Baller Jordan Posted July 8, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2023 While watching Kaifas, I noticed that Joel isn't there. Then I thought that I don't know if I have seen him at any of the tournaments. Is he injured? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller kc Posted July 8, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2023 Besides the California Pro-Am last, and another record tournament in California following that, I’m not sure if Joel has competed outside of Australia since winning 2019 worlds in Malaysia. Of course he broke his ankle there and had a lengthy recovery. I believe I’ve heard that Joel has a real job. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MDB1056 Posted July 8, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2023 Connelly still shows him on their team roster - but yes he's been mostly absent since 2019 worlds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ETskier Posted July 8, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2023 Bet he'll be here around the world's this fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller GregHind Posted July 8, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2023 Airfares to and from USA/Australia are insane at the moment too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted July 9, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 9, 2023 https://youtu.be/erhuaVqoiTQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Wish Posted July 9, 2023 Baller_ Share Posted July 9, 2023 Covid and the brutal Australian lock down had a lot to do with him being out for a few years I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Industry Professional Popular Post Adam Caldwell Posted July 9, 2023 Industry Professional Popular Post Share Posted July 9, 2023 Id like to know how ANY of these athletes financially make it to all these events. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted July 9, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 9, 2023 Some of the European ones at least have some support from a national sporting body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Luv2Ski Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 I too would like to understand how these athletes can afford all this travel. Are sponsors paying for any of it or do they literally have to absorb all the costs and pray for a win to at least get a little bit of money back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller tjs1295 Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 Wow!!! Is the money at the highest level of professional water skiing that bad? I know absolutely nothing about it, but I always assumed the top 10 skiers were able to make a living while competing in the sport. If they aren't able to make a living at it now, were they able to back in the 80's and 90's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ScottScott Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 I'm betting that the waterski "Team" rankings that TWB is doing motivates the ski sponsors to kick in a little extra money. There are more US (or US based) skiers doing the European events this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Popular Post EM_ Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Popular Post Share Posted July 10, 2023 (edited) @adamhcaldwell I can’t speak for everyone, but Stevie and I started saving for the 4 European events we participated in back in December. I took on a couple side hustles in Jan-Feb through my social media which really helped too. I won a little money, but I’d have to assume anyone who didn’t make roughly top 4 at every event took a loss. But who knows — I know some people got $70 flights around Europe! @tjs1295 The top 10 skiers definitely do not make a living from prize money alone. From what I’ve gathered, most of us are juggling some combination of a day job, coaching, social media partnerships, ski sales, sponsor support, merch sales, etc. Skiers always seem to find a way to make it work. Grittiest bunch out there. Edited July 10, 2023 by EM_ 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller tjs1295 Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 @EM_ Thank you for the insight. I knew the prize money wasn’t enough. Just thought there was a lot more behind the scenes sponsorship money to allow you to train, travel, and compete without too many financial concerns. It’s a tough passion to participate in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Luv2Ski Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 @EM_. Thank you for this insight. My kid wants to go pro and is asking to go to all these various record tournaments around the US and in other countries and I am not able to afford it at this time. The talent and scores are there, but the money is not. Hopefully, all the new social media coverage and Youtube coverage of the sport will bring in more sponsors. I've never been outside of the US (outside of Canada) so WOW, $70 flights? That at least sounds promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller EM_ Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 To put it in perspective, at my company, we have a roster of over 850 athletes across 76 sports — 237 of which who are Olympians and Paralympians — and they are ALL struggling to pay for training, competing, and travel. Almost all of them have day jobs or multiple side hustles. Skiing is not special. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller chrislandy Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 55 minutes ago, Luv2Ski said: I've never been outside of the US (outside of Canada) so WOW, $70 flights? That at least sounds promising. depends where you're going, but Spain to Greece is like flying between Atlanta and Dallas. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller kc Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 22 hours ago, BraceMaker said: Some of the European ones at least have some support from a national sporting body. Canada also. Jamie Bull discussed this in the TWBC documentary. Medals at worlds earns them money for training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted July 10, 2023 Baller Share Posted July 10, 2023 38 minutes ago, kc said: Canada also. Jamie Bull discussed this in the TWBC documentary. Medals at worlds earns them money for training. Its probably a better system. Some countries I believe Germany is one you enlist and serve in the Army but in a capacity as an athlete so your service is compensated with a salary. I believe that covers quite a bit of their Olympic athletes that are of service age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Industry Professional Adam Caldwell Posted July 12, 2023 Industry Professional Share Posted July 12, 2023 May be time to give feetfinder a more serious look. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Slalom.Steve Posted July 12, 2023 Baller_ Share Posted July 12, 2023 1 hour ago, adamhcaldwell said: May be time to give feetfinder a more serious look. Oh boy... 🤣 I got your tagline: "You haven't really seen a foot... until you've seen the foot of a world-class athlete." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ DW Posted July 13, 2023 Baller_ Share Posted July 13, 2023 Waterskiing is not unique, many or in reality most sports require a very large financial investment by the athlete / parents of / sugar daddy etc. to participate. Outside the stick and ball sports, most ‘pro’ athletes pay their way. To give you an example, the 2022 Indy 500 winner brought his sponsor and pays to drive the car, to the tune of several million greenbacks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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