Joel Freakin' Poland

[Than_Bogan]

@Horton already posted this exact link, but SURELY a guy who runs freakin' 41 off deserves his own thread!?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyWnr5jpZVs/

If this guy is the face of our sport now, we're gonna be just fine.

[Than_Bogan]

P.S. Is there a video angle that explains how that wasn't 1/2 at -43?  I didn't hear any complaining, so perhaps there is video that shows a clear miss of the 1 ball (or the gate, I suppose)?  From just the video I saw, I'd certainly have to call 1/2.

[Horton]

@Than_Bogan I thought the same thing about the half. I need to see the video but I'm assuming he just displaced the ball so zero

[Stevie Boy]

Go Joel ! Go Radar ! Awesome 41 Off, so C'mon Radar Lovers your Ski is as capable as any of the Others that have run through 41 Off.

GO RADAR !

[AdamCord]

Pretty sure Joel hit 1 ball. His dismount was very impressive

[Mastercrafter]

Truly a talented skier to be able to run 41, jump 230, and trick 12k. Hopefully he can keep this up for a long, prosperous career. 

[Mateo_Vargas]

Just saw another fan on the way to the lake

[DW]

Don’t think his run qualifies for being ‘light on the line’.  Nice work!

[Wish]

I’ve never seen any human in any scoring sporting event get so excited about a score of 0. It’s unfortunate that there is no skier of the day award. He’s earned skier of the Worlds for sure…or better yet, the year. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that he also holds the overall world record and did that more than once this year I believe. He is definitely on a trajectory to be a …GOAT. 
 

I’d have to agree with Cord, I think he hit the ball pretty square. Was fun to listen to the announcers, speculate whether he’s ever practiced 43 off as he approached the course. 

He does not look tall. Anyone know his hight. 

 

[6balls]

Best men skier in the world--it's not close.

[Wish]

Style points on the landing ..TEN

.

[dave2ball]

@Mateo_Vargaswhen did you get the new caddy?  I knew you were a Joel Poland hope the wife is ok’d the plate. 

[Horton]

@dave2ball You have to stop drunk posting.

[hacker]

Part of the celebration after Joel’s 41. 

[Jordan]

Another tidbit about his run; first Radar ski to run 41. Pretty cool!

[Kelvin]

@Than_Bogan@HortonI've seen the video frame by frame and he clearly hit the buoy squarely as evidenced by the OTF ejection that  followed.  One of the perks of being part of the TWBC crew in the trailer.  On that topic, the slalom prelims were super stressful in there 🙂

[MrJones]

If not for overcooking the lean from 1 to 2 in the final.... Dude was on it.

[Wish]

@MrJones I disagree. I believe he had one of the best 1 balls of the finals. I believe the chop at that end displaced his ski just enough that it put him in the water. Only overall skier to ever run 41.   

[Horton]

@Wish

did you double check that only overall skier to run 41 off stat?

[Wish]

In depth no. But I did see it on the internet so it must be true. 😂. 
 

But seriously, I cannot think of one. I’m not including who used to be a 3 eventer before they became a slalom specialist. Or someone that tried 3 event every once in a while. Happy to be wrong but I don’t think I am? 

[Horton]

@Wish

yeah I am just messing with you. I did triple check and you are correct. It seemed possible that Andy or Asher may have still been skiing overall when they first ran 41 but no.

it is worth noting that Wade, Carl, Andy, Will, and other Hall of Fame slalom skiers were at least at one time three event skiers.

[Stevie Boy]

Just for Info, at one point in time to make the UK team, you had to do all three events.

[gmut]

Was he on a 2024 Vapor Pro?

[Cooper_Trelawney]

@Horton Did Bob LaPoint 3 event or just slalom and jump before becoming a slalom specialist?

[ColeGiacopuzzi]

@gmut Yes Joel was on the 24 for sure. 

[Drago]

51 minutes ago, Cooper_Trelawney said:

@Horton Did Bob LaPoint 3 event or just slalom and jump before becoming a slalom specialist?

Did Bob LaPoint run 41?

[Horton]

Bob's last world record was 5 @ 39

Yes BLP and KLP jumped when they were younger. 

I am not sure how much they tricked. I just texted and old guy known as the "Candy Man" asking for more info.

[Horton]

The Candy Man says BLP tricked and jumped a lot and at a high level for the time. Not sure about KLP.

[MDB1056]

KLP was always a solo artist to my knowledge. King of the slalom world in my day 

[lpskier]

KLP had a bad jump crash as a junior and I believe he fractured his hip. He became one of the first “one-eventers” in the day and age when most skiers skied three events and winning overall was a really big deal. One of his hip replacements a couple years ago (he had both done at the same time) can be traced back to that crash. Bob was a true three event skier at a very high level for the day. 

[kc]

2 minutes ago, MDB1056 said:

KLP was always a solo artist to my knowledge. King of the slalom world in my day 

Kris was also a jumper in his early career. He quit after an injury. That’s why in old photos, you saw him slalom with his hamstring wrapped. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t also trick in his youth. 

[Horton]

@lpskier I believe the jump injury you're referring to is his torn hamstring muscle. Happened when he was a teenager and plagued him his whole life. 

[Horton]

it is interesting that we're talking about KLP in the thread about Polish. Now Polish is going to make it to the Hall of Fame, but are we already elevating him to KLP's level? I think it's very premature but it's shows how special joel is.

[Than_Bogan]

If we're doing "comps" now, I feel like we have to go way back to Wayne Grimditch to find another male with this combination of raw athleticism and dedication to waterskiing.

[ALPJr]

@Than_BoganMike Syderhoud too for sure.

[Horton]

Does anyone have access to the IWWF Overall scoring formulas? Is it in XLS?

The Joel's current record is 

Slalom 1.00@58/10.25    

Trick 11680    

Jump 69.8    

Overall 2664.16

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

In the prelims at Worlds Joel scored

Slalom 0.00/58/9.75 ( 5 more balls than the above record ) 

Tricked 8660 ( this is the bummer )

Jump 68.8m ( 1 meter less then his above record )

 

So if Joel had tricked a more normal score of 11k would he have obliterated the Overall record?

 

( note the overall points listed on the IWWF-AE page for worlds are not calculated the same way as an Overall Record would be calculated ) 

[BKistler]

@Than_Bogan Thanks for calling attention to Wayne Grimditch. Younger Ballers may not know that ‘Ditch won the ABC Superstars competition on national television against elite athletes from many other sports. He had thighs like tree stumps and not an ounce of crush on a 6- foot ramp. 

[BKistler]

I’m lucky enough to have known both Wayne Grimditch and Joel Poland. Plenty of inspiration there. 

[foxriverat]

@BKistler That brings back memories. 

 

[Horton]

I am not exactly clear on the full story but Wayne trained at my Dad's lake the spring before he jumped 180 and set the record at 1975 Masters. He actually jumped 172 a few weeks before at Horton Lake but that record was never ratified because he broke the record again at Masters ( or that was my Dad's version) . 

I was 6 at the time and remember nothing.

[KKelly]

@foxriverat Thanks. That brought back a lot of good memories. 

[lpskier]

Wayne’s family had a summer home on my lake, Lake Placid, NY, and I skied with him when he was  there. Great guy. Played a mean game of golf and tennis. Played both soccer and football in high school. Three time World champ in Water skiing, once in trick and twice in jump.  

[Horton]

Hey my Overall scoring Q again...

On 10/18/2023 at 1:30 PM, Horton said:

Does anyone have access to the IWWF Overall scoring formulas? Is it in XLS?

The Joel's current record is 

Slalom 1.00@58/10.25    

Trick 11680    

Jump 69.8    

Overall 2664.16

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

In the prelims at Worlds Joel scored

Slalom 0.00/58/9.75 ( 5 more balls than the above record ) 

Tricked 8660 ( this is the bummer )

Jump 68.8m ( 1 meter less then his above record )

 

So if Joel had tricked a more normal score of 11k would he have obliterated the Overall record?

 

( note the overall points listed on the IWWF-AE page for worlds are not calculated the same way as an Overall Record would be calculated )