hope he can still walk when he reaches 35 or 40 years old. He stacks up tight with an arched back and doesn't give an inch when the loose rope hits him for the ballistic launch to the next point. He is gifted, light weight, tall and strong, but many great athletes break-down certain parts of their body from the physical abuse of being better than anyone else in the sport. I wish him the best for his lifetime, whatever that takes.

[ScottScott]

@swbca I'm not sure....I see him as having about as aligned/stacked as can be seemingly allowing effortless leverage (which he has to have to handle the load without ANY real muscle mass.) He is never really among the top when they do the load measurements and competitions during some tournaments. Handling the load without a lot of muscle would be the biggest concern I would have regarding his longevity.

[Killer]

That vid to me proves this pass can definitely be run or rather, not impossible. His 43 looks like most everyone else's 3@ 41...

[ral]

@swbca , what pro slalom (not jump) skiers can you mention that could not walk anymore when they reached the 35-40 year mark?

[swbca]

@ral What pro skiers have been able to run 39 off 8 consecutive times in a session for a photo shoot ? And by extension how many practice passes has he taken at 41 and 43 off compared to all pro skiers.

 

Historically there aren't any other pro skiers in his performance class to take the lower spine loads at 41 and 43 for 10 consecutive years.

[ral]

So the answer is none, correct @swbca?

 

I am confident Nate will be skiing and walking without major issues 5 years from now.

[swbca]

@ral your question assumed all pro skiers are equal . . so the answer "none" doesn't reflect underlying facts. And I wasn't making a prediction, I was just recognizing the risk and hoping for the best.

[BraceMaker]

@swbca it is important to recognize the difference between functional strength and "brute" strength. I would wager Nate arm wrestles pretty good.

 

[jjackkrash]

Skiing has inherent wear and tear, but Nate skis about as light and efficient on the handle as any male pro skier. They all take some hits but I'd wager the wear and tear on Nate is comparably less than the wear and tear on many of his peers.

[lpskier]

@ral @swbca I think you are asking the wrong question. How many former elite skiers can no longer ski? Wade Cox comes to mind.

[Wish]

@Ipskier... now those guys from the 80s and 90s took hits. That's what made it exciting to watch. I just don't see Nate take hits like others these days even at 39 but especially at 41. Most all the other skiers (aside from Brian D. who is looking similar these days) there is no question the 39 loop is being attempted. With Nate, it's a question whether it's 35 or 39 if you did not see him run up the line. His efficiency is off the charts better than most.

[ral]

@lpskier , my point is that “hoping Nate can still walk when he is 35 years old” does not have any logical support, when he has yet to take any major injury-related break, and that the vast majority considers him the most efficient skier out there, usually running 39 and 41 as the rest run 35.

[ozski]

Clearly the best skier ever with daylight in second place..

[swbca]

@ral You are right, my expression "hope he can still walk" was not logical. It was expression intended to convey "hoping he is still healthy". It is still true that 4x off is much harder on the spine than his cruising passes up through 39 off. And its true that no one else has taken as many practice passes at 4x as Nate has in the history of the sport. Maybe my concern comes from back surgery and a lifetime back pain that came from slalom training for decades.

 

My expression "ballistic" really isn't over the top. For what the body can do, transmitting the loads of going from 10mph to 60mph in less than 1.5 seconds perhaps thousands of times over the years is a strain. You can make your own estimate of the speed at the end of each turn . . my guess is around 10mph.

 

Watch Nate towards the end of this video. This video shows the dynamic range of skier speed better than most other videos. When the line gets tight at the end of the turn at 41/43 no one can handle it better. Even some skiers who can ski 39/41 off look like they are struggling to keep their shoulders from being pulled forward when the line hits them. They are only halfway stacked making it rough on the lower back muscles.

https://www.facebook.com/MiamiNautique/videos/2722438708075816

[thager]

Used to be that if a skier set a world record he/she got rewarded for it. Going forward by more than .25 at a time relieved you of potential cash.

[jayski]

@ozski best "male slalom skier ever" maybe...not even close to being best "skier" ever....no way he is better than Regina