John Brooks

So @Horton , did you have a role in CottonGate to help fund your Christmas holiday? Inquiring minds want to know.

@klindy You only need plus for your deep water start! :-)

Winterized last week, putting the boat back in this week for the 70's/high 60's.

Also always good to check with Chris Eller, Coble Ski School. Chris is a MC dealer and may be able to find what you are looking for.

@Gloersen last year when the rule change was being reviewed for the kids, also in the proposal was for all divisions. The RC decided to implement for kids, apparently not enough support for all divisions.

I found that holding the handle low and tight was limiting my ability to rotate and turn. The solution for me has been having the arms up and long which has allowed me to turn in nicely and get the handle and arms in position crossing the wake.

I witnessed something this year during the Queens Cup I guess I knew but never focused on. The QC was a women's tournament and what I saw was a lot of comradery between all of the women. Some had never skied in a tournament, some are regular tournament skiers, but all seemed to enjoy the event. There was a sort of energy full of fun by all that I could see. After this experience, I feel like more of the focus needs to be on people working, playing, spending time together than just on the competition (probably a lot like the Collegiate events.) My other thought is that we need fewer record tournaments, more C and F, and the focus by the event organizers be more making the event enjoyable for the participants. Instead of LOC's spending all their energy and manpower on meeting record requirements, spend it on being creative and making events that all enjoy. I would be an advocate of AWSA placing a limit on record level events.

@Roger Are you suggesting, as an incentive for a site to host Nationals, that club members from the host site be exempt from Regionals? If you are, I think that is worth suggesting. I believe that any incentive we can provide to a club to host Nationals, probably Regionals as well, that something like this makes sense to me.

I think of this if I were skiing a tournament set what would be the 3rd or 4th pass in my set, assuming I was running up the line. To go out cold and try to ski my normal 3rd pass is big and to try to ski multiples of this without stopping is even more huge. For most Open skiers it seems like they normally start at 32, so the 3rd pass would be 38. To ask them to start at 39 might be a stretch, particularly in a spin to win approach, even for the best of the group, so if you are using 39 as the spin to win, probably be a pretty short list of folks willing to attempt this.

@Edbrazil your comment "Event was not "R", so there would have been no requirement for in-boat video. ". Was the event run as "L"? If so, given that Sacha was skiing in an Elite division, shouldn't in boat video still be required? But I believe the key will be as @Chad_Scott mentions, the boat path video. Thanks.

@UWSkier & @sodbuster88 does this work with a camcorder? phone? Thanks.

@cragginshred is this recorded with a phone or camcorder? I'm wondering if the Wakeye device using a camcorder would work better.

@Marco beautiful.

Looking to find the best option for a device. I like the Wakeye but would like to hear how durable they are or other good options. Thanks.

@Horton & others using the Wakeye, I am curious about how these work and hold up with regular use. Any tips in using them? Thanks for your feedback.

I commend @Horton and all those involved in setting up and running these events. I have set up a number of different formats and handicap techniques and none are perfect. There usually is someone who feels they had a disadvantage. This approach looks pretty good to me. But what is most important to me is the number of smiling faces and the amount of comradery that evolves. No one is going to make a living from winning one of these events and the organizers are busting their tails to set up the events, not to mention the countless hours trying to raise prize money and goods. When skiers come to these events with a good attitude, they have fun. This is sport / entertainment and do it for fun.

Tough call and always is in 1/4 vs 1/2. What I see is in the 2nd picture, she has the handle, in control, and buoy appears to be showing up at her front foot. In the next picture, she loses the handle, so I'm in the camp of 1/4 buoy.

I don't seem to see any scores for @Horton . Did they pull his scores after the gate review mentioned by @Dirt ?

I agree with @richarddoane , we need to find ways to make sure there are fewer barriers to participation.

I agree with @LeonL , it would be nice to have a geographically central spot. It also seems like an approach of AWSA having a team to set up and run the event, that a site effectively rent the lakes to AWSA, only be responsible for having the site prepared and not need to be responsible for taking the financial or manpower hit for holding the event. I would be in favor of holding the Nationals in conjunction with some other big event. Similar to how the Malibu Open is a side show in conjunction with various festivals in Milwaukee.

Get some video for yourself to review.

@Wish I tried switching grip last year and turned out to be mistake for me. Because tendons and muscles were not accustomed to the pull and I was in mid season shape (so I was skiing into shorter line), I ended up damaging a nerve in one arm which knocked me out of skiing for 8 months. (there is no quick fix for nerve damage and it hurts.) I have continued to use the Flexbar, in and out of season, which works nicely for me.

A good discussion and I like @OB1 's perspective. The one thing I keep thinking about is the excuse of "I'm not competitive". I do not buy this. I think of all those athletes and teams that can look at their upcoming season, they know how they perform and stack up, but choose to still go out and play the game even if they know their chances are very slim of finishing at the top of their respective league, division, group, whatever. It seems to me that all waterski tournaments, regardless of the level, are about a couple things, challenging myself and personal relationships. What better way to challenge yourself than at a Regional or National event, the best of your competitors, to see how good you are compared to all your past performances and certainly a chance to see all those folks you do not spend time with often and who share the same passion for our sport. I'm a business person and don't think ROI has any point in this discussion. Do you calculate ROI for all your vacations?

How about Manon Costard not only running 39 again, but on borrowed equipment. Not to take anything away from @FWinter , but Manon's starting to run 39 regularly and stands to be a solid contender in women's slalom. Congratulations to both Freddie and Manon.

I ski 8 sets per week, broken down as 2 sets / ski day. During ski season usually don't go to the gym and do a 3 mile or so run 2@ days / week. This seems to keep the rust off. Strength training during ski season does not work for me.