bishop8950

Yep, Sonar works. Expensive but effective.

I am glad there was a review and follow up. It’s good to see organizing bodies working to ensure the integrity of events and the resulting scores.

I remember how muck flack @Horton got for questioning scores that summer. I remember posting this, and hope others find that it’s ok to be in camp 2.

 

Post July 2018

Upon learning of extraordinary scores from any event, I expect most peoples responses to fall in one of the following three camps:

1) Great Job and congrats!

2) Really? Are we sure?

3) No way, I don’t buy it, didn’t happen, I don't need evidence

Of course we all have the right to choose our camp. Debating which camp is the right one is futile. The part about this that bothers me is those that insist 1) is right 2) is rude and 3) is just flat out wrong. I am in camp 2) and think about it like this:

Were the scores possible? Yes.

Were the scores exceptional? Yes.

Did they happen in sanctioned events? Yes.

Is it still possible something was amiss? Yes.

Are the scores valid unless proven otherwise? Absolutely.

Is it reasonable to question the exceptional results? I think yes.

This said, we should be carefull from keyboards thousands of miles away and leave it to the hardworking officials of the events. But, if we as members of the community don’t maintain a culture where its ok to question results, the integrity of scores and records will be at risk.

The Revo is a solid improvement to the Revolution. Familiar overall feel but more forgiving without feeling slower. I think Revo vs XTR will be a skiers choice. I run the same scores on both of them. XTR is slower and a bit more work side to side but even more forgiving.

What I have yet to try is the XTRcc and looking forward to that.

@horton how much proof do you have of any of your tournament performances? Even at a R tournament with the best video kit available you can still get into a situation without proof or in other words an inconclusive video. In that case (often) you have to go with the judges call.

 

It’s happened to me as the judge and the skier.

 

I once had a nationals gate called in by 3 judges, then after splash eye review the entrance gate was zeroed. Then upon my Protested video review, the same video that was used to score me zero was determined by the chief judge to be inconclusive (did not support in or out) and the zero stood. So no proof. Of course I felt a bit like I got screwed and that was my 39 entrance gate, which I proceeded to run the pass, and would have earned be a podium spot and a shot at the MM title.

 

Many times as a judge the video available didn’t not support a confirmation or change to the original call. Again, no proof.

 

This case seems no different to me. Of course it’s a big deal because it’s a WR but from the tournament operations perspective, it’s no different than any other performance in the same tournament.

 

 

@horton we don’t need proof and very often won’t have any. If the call on the water was 4.5 (not unreasonable call, it’s damn close either way) and then the video was inconclusive (Which many would say it is), then it’s a record even without proof.

@horton did you read my post? Was Kidding about the gate

What do I see:

 

Zero plus 6 first pass :-). I don’t care if we make gates in practice and I miss them too, but I judge enough I can’t turn it off.

 

I love watching Cole ski. First pass is looks light with really nice swing. Even on both sides. I like how he lets the boat pick him up at the finish of the turn, so smooth.

 

Second pass more movement and a little back and heavy out of 2/4. I think that’s because he has less finish out of 1/3 making him a touch long out to 2/4.

@RichardDoane i have tried many times. But eventually there is a boat guide or skier ball in the way. Instead of free skiing I run my early passes more. But when o do get to open water I really enjoy it.

On of the downsides to skiing private lakes all the time is it’s “hard” to free ski. If we had open water immediately next to the course, I would free ski a lot. When at the private sites, I end up focused on missing the buoys and I can’t truly free ski.

Great tournament name! Sounds like the NorCal winter motto

Thanks for the effort @Horton

Thinking about this since, watching that live from the boat I think I may have called “4.5 but suggest video review” which sounds like what happened. Then the officials review and are looking to see if the video clearly confirms it was different. Some would argue that the video was not 100% conclusive so the call would stand.

 

Had the call on the water been 4, the review would have to clearly confirm it was more.

Low 60s water, 80 air today in NorCal. Totally comfortable skiing in Camero full, and probably fine in shorty

If you ever have one break, you will not have any hesitation to replace them proactively going forward

Similar to @Horton , when they look like that it’s time. Also, at that “age” is about when the rope starts to feel dry and tight. Lastly, it’s once per year minimum, but I ski a lot.

Based on that view, watched once on the web in real time, boat score 4

@horton I believe 4 TCs in the SACTO area. At least 5 PanAms, easily 2 dozen senior judges and a dozen Senior Drivers. Not to leave out scoring and safety, but we have them as well.

Seems there are a few pockets in the US with enough density of skiers and officials to pull off Records. Sacramento is one of them where it seems like we have records somewhere in that area nearly every weekend in the peak summer. A 2hr drive for me, and I consider that near. Heck, I typically drive 1-2 hrs each way just to practice.

What @MISkier said: Find Bart Collins. Spartan alum as well. If he doesn’t work out specifically, he will understand your ski options. If you can’t find his number, message me and I may be able to track him down.

 

Go Green!

High 60s in NorCal

Nothing to see here. Just a flux capacitor. When Caldwell runs 41@36mph (vs going 88mph) he will travel back to 1965 with his Denali ski and change the sport forever.

What @Luzz said. I love 32. Short enough to get a little whip from the boat but long enough I have time to work on my skiing all the way down the lake.

 

A few times I have come away from a tournament with a score within one buoy of my PB and was way more excited about how good the 32 opener off the dock was than the fact I got into 41. It feels really good to ski my best and I do t care if it’s at 32 off. “NICE 2@41!” “Ya, but did you see how well I skied the opener!?”

The only thing I notice is better about the new rope is when I take a hit. At that point I appreciate the the new softer rope. Of course we should try to avoid taking hits!

 

I found the new ropes more difficult to prepare for a tournament. The 8 ropes we got this year are all quite short out of the box, but fell into place almost perfectly after stretching. We tried to ski them in but after 10-20 sets they were still short and very soft. After a few days under a few hundred pounds of pressure they measured great and skied fine.

 

The color is not only hard to see from shore, but also from the boat. I was double shortened several times this year and once in a tournament because the colors are hard to see. As a skier I have ALWAYS looked in the boat to see the line but now I can’t tell.

 

I have gotten used to shortening the ropes as a boat judge. What helped me was to always put the rope on the same way so I am pulling the loop from the same side every time. Now it’s fine.

@RichardDoane not my job. Rob M is CJ and likely done absolutely nothing to prepare for the event.

@skidawg book a flight and bring some scotch!