ROBOT

Be sure to check out Episode 20 of The Water Skier magazine's Hit It! podcast, presented by Visit Central Florida. David Akers has gone from the gridiron to the slalom course, and he has brought the same work ethic and analytical mind to his new sport that led him to a stellar 16-year kicking career in the National Football League. David catches up with host Tyler Boyd to discuss his NFL career and his passion for slalom skiing.

Brooks talks through the updated features of the all-new 2024 Vapor.

Shape The first thing we addressed on the shape of the ski was the width profile, while keeping the max width of the ski the same; we added more radius to the profile to provide more pivot and rotational pull through the turn. We also added width behind the wide point to keep the ski more level and stable in the turn. This provides the ski with built in tip pressure and reduces the need to “climb” over the ski to make a turn. The ski is now able to move under the line at a quicker rate with a more natural feel. By reducing volume in the tail of the ski we were able to create more leverage that enables the whole ski to move better as a single unit through the turn. This results in attainable angle that can be carried all the way through the finish of the turn. The last adjustment in shape was the narrowing of the tip. This combined with our new rocker line enables more bevel contact resulting in a secure feeling that lets you stand over the ski with confidence to rip turns knowing that the ski will move with you from apex to center line. Rocker By increasing the taper of the rocker line fore and aft of the flat spot we enlarged the sweet spot of the ski even more. The flatter the rocker is underneath your feet the more improved feel and connection you have with your ski. This allows you to move yourself and the ski better as a single unit. A bigger platform also gives you the ability to be more reactive and dynamic with your movements, ultimately giving you the control to move in and out of the turn with power. The lower rocker in the front half of the ski gives a truly unique feeling. By being flatter to the water you’re able to move over the ski with more confidence knowing that there is more contact, and support built into the ski. As you move over your feet the bevel is engaged and tighter, more consistent turns bring you back under the rope and cross course to the next buoy. Concave We have been extremely happy with the concave we created in the last shape. The deeper concave with a steeper entry gives the speed and side to side drive a Vapor is known for having. Speed is only good if you can control it, and this concave also provides grip that allows the ski to naturally slow down as it enters the turn. This ultimately enables the ski to carry a more constant speed through the turn which improves your cadence and rhythm with the boat. Bevel Sharpening the bevel from your feet forward has given the new Vapor more grip and control than any ski we’ve created to date. This helps the ski decelerate so it can make tighter, more up course turns. It’s important to note that these tighter turns are attainable due to the bevel transition built into the tail of the ski. By softening this bevel behind your feet, the ski can stay more balanced so that angle and drive are able to be maintained from the apex of the turn through centerline. Thickness Sidewall height carries constant to provide balance. To keep the ski nimble the sidewall thickness is reduced which also produces the connected, tight turning radius of the ski. Edge Angle The Vapor width allows the ski to achieve maximum edge angle both in the turn and while cutting. This width sets the precedent in our line as the pinnacle of performance both in the course and while free skiing.

2024 Vapor, the culmination of all the skis we’ve created to date. Every time we build a new ski, we learn something; defining what bevel shape is best and which rocker line is most balanced is now rooted in our DNA. As we approached this new ski we reflected upon things in our past and learned from what we’ve tried before. The result is a ski that finishes the turn with more angle and speed than its predecessor and sweeps away from the wake with ease. By sharpening the bevel in the front half of the ski we created a ski that’s more intuitive as it enters the turn; this combined with narrowing the tail of the ski creates sustainable angle that can be carried from the finish of the turn through centerline. The balance you feel over your feet is a direct result of the rocker built into the shape of the ski. Our new rocker line flattens fore and aft of the wide spot providing a larger platform. This places you over the front foot with ease, making tighter, more consistent turns. Fundamentally, the lower rocker line dramatically improves feedback from the ski and leads to a more natural and intuitive feeling ride. The way this ski flows from turn to turn with the speed only a Vapor is known for will have you running more buoys than ever before. Ski it for yourself.

A special episode recorded with the TWBC Crew of Vincent Stadlbaur, Jeromy Schall and Conner Pauley describing their latest trip to the European series of events. Looking to support this 3rd season of the TWBC Podcast? Email Tony at podcast@waterskibroadcasting.com to get more details on how to be a supporting sponsor.

Welcome to the biggest Slalom Ski Party disguised as a pro event! An insane event both off and on the water with scores through the roof and an atmosphere like no other! Enjoy the Show! Timestamps 00:00 - Travel 01:00 - Practice Day Activities 02:32 - Waterfalls 04:33 Prelims Day 09:14 - Finals Day 14:08 - Prize Giving As always Big thank you to TWBC for the use of their footage

Success in tournaments can come down to a few key factors, listen as the boys talk you through how to peak on the big day.

This week the guys talk about focusing on the keys that make the biggest impact and not getting caught in the trivial nuances in between the big moves.

After Rob had a battle with some French thieves... Rob is back with the Lacanau Cup Vlog! A tournament with insanely high scores year after year and this year did not disappoint! A beautiful lake 5 mins away from the sea is a place that should be on anyone's wish list! 00:00 - Intro 00:51 - The Lake 01:16 - Round 1 01:47 - Lunch 02:51 - Round 2 03:46 - Round 2 Recap 04:16 - Beach trip 05:08 - Finals Day 05:31 - Jaimee's Thoughts 06:40 - Women's Finals 08:12 - Men's Finals 09:26 - Event Recap Thank you WorldWaterSkiers for some of the footage

Spraymakers - Season 4 - Episode 14- Staying Connected As you exit the wakes it’s imperative to keep your back arm straight and connected to get swing up the boat, listen as the boys break it down!

Post-event reaction from the 9th Annual San Gervasio ProAm presented by Santos Dessault with the women’s champion Allie Nicholson.

The only water skier to win pro tour championship titles in both slalom and jumping, Carl Roberge earned more than 100 professional victories, including 21 U.S. Open titles and eight Masters championships in slalom, jumping and overall. Incredibly, in 1996, he went undefeated in jumping on the pro tour. Carl shares his memories about being a member of six U.S. teams, how technology has made the sport evolve, and how his time in the gym helped elevate him on the water. https://usawaterskihitit.podbean.com/e/water-ski-icon-carl-roberge/

Face-to-Face -Kaiafas wrap w Allie Nicholson & Freddie Winter

It can be easy to get distracted mid-season with all the noise out there. The guys talk about staying focused and keeping their skiing on track.

In keeping with KD’s mission of continual growth in the water sports market and with growing the sport of water skiing, we are thrilled to welcome Corey Vaughn to the KD Team. Corey’s 14 seasons on the pro tour and 16 years as a water ski coach make him uniquely able to showcase the skis potential and bring it directly to the skiing community. Corey will bring all of his knowledge and ability to KD’s testing and development process, as we strive to make the best water skis, not only for elite skiers but for skiers at every level. Just 20 days after his first ride on KD, Corey posted scores of 3 and 4 at 41off in RC competition. We feel like this is just the beginning and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Freddie Winter gets us caught up with the action from the events that have taken place in Europe thus far and preps us for the Kaiafas Pro Battle in Greece. Looking to support this 3rd season of the TWBC Podcast? Email Tony at podcast@waterskibroadcasting.com to get more details on how to be a supporting sponsor.

Gates are the perpetual battle, the boys break down the move that sets up the entire pass into simple moves.

Tune in as Marcus and guest host Dane Mechler discuss the Lacanau Cup by Malibu, stop #7 of the 2023 Waterski Pro Tour occurred on July 1-2 at Lacanau Ski Club in Lacanau, France.