6balls

Bro Jim was on a fisher but for last 4 weeks on a new Razor and loving it.  I'm on a D3 RCX...probably Z7 ST for next year. We had fun w/MS and wife Kim at Pensacola.

Great site Horton. Dave Ross, 39 y.o. M3 skier. Tourney PB 4@ 38, practice PB 2 @39.5. When Men II 36 mph tourney PB 5 @ 35, practice 1@ 38. Work as family doc in MN, plugging away at a MBA degree, and married w/2 kids 12 and 9. I am a private pilot, and own the 198 lb bench press record in MN at 440.7 lbs. Last of 10 kids, began skiing at 4 and was gloveless w/lame vest behind outboard until teens when Dad bought a Centurion outboard barefoot boat. We got into footing and occasional course skiing, eventually hand driving that thing into 35 off at 36 mph. Got big into weight lifting and broke ropes/took boats out of gates for a living w/rotten technique but decent scores...sorry drivers and judges! First PP tourney I skied was 4 slow boat times for 36 mph 28 off. Got in the habit of telling them I weighed 275...they would say "no you don't" and I'd say "you're right...but do you want a good boat time?" University of Iowa ski team introduced me to inboards (a donated '83 stars and stripes). Had a blast and many good friends from those days. We get together for a week of skiing at my bro's place every summer for skiing and beer (aka "Club Ross"). Went to med school at Iowa and continued to ski the outboard Centurion in the course until '02 w/tourneys in between. Bought that boat from my Dad in '99 and it sits on my lift today. It is our family ski boat, and now we have a '00 Nautique on a farm swamp w/2 courses for buoy skiing. My brother Jim and I now talk slalom most days by phone/email/text, both trying to put the bruising, rope busting skiing in our past and become light on the line. Last season he smoked 39.5 on ZO in practice after back to back 38's, the same day I smoked 4 consecutive 35's and a 38. Memorable day! We were late to the party having been hacks behind outboards for a long time...so we feel there are more rope lengths in us if our bodies hold up. Anybody seen my glass of gin?

T and B is no more advantageous to a skier who skis just a few tourneys than skiing a pile of tournaments is to a skier in composite score. I can ski as well on any given day, sometimes better, than skiers w/better composites than me because they ski so many tourney's. They have many rounds from which to obtain 3 great rounds for composite...I may have only 3 tourneys, period. If we are not to limit # of tourneys as an advantage, it would seem we shouldn't limit T and B, either.  We need more involvement in our sport. It's anectdotal...but I ski w/a guy who on a good day runs 35...maybe 10-15 times total/season. He doesn't go to tourneys...but might w/T and B thinking that if he has 2 shots in a row at 35...his chances improve.  He has said in the past that if a 3 rd tourney meant he could run 32 and take 3 cracks at 35, he would show up. It's a different mindset, but if it's the same for all...it's fair. 6    Â

Thager, my brother Jim was a bigger animal running 38 twice during the 6 rounds at skiwatch in Pensacola this weekend. You can find one of his dopey easy 38 passes on youtube...worth a watch to see how non-radical he runs it. He ripped off a bunch of 35's today back in the cold MN water, too...no fin/wing/binding adjust. Maybe we should adjust, but we seem to ski same both warm and cold.Â

We just did T and B and skiwatch Pensacola--two 3 round tourneys. Some liked, some didn't. Speeds up the entire length of tourney thus can take more skiers. Long middle round, though, for judges/drivers. Also very long time for some between rounds 1 and 2, then 3rd round right around the corner. I used it one day when I missed a 35 tail and ran it right back down in the tail. The next day did not use it. I like the option.

Just skied 6 round tourney Pensacola at 75 degree water temp, consistent smoke on 35's, 2.5 to 4 at 38. Same as I was running B4 left Minnesota. Today skied 58 degree water in crosswind back in MN and same score...water a little faster here. Maybe something I should do w/fin/wing/binding, but not too inclined given same scores. I tend to run same on PP, SG and ZO, too, though have run rare 38's ZO.

Here is Grant's email: tell him Dave Ross sent you:  grant640@msn.com Great site, very picturesque area. Skied a 2 day set of 3 round tourneys there in August. Grant and his daughter Hannah/family have homes there, as does Rick Trenary (skis into 39).  The location is very convenient to Alexandria and to Glenwood.Â

You are after an ortho surgeon who did a sports medicine fellowship following his ortho residency...my lifting buddy from med school did just that so I'm lucky to have email/phone access to such an expert. Hopefully if you can find such a doc near you he/she works w/a great physical therapy department/athletic trainer as well. Even better if such a doc was once a high end athlete themselves...they then understand what is the best choice medically, but also the mentality of the competitor.    Â

I can't think binding position matters. Would see what happens after the stress of the season is over and if it settles down, call it good.  If you choose chiropractic care and it doesn't help, consider xray, and if negative MRI arthrogram to look for labral tear.Â

I believe we make too much of ZO once you have a decent setting for ourselves. First tourney (first time skiing it) I let it in my head and had no idea what to choose. Now no sweat...I ski PP at home on SN 196, SG on a MC 197TT w/my brother, and ski a tourney puddle w/ZO. I have similar scores on all...though my only successful 38's this year are on ZO, despite it being the least frequent system I ski.Â

I have been the most consistent of my life lately, but my gen rule has been for years that if fall twice, I back it off to my opener, ski it perfectly for 4-6 passes...enjoy the ride and get in the boat. 3 falls at any pass and it really begins to eat at me...then the anger drives old school, pull the pylon out of the boat to get out the end gates skiing. Not s'thing worth practicing so I never let 3 falls happen.  Earlier in the season this was critical to enjoyment on the water and coming home happy when I was not as consistent.  Running longer lines doesn't produce the feeling of spanking 5 consecutive 35's or running 38...but I found I was happy to have skied, to have pulled a buddy, to have been in the boat. When my back acted up there were times I didn't ski, but pulled a buddy who wouldn't have been able to run buoys otherwise...it was great...esp if he had a good night. On a set where you decide to stay longer lines, there is also a distinct lack of pressure that makes the set really relaxing. I also keep lines longer if I'm clearly not "on" for a particular day. No sense in going for your best when you are inexplicably out of sorts. On those days we have no business pushing our luck...even if your driver or ski buds want to see the shortline stuff. "Same-same", ski a bunch of pretty passes, and get in the boat. Give the other skiers tips and/or drive them well....if they are "on" that night, celebrate w/them. It's hard, we're all competitive or we wouldn't be here...but dont' take yourself and your performance too seriously. It took some years for me to get here...10 years ago I couldn't have written this...  DAVE      Â