elr

Skied my first tournament sets in 7 years and 5 surgeries last weekend. Been ski caddying for my son at tournaments in the interim. Entered the novice tournament held with my son's Class C. Achieved my Level 3 rating (LOL), got a Grassroots medal, and probably gave a Mens 5 skier a crack at Regionals/Nationals. Great day with the great folks in Alabama!

Anybody in addition to @MattP with similar experience @ 36MPH?

Didn't Andy run 4@43 - 34MPH in a Class C a few years back . . .

Dave - my son (3000 pts) practices behind the 196 and ski tournaments behind the Mastercraft. We haven't found that any of the boats are similar to the 196 but have not tricked behind the Centurion. We try to get some rides in behind the MC before bigger tournaments.

My son has grown to five or six inches to 5'10" in a matter of months. His weight has not kept pace as he weighs 115#. He is skiing into 36/-22 on a 64" Goode 9700. Is there a point where height as opposed to weight is the more important factor in ski sizing?

We think of OA as four events - Slalom, Hands, Toes, Jump and apportion our training that way. Tricks are a really good way to keep competitive while the kids are growing into their slalom/jump bodies.

Its very hard for your child to be bored at tournaments if they 3 event - slalom only can get boring for the kids in my experience.

We ski all year in Houston - a couple of days after freezing temps its back in the 70s, water doesn't get get to much below 60.

Draining the block/manifolds/water pump - five plugs - and strainer on a PCM 350 takes less than 10 minutes once you have the right sized wrenches. Don't have to worry about a power out either.

@Wish - normally choose when you register and it is very common to have a higher entry fee for L/R. In the case of last years midwest regionals it was in the electronic tournament announcement: Sched of Events: Please see www.awsamidwest.com for lastet information of schedule of events. Select Premier option for class E and Record option for class L when registering Comments: Please select Premier for class E and Record for L or R when registering.

Heres the link the MR scorebook - http://www.usawaterski.org/rankings/ScoreBks/12M998CS.HTM#SlalomResultsM3. Looks like "E" was the default and some folks opted for "L". I had my son opt up when given the choice at SCR regionals.

Class E <> "Elite" - results count only toward USA ranking lists. Need results in an L or R tournament for the world ranking list. Class E requirements are not as stringent.

We filled out a survey - my son was regionals/nationals qualified but did not ski either tournament.

64" Goode 9700 has taken my son from 26 -15 (4' 6", 65 lbs) to 36 -22 (5' 6" 105 lbs) and is not holding back his progress. Reflex (with 3 boot/liner changes) + RTP + has taken him from size 5 to size 10 1/2 on both his trick and his slalom.

IIRC correctly there are some later 06's that are VERY easy to upgrade - I talked to the CC factory when I was buying my boat and remember them saying to get the SN and call them for what exactly was required. If I were selling an '06 I would make the call.

Think I'd work on the hand tricks that do not require a handle pass - BB R (faster then O R) WBB R LB LF WLF WLB wrapped WO R probably in that order. Toes I'd work on TWB TWF TO TSS R probably in that order -- long term the foundational trick is RTB.

I'm sure Masterline and/or In-tow can make light lines with take off loops to -43 if needed -- probably not for next week but soon thereafter.

@thompjs - since the B2 record is 2 @ -39 and there are no restrictions on use of the light line in that division it would probably be prudent to go to -41 in order to be equitable to all B2 skiers and account for inevitable progress. The other way to go that would be in compliance with 8.04© would be for the Technical Committee to only approve a single piece 21.5m line and a 1.5m handle section - e.g. no take off loops. Rule 8.04© [as I'm positive you know from experience] reads as follows: The tow lines must be made in two sections consisting of a single line 21.5 meters long (70' 6.5") and a handle section 1.5 meters long (4'11"). Twopiece lines must be provided by the Tournament Committee, and the 21.5- meter section, which can be attached to the contestant's handle section by looping the lines together, must be made available. In addition, colored multisection lines may be used if the Technical Committee has specifically approved their design and type. Looks like the its been thrown over to the Technical Committee to decide.

Well, you do have to Level 5 qualify in two events or OA to ski OA in SC Regionals. So 2 of 3: 61 balls, 430 trick pts, 60 ft jump or 900 NOPS points to qualify for regionals.

Why can't we let skiers that are elite qualified pay two entry fees and ski BOTH age group and elite at US Nationals? Or in the case of some, three entry fees and ski AG/MM/Open. Seems as though it could help with OA and international issues.

Goofing around this weekend my 14 yo backed up 36/15 with 15.5/15 - said 15.5 was harder!

@kfennell - Freddie's sister + staff at Bennetts (nothing but praise for their beginner program) is hard to beat for a jumper starting out.

@ToddL - the staff at Bennetts, Jay oversaw everything. @kfennell - I would go to Lori (IIRC she was staff at Bennetts) as early/often as possible.

My two son's jump experiences were vastly different and I attribute that to the fact that my younger son (good times) was instructed by folks that coach beginner jumpers all of the time, and my older son (doesn't want to do it) was coached by well meaning people. For us it was more than just the availability of the mini-ramp. It was learning to ride the skis well with proper form. It was learning the proper path for a plopper - very different, before even going over the mini-ramp. When I saw how my younger son was coached and his safe results I wished I had put my older son through the program. If my older son ever gets interested again I'll put him in a proper program.

@ToddL - Bennetts has a wonderful program for jumpers like your son - thats how my son started. You could also check out what the Ski Bees are doing, they seem to get the young ones off to a good start.