Beastmode

@Horton has worked very hard at developing and putting on the BallOfSpray tournament for the past two years. I was interested in getting some feed back from the skiers who have skied in these tournaments and from all the Ballers.

What are the Pros and Cons of these tournaments?

 

I have been to tournaments where the tournament officials and skiers are so busy running the tournament and in their own world they dont take the time to say hello and just be friendly to people not in their social circles.

I serve on the board for the Capital Area Waterski club in Austin Texas and we have been discussing how we can make Waterski Tournaments more fun to be at and for spectators to watch.

I think this is a great place to get feed back as most, but not all, Ballers are tournament skiers.

What are the pros and cons of tournament sites you have been to?

 

For myself the tournaments I liked the best were because of the social aspect. Everyone being super friendly, After-parties, or

a big group from the tournament going out to eat together after the tournament. As for the tournaments being more fun during the tournament that is a hard thing to answer.

 

Looking for suggestions and feedback

 

 

 

 

@chris Rossi I saw the new vise inside out gloves. I will be trying them soon. Anything done with the tack weld on the Dring? I have broken and bent 30+ pairs of these. last season after they broke I started twisting the wrist strap and Duct taping them because the glove was still good. That worked ok but if I took a huge load hit they pull apart.

 

Frameswitch Texas another beautiful sun set

 

I have used the Radar vise - Black gloves for last three seasons- I use large and very difficult to get on the first 6 times, but then they are perfect. I pull the dowels out and just use them as regular gloves with the strap. I have not found any gloves that last me more then a 3 weeks during season they shred on the outsides of the strap areas. Also the D-ring for the wrist strap breaks and bends (every pair) . I actually like the grip on the MS pro locks but the glove is thinner and shreds on the outsides of the strap areas pretty fast. I have many friends that use them and get more then a year with one pair. Last year I went through over 25 pairs of gloves.

This off season I have been trying out regular gloves and really like the Miami Nautique yellow gloves. Only regular glove that has not bunched in callous area of palm.

there are great deals out there if you know the skiers that you are buying from. I just bought a 2016 Vapor for $625 in Dec from a friend at SMRR that less then 20 sets practice and tournaments. I had found the same ski on Ebay for $600 but T$ just set my friend up with the new Pro build and so I picked up his 2016 Vapor.

@Horton - I agree 100%

Awesome only 530 miles from Austin - I can drive that!

@Horton - maybe it was perfect pass, but not the point. There are pros running 39 on every high end ski. There are many skis on ski it again 2 to 3 years old under $600 that i would bet that current 41 off skiers could still get into 41.

We all strive for smooth perfect line passes, but when we are off and things happen 6 is 6! Make it happen!!! I almost never ski back to the dock. Even Chad Scott asked me at a tournament after almost knocking myself out in 38' "Do you ever ski back to the dock?" lol

I have seen FWinter run 41 3 rounds in a row and looked really smooth doing it! I Root for Freddie to keep pushing Nate.

@Jack_Haase that question is more about ability then the modern skis! Andy Mapple, Wade Cox and Jeff Rogers were getting into 41' in the 90's and all modern high end skis are way better then what they were skiing on.

@Mitzysman - I have to disagree with all the comments that the Sport Nautique has a bad slalom wake. I run 35' off now and used to own a 93 open bow Sport Nautique and loved free skiing with that boat. I could free ski solid thru 39.5 off, boat spray and trough dipped to much to ski 41'. Great boat for the price. The newer 196 version is a better slalom boat, but for the price and just Rec level you cant go wrong with the Sport Nautique

I have a boat repair business and used to work for Waterski America in Dallas. We used to put take the brand new boats to a lake site and run them for 1hr Staggering speeds 1 min 30 mph 2 to 3mins 20's for the first 30 mins then building up to 4k rpm same cycling. Served two purposes-- 1- break in and 2 - find any issues from factory build.

 

 

@ALPJr - I have what your looking for. Dont want to trade for a 67". What are you willing to offer? Just got a 2016' Vapor before Xmas and trying it out. I was keeping the V type R as a back up, but might be willing to let it go.

@ski6jones - Anything is possible, but so is getting stuck by lightning. 50+ mph jetskis and bass boats this is a must and due to the high speeds it is easy to lose control crossing other wakes.

Trent Finlayson has this 9 exercise core workout that will help any short line skier get to the next level. I just found this and started doing this last week and immediately I realized

weaknesses in my core stability and balance. It was a light bulb moment for why I was inconsistent at 35 and 38 during transition.

 

What Trent said in WSM

 

I found another Light bulb exercise. Exact pull you feel during transition. Its in the new issue of "The Water skier" By Megan Lambert,

(Train your Core- this off season) she called it "Pall of Press" basically standing sideways to a cable machine, with both hands on the handle and elbows to sides (just like a solid stance) stepping a few steps away so there is a weighted pull wanting to pull and twist you back. You resist this through your core and press you arms straight out infront of you and back in. 10 to 15 reps turn and do other side. Can be done with rubber workout bands

 

 

@jimbrake, Maybe I lost touch with those guys. I have been in Texas since 98. They built them after I Ieft. Brian, a Pilot friend and I used to maintain a slalom Course on the Kings River behind the Navy Air Station. That section where we had the course is Dry now on Google maps.

I use the Reflex Super shell and a rear kicker and my big toe is bumping the release bar. In Hundreds of sets and releases I have only hit the release bars once.

Sad day in the tournament world without Cottonwood Tournaments

Wow- This has caused a lot of heated debate! I was at that tournament and skied into 38' sat and sun. Joe was one of my drivers on one of my 38' passes. I am a 210 Lbs skier that is known to be very difficult to drive for If I get late and start hooking turns. I know that round with Joe I ran a very hard yanking ugly 35' pass, so I know I was yanking the boat around.

I Skied in 24 tournaments and 67 Rounds from may till Oct this year and had about every type of driving you could have and I feel very confident that everyone of them tried their best and were very honest.

had one 6 Round Record tournament weekend that my group had the same 2016 SN 200 w/ 5.3 LT all 6 rounds. Had 4 different drivers, and the boat felt totally different with each driver.

From being super strong and hitting me hard at the finish of the turns -to the boat not being there- to everything being prefect. That tournament really showed me a difference between drivers.

 

Chad Scott pulled me several rounds this year and I must say the boat never pulls or hits you Its just there and solid. I use his pulls as a means for what is a solid driving pass.

In conclusion, Most drivers pulled solid. Had some moments, but I know every driver did his best to drive a straight path.

free skiing is an awesome tool to work on handle control at any length. I always start one rope length shorter then my tournament opener and ski to one length shorter then my PB. I dont really care about freeskiing like your in a course. My focus for free skiing is perfect body position, Handle control and letting the ski finish the turn on its own. I have done a bit of free skiing in the past at 39 and 41, but just to feel the load through the wakes and the release. Like @bishop8950 stated its is really hard to time 41 free skiing, but a great way to feel the cut.

I ended 2015 season with only running 32' once in Tournaments. I set a goal to run 35' in tournament rounds this season. I committed to training, coaching and new Equipment. I ran 35' off first time ever in practice in March. Got an HO VtypeR in May and ran it again on second day. Started tournaments May 14th and had 24 tournaments and 67 Rounds by last tournament in Oct.

2016 Stats:

PB - 2.5 @38'

Ran 35' - 6 times in Tournaments

Ran 32' - 39 times in Tournaments

 

I was frustrated because I felt I could ski better, but looking back I learned a lot and made a ton of new friends in the competitive waterski world.

 

 

 

@ToddL - Dude you have way too much idle time!!! lol

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