Water Ski Trends in Elite Water Skiing (Top 20), from 1998 to 2021

[Luzz]

Back at it after a couple of years off. If you are not familiar with this, you can see past editions here and here.

This time, getting some good data was messy as, due to COVID, the IWWF Tournament Council decided the following:

The 2020 ranking list was the average of the two best scores across both 2019 and 2020. Here, I used exactly those averages

The 2021 ranking list only considered the best score (not average). Here, I inputed averages of the two best scores and, importantly, if a skier had a single score for the season and that score was among the top 20 averages, I retained the skier.

As always, the data is available for anyone to check.

 

I will be posting graphs in the next few days :smile:

[Luzz]

(click on the image to see it bigger)

Let's start with Women Slalom. Probably not surprising to most of those who followed the 2021 season, but the Top5 further improved. This is despite the top skier's average going form 3.75@10.25m to 3@10.25m. Very cool to see the Top5 pushing it to the highest level recorded to date. Also, note that in both 2020 and 2021, the gap between Top5 and Bottom5 went over 6 buoys for the first time since 2014. As you'll see throughout the various graphs, the lower end of the Top20 was generally the field to suffer most from Covid (lack of tournaments, travel restrictions, etc.).

A few numbers:

• 
  
• For 2021, 20 scores are averages, 0 were single scores.
  
• Widest top-bottom gap: 2012 (7.45)
  
• Narrowest top-bottom gap: 2015 (4.95)
  
• Top score of 2021 season: 4@10.25m (70)
  

[lpskier]

My personal thought was that the women in 2021 benefitted significantly because Regina was out. Psychologically, when Regina is competing, many of the women may think that the best they can do is second. (Two years ago, I asked a pro woman skier if she was going to a particular tournament and she said, to the effect, “Why bother. Regina will be there and she’ll win.”) With Regina out, the psychology changed and suddenly it was “any given weekend” and everyone had a chance. Women were skiing better because they thought they could win. Positive psychology, better results.

 

But then there’s Jamie Bull…

[ghutch]

@lpskier I whole heartedly agree. I've heard the same statement from a men's pro skier say about the same thing about Nate. According to him it pretty much was the "Nate donation".

[Adam Caldwell]

The depth of the field for both Men and Women is crazy... Its no guarantee any one skier will win anymore.

 

Nate and Regina are dominant, but the field is getting better and better because of it.

[lpskier]

@adamhcaldwell And we know who is leading the charge!

[Luzz]

(click on the image to see it bigger)

Next up, Men Slalom. Maybe a visual surprise given how fierce the competition was at all the events. However, this is a good reminder of the difference between tight competition outcomes and performances. The people know well enough this difference from other discussions, so I'll leave it at that. There might be a little COVID effect here, but realistically slalom skiers weren't short of tournaments at great sites last year (different, as we'll see, for tricks and jump).
A few numbers:

• 
  
• For 2021, 20 scores are averages, 0 were single scores.
  
• Widest top-bottom gap: 1998 (4.6)
  
• Narrowest top-bottom gap: 2006 (1.55)
  
• Top score of 2021 season: 1.5@9.75m (73.5)
  

[Luzz]

(click on the image to see it bigger)

Next, Women trick. Here the trend that jumps out visually is the consistently increasing gap between the Top5 and the rest of the field. Additionally, this is one of those events that suffered from lack of competitive opportunities during 2020/2021. By opportunities I don't necessarily mean big events, which occurred to a degree. More so the RC and L events where trickers go to push their runs or test new ones.

A few numbers:
For 2021, 17 scores are averages, 3 were single scores (1 utilized for Top5, one for Bottom5).
Widest top-bottom gap: 1998 (4.6)
Narrowest top-bottom gap: 2021 (3346)
Top score of 2021 season: 10840

[Luzz]

(click on the image to see it bigger)

Moving along with Men Tricks. Akin to Women Slalom, this is another graph that "makes sense" after the season we witnessed last year. Notice how the Top20 average (11217.25) is the highest of all time, Top5 and Top20 have been improving steadily in the last 5 years, and the general trend across the last 23 years is that the Top20 competition is getting tighter than ever! Interesting to compared these merging trend lines with Women Tricks where they are diverging over time.

A few numbers:

• 
  
• For 2021, 18 scores are averages, 2 were single scores.
  
• Widest top-bottom gap: 1998 (984.61)
  
• Narrowest top-bottom gap: 2020 (490.58) (here the argument could be made that this is due to the 2020 RL using 2019 and 2020 scores combined. However, 2021 comes right after with 498.36)
  
• Top score of 2021 season: 12280