OSSKI

The late 3-time Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna (widely regarded as the best of all time) is shown in a few clips in the movie 'Senna' on a slalom ski (not in the course) and double trick skis. Seemed reasonable on both.

Well, not quite yet perhaps, but interesting! http://www.hammacher.com/Product/11838

I have cut the lower legs off of an old o'neill psyco suit of mine to get a really warm suit with short legs. I actually cut the suit off just below the knee, and intend to roll the few inches left below the knee back above the knee to create a sort-of cuff which is still fairly tight. My question is if anyone knows what the rubber stuff O'neill uses on the seams is, and whether it's available in hardware stores so I can get some to put around the inside of the new leg ends just above the knee, and also to put over some worn areas. I know it's a bit late to ask now I've made the cut but has anyone else actually done this themselves before? Thanks, Owen

Ankle/knee injuries from boot not releasing are more or less eradicated PROVIDED mechanism is not set above recommended level. Injury can come from pre-releases where the boot pops off when not intended. Unfortunately most reflex skiers I know have had this happen at least once. Also worth noting if you haven't skied on hardshells before you will find it very different to begin with as every movement of yours is transferred through to the ski, where as rubber will bend a little before the ski moves, so is generally considered more forgiving. Radar Strada boots are popular for their 'best of both' nature, a good connection to the ski, with a bit of give too. Can't pre-release from them either and they seem to release well as long as the laces are left with some give in them when tightened. I have seen a lot of posts on this site from skiers who love them and I use them personally and have not yet had problems (single boot & RTP)

They come with all the boots now. Don't know that it does much, no one I know on the reflex system bothers with it. May as well try with and without and decide for yourself.

Anyone have any good techniques for stretching out ropes to get past the 'bungee cord' phase when they're new? (Other than skiing them)?

Goode do make them. Â http://www.goode.com/wsacc001.htm

Anyone know about any new ski movies due out soon? Or any in the works? Winter is starting to drag....

Have also had no problems with RS1 & RTP. I believe the liner is supposed to pull out (with your foot still in) when releasing. Whenever I have released, my foot has come out and the liner stayed in. That doesn't bother me though as I have never had any discomfort to my ankle from a release.

I ski in England and can tell you I have never seen people skiing on those European skis you mentioned (although I have heard of them all), apart from the UK dealer for reflex, who obviously skis on a reflex ski. They may be more popular in mainland Europe, I don't know. Most in England are on the American skis, HO, Radar, Obrien, Goode, D3. Not many on Connelly. As for Jobe, they do exist and make a 'high end ski', however it isn't very highly thought of, and I haven't seen anyone skiing on it (I think it's called the Encore), although there are plenty of skiers starting out in the course using Jobes beginner and intermediate skis.  BTW - the stronger $ / weaker £ has been seriously painful for skiers over here! A few years ago all the American companies high end skis were around £600-700, now most are £1000+! Having a lot of top end skis is no bad thing though, just means every skier is more likely to be able to find a ski best suited to their style.Â

At my club in the UK they have put the (apparently bigger) 196 prop on the new 200 after experiencing 10-15% increase in gas consumption (propane gas conversion, as mentioned by pilot-76). Apparently it is running 1000 rpm lower at every speed, gas consumption back to near the same. I'm sure there is a reason Nautique put the smaller props on, but not sure why? The guy who told me about this said it was to get the boat up to speed better on short lakes, but our lake is very short, and there doesn't appear to be an issue. Pull and wakes feel the same too.  PS - this is just what I have been told....

What's the theory behind CP pulling out for the gates with a combo skier grip?

Just bought my first handle, 13" straightline Mapple handle, 1.062 diameter

So, turned out we measured the DTF wrong the first time, and the fin was way back. Moved it forwards to ACTUALLY on stock. New verdict: Strada is awesome!! Ran 2@35 on it today, new PB, and ran 32 again in my second set. Phoned up the dealer straight away and payed for my new 66" Strada!

Steven, I did set it up to stock. Was told by the ski shop it was set to stock already, but as you say, thought I should make sure. Lets just say it was a fair way out, although it may have been changed by someone else previously as this is their demo ski. Owen

Tried again today, not much better, turns seem super long. When I'm patient the ski comes round nicely, I'd just like the turns to be a bit shorter/faster. How do I go about this with changing the fin settings? On factory settings at the moment.

Skied my first set today on a 66 Strada which I have as a demo at the moment. Coming off a 67 inch Monza which I have skied on for 2 and a half seasons. I'm 5ft 11 and around 154lbs, best of 5.5@32 (36mph). I think the Monza was supposedly too long for me, considering my height and weight, which was why I wanted to try something else, in addition to the good things I have heard about the Strada on this forum. Firstly, I have to say I was not blown away by the Strada, for my first set at least, although I have only really ever skied on the Monza, so don't have a lot to compare to. The Strada was set up to factory settings. It feels at least as fast through the wakes, and super stable in the turn, especially the off-side (my 2-4), however I didn't immediately run my usual buoy count in my first set. I felt I wasn't skiing as well as I have done though, which must have been a factor. I also felt I was getting caught on the back of the ski a fair bit, although that may have had something to do with having rather fat washers at the front of my sequence plate, which meant the front of the plate was higher than the rear? This has now been rectified for another try tomorrow. I am interested to know, for you guys who are on the Strada's and appear to love them, did you take to it straight away, in terms of running your average buoy count? (Or possibly even better?). Anyone have similar issues with being too much on the tail of the ski? And any other suggestions, perhaps as to areas where the positives of the ski can be exploited with any particular body movements? As a side thought, I have also been wondering if there is any correlation between skis and the ZO settings they may (or may not) lead people to prefer? For example would you find a high proportion of skiers on the Strada using one ZO setting which may compliment the skis style? Or is it equally random across skis? I will post back tomorrow when I see how the 2nd try on the Strada goes! OwenÂ

What speed were LaPoint and Mapple skiing at? 36 or 35 like at the Diabolo Shores Pro-Am?

Sorry I don't know how to embed the video..

It is with the conventional grip. Maybe I didn't explain it well. For a lefty, into 2-4, it would be to twist your right hand (holding the handle) around 180 degrees anti-clockwise so the free part of the handle your left hand will go back onto is pointing into the course, then you rotate the handle back around at the finish of the turn to put back your free hand. Horton, perhaps it is just the natural reach, however I find my 'natural' reach would be to hold the handle vertically, or even verging towards on 'palm up' (on my offside), and virtually all other skiers I have observed seem to be the same. I think Nicole Arthur does it most noticably, but I can't find any really good videos that show it. It flashes up very fast on this video, but if you watch around 2.24 I think you can see it...

I've recently noticed a number of pros who are rotating the handle on their offside so that they always have their hand palm down when they release. (So rotating anti-clockwise into 2-4 for leftys and clockwise into 1-3-5 for rightys).  I assume there must be a reason for this? Any ideas?

Bill, you are probably right on some of it, but my shoulders are very prominent on the front, and on my back they simply round away forwards...Think it is mainly due to the pull from the boat through the handle constantly pulling your shoulders in? With regards to the lack of flexibility for example, I can barely work myself into the 'butterfly' machine in the gym, even on the most forward setting, and can't bring the bar down to touch my chest on the bench press...Basically I can't get my arms back past level with my body (if that), and was wondering if anyone had any activities to try and get some of this flexibilty back and 'push my shoulders back' to where they should be...  I agree that the rowing machine is great for core strenth and the benefits this has for skiing, but can't help thinking this would cause more of the same thing with the shouders being pulled forwards? Although the load is clearly nowhere near the same amount I guess...

I am rapidly developing what I have heard called 'skiers hunch', where your shoulders become pulled around and forwards into a contstant hunched and inflexible position. How many of you have experienced a similar thing? And any tips on how to combat this, stretches etc?

I see it, thanks. Can't seem to find the first couple of tracks that come up though... Do you know which is the one during Aaron Larkin's section? And where I could download it?