drew

We plan to add a set of anchors for 12m buoys to our course following the tournament this weekend.

@BigGerald3 for the 65" I like: 0.750 dft 2.452 6.940 But remember, skier height/weight, style, level and binding configuration are all pieces of the optimization puzzle. Work with a professional with whom you trust in terms of their understanding of ideals and your equipment.

Hey Mike, I absolutely loved skiing the Ridge, and I definitely need to bring Charlie over sometime!?

Have a look at our facility, Winter Garden Water Ski, on Insta (wintergardenwaterski) and FB... aka by many as the back lake at Isles of Lake Hancock. We are just north of Disney (two miles). PM me for bookings

@liquid d I agree with your comments--and there are certainly some other sites where skiers, when completely dialed in, will run top scores. Cedar Ridge, Covington, Lake 38 and several others that have not already been named definitely make that list. I'm glad you have included our lake (back lake at Isles, wintergardenwaterski on insta and fb) on that list. For anybody looking for optimal conditions in which to perform your best, we encourage you to give us a look.

Charlie is on a 66" Ion-S. He was previously on a 65" Arc and recently moved up.

Mary Jane Lake, Minett, ON Muskoka

looks to me like subsection (2) is to provide a catch-all exemption from 1005 (1) (a)(b)© & (d)... probably quite valuable to have this available

Grew up in Belleville, skied on the Bay of Quinte and also at Bush's in Muskoka. Now we cottage and ski on Mary Jane Lake in Minett, Muskoka

Something to keep in mind: the video format is designed to accentuate lateral movement; it is compressed vertically, elongated horizontally and zoomed for distance clarity. As a result the boat and boat guides appear relatively wider (and vertically shorter) such that side-to-side travel is magnified. I am happy to say that I was Chief Judge of the tournament--and I am extremely proud of the effort made by all skiers, drivers and officials during this return to play period. It was our privilege to have the talents of Andrew Bergman, Jeff Kepchia and Vinny Stadlbaur as our Sr Drivers. John Travers as TC, and Sergio Font as Pan Am Judge, brought their immense experience and skills. Dana Garcia, our Chief Scorer is at the top of class as far as perfect and seamless operation. Cyndi Benzel, Matt Rini, Whitney McClintock, Skip and Janet Dunlap, Sasha Danisheuskaya, Taylor Garcia, Sam Dumala, Bailey Austin, Lou Alkemo, Sean Hunter (whom Cyndi tested for his Sr Judge rating on Thursday), and Cole Grant, your contributions as our valued officials are so greatly cherished. And thanks to our Safety Director, Dave Macchi, too. My point is, as we all know, it takes an army of dedicated talent to make it happen. I certainly know that each driver and official on this list brings 100 percent of their effort and integrity every time they show up, and I look forward to working alongside each of them again soon. To those who think they may be able to drive better--if you can, congratulations, for you're at the top of the sport.

https://www.masterlineusa.com/collections/travel-bags/products/one-event-roller @mlusa has the best quality ski bags--much more functional than a sport tube, and does great for the plane

ML Optimized... it's a no-brainer. Top quality and always innovating, looking to find ways to make the sport better. The entire product line reflects this. Made in the USA (including the weaving/braiding of the line/yarn), right here in Central Florida. Plus, when you support Masterline, you are supporting families who have been consistent givers to tournament water skiing for many decades.

I own one, and find it beneficial. While there is no such thing as a quick fix for many back issues, I believe that this kind of traction is therapeutic and a valuable piece of the puzzle.

@thager if it makes you feel better it is windy and cold today

Nice and warm here in Winter Garden! Just took my first set of the year, 32's and 35's, no suit necessary!

This is a very difficult issue--as there are many critical tolerances that combine for a legitimate score. And driving is certainly one of them--but lets not forget rope lengths, the survey, buoy sizes, and boat times. It certainly takes leadership for the European Council to review and apply the sanctions that they have... and there will always be some controversy. The boat path is extremely critical at the highest levels as the margins for error are so small. This is due to the delta between (deficiency of) the rope length and the width of the course. A wider slalom course would (albeit slightly) reduce the role of the boat path, and skier height--back to the comments in the 42 off thread: https://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/21136/42-off/p2

Sunset Landing is the community at Sunset Lakes, home of International Tournament Skiing and world-renown coach Jack Travers, in Groveland, Florida. Featuring three custom designed man-made competition water ski lakes used for both training and tournament water skiing, Sunset Lakes is a water skier's dream. The home owners have access to use one of the three lakes, included in HOA dues--subject to club rules and regulations, and the other two lakes are available through the on-site ski school program. The legendary ski school is the choice of world and Masters champions, and hosts skiers from around the world. Enjoy income while you are not using your home by offering it in the on-site management program! This beautiful house is an ideal vacation home, and includes a master suite lock-away that can be separate from the main house. Ski year round, walk the lakes and enjoy the views of beautiful glistening waters amidst gorgeous oaks and a community of active enthusiasts. Just reduced, now only $279,000. https://stellar.mlsmatrix.com/matrix/shared/wj0KGHJwW/20130SUNSETLANDINGAVENUE For more information, photos or to tour the property please contact Drew Ross, Lakefield Realty Group at (407) 383-6497

No brainer--Masterline Custom 13" 1.183... nothing compares

I am seeing really good results from almost everybody trying the Evo-S... In almost every case it results in a switch. Super user friendly and forgiving, while capable of developing lots of angle

Horton, sounds like you are learning through the experience. I had to dump my own normal ideas and just go with it, and so far I am really happy with the process. It is important for skiers when implementing the whisper fin to try to ignore conventional thought and stay true to the guidance offered thus far by Jay. Conventional is one thing the fin is not! But one thing for sure, the fin has made a huge positive difference for some skiers. I really like mine, and the fin and setup is helping me move my skiing in a technical direction that I have wanted to go.

It is a bit the case of a Nastar set course vs a properly set World Cup course... What would the result be if the field were to compete on a course set far too easy? The athlete's physical attributes (in this case, mass) become increasingly valuable at the expense of skill. And skill ought to be the most valuable attribute (not mass or height). With a slightly wider course (25cm), the effect is less on long line than short. Nonetheless, the wider course is a more difficult challenge, but a slower boat and the greater reward can help. The wider course also increases the need for recognizing the importance of efficiency in equipment selection and design, which is something today's parameters may inadvertently neglect.

@nathan_bogan thank you for the vote of confidence--I am certain that when looked at from an objective standpoint followed by empirical investigation, this proposal is a better solution than current parameters. I would prefer this discussion to remain in this thread for now, to diffuse any potential confusion relating to belief in need for rope length changes. Reduction in the increments is the wrong path to go down. I could elaborate but would rather focus on the benefits of widening the course. And keep in mind that the proposed new dimensions would demand, in practicality, a similar ski path that the existing course demanded in the 70's and early 80's--before modern (small) buoys. Yes, small buoys are a sensible progression in the event, for safety, precision and consistency, but small buoys have altered the ski path requirements in a negative way. Today, 41 (10.25m) is the pass to run. When a top skier runs 41, they will be at or very near the pinnacle for the event. And though tournaments occur where more than one skier gets through 41, it is fact that most do not. So let's define 41 as the PTR (pass to run; aka "the cat's meow"). 10.25m is 1.25 m shorter than the 11.5m width (from centerline) of the course--that's 4'1.2" short of the width of the course! It is quite clear that any consistency here, in addition to exceptional skier ability, will depend upon skier height, and favorable boat path (by favorable, I mean free of negative deviation). Let's define the difference between the course width from centerline and the rope length as the rope delta (RD). SO, the current PTR has an RD (rope delta) of 1.25m. Current longitudinal dimensions between boat guides/turn buoys is 41m. If this dimension is maintained, it is fair to say that by increasing the turn ball width from 11.5m to 11.75m or 12m, running the course with the same RD will be more difficult (if this is questioned, simply map the current course and the widened course, and examine the angular requirements). As the wider course makes it more difficult to run the same RD as the current course, we can logically deduce that the PTR of the wider course will ultimately have a lower RD than the current course... As a lower RD means a reduced value factor for both height and favorable boat path, the wider course is favorable for both shorter skiers (as compared to the current course), and also less dependent upon driving. These are two significant impairments to the current model at the elite level. An ancillary benefit of the wider course model will be the superior properties of longer rope lengths for skier longevity. Anecdotally, the wider course model, as mentioned earlier, is somewhat a "return" to the original intentions of slalom skiing, in terms of the ski path requirements (due to modern buoy size). And today's technology in boats and skis has already made things substantially more efficient/easier. And so I'll leave with you... what will the RD of the PTR be on an 11.75m course? How about a 12m course?

@rich I think that this would have a similar effect. Requires a more difficult change to all courses. Increasing the width to length ratio will reduce the value of skier height or driving. But the wider the course the longer the rope at the hardest pass, which has advantages. And we are talking about small changes for big impact. 25 cm in width would be substantial.

Some things to consider: 1. Additional loops mean stiffer overall rope at all earlier line lengths. 2. The greater the delta between course width and rope length, the greater the role skier height plays, as well as boat path deviation. Hence, factors other than athletic skill become more prominent. Now, consider the effect of a course that were 25-50 cm wider... and be careful of drawing quick conclusions. Instinctively we are led to believe that this would actually increase the advantage of a taller skier. But consider the effect of the wider course in terms of the delta between course width and rope length at a skier's finishing pass. If that delta is less than the delta under current course conditions, then athletic skill is becoming a more prominent factor in performance as compared to that of skier height or boat path deviation. That's right--skier height and boat path deviation (or driver skill) become less of a factor in competition with a wider course! The current course dimensions have existed since times of large wakes, inferior skis, and very big skier buoys. In other words, conditions were much more difficult and the time of design of the current slalom course. Making early passes was more difficult then than it is now... today mistakes often do not matter. A wider course may drastically improve the event. Thoughts?