schroed

I've been ridding a 65" Z7 ST for the past two years ( I'm 5 10, 155). I tried a 66" and 65" Fusion a week ago and immediately felt smoother and more stable on the Fusion. Comparing the 65" Fusion to the 65" Z7 ST, I would say that the Fusion was a bit more stable, better through the edge change than the Z7 ST, and just as fast. The 66" didn't turn my onside quite as well, but was turning my offside really really well with stock fin settings. I shallowed up the fin on the 66" and decided to go with it. I had 4 tournament rounds on it this weekend and topped my best score for the last 4 years on it (3 @39) and equaled my best scores from the last few years (2.5 @ 39). I had one bad round but that may have been due to some adult beverages being consumed the night before. Overall I'd say the Fusion is a great ski. I was all over that ski at 38 a couple times and didn't go in the water. I would bet that I would have been in the drink on my 65 Z7 ST.

I just switched to the T factors and I think they're the best binding I've used. I was never a fan of hardshell bindings because I felt they kept my feet too far apart, where heavy, and often dragged in the water. The T factors have lateral support like a hard shell, are very light, and have the perfect stiffness front to back. I highly recommend them.

I think the girl who got 4th place in Girls 1 slalom, Jashee Yang, just started skiing this year and is not from a waterskiing family. I think her and her dad just decided to come out to Sunset to take lessons and learn to ski. If I remember right, she won regionals too. Pretty impressive and great for our sport.

Why don't we just change the way the age groups are setup? Many sports just have classifications for people over a certain age and don't put a top end age in the group. For example, make mens 2 an over 25 age group that goes 36 mph. Then if you're older than 35 you could still sign up in that group and go 36 mph. If your over 35 and want to go 34 mph then sign up in the over 35 age group.  Perhaps we could combine the above philosphy with a reduction of divisions. With the number of members declining in USA Waterski it seems like at some point the number fo divsions should be reduced to encourage better competion.  When was the last time the number of divisions was reduced? Having two or three people in a division at regionals is kinda rediculous.