jcamp

8 hours ago, buechsr said:

"I floated several funding options in the past on here.  Apparently none were compelling."

 

Just posting ideas on Ball of Spray, forgive me @horton, is not the real, actual way to propose solutions. 

Did you go to an AWSA winter board meeting? Or your summer meeting? Talk about this with your regional rep? Email Charlotte at SCPB? Or Nate at USAWS HQ? Or even talk with your local inboard dealer about pitching in matching funds? 

People who work and volunteer in the sport don't come across a problem or challenge and say "let me see what posters on Ball of Spray suggest we do." 

@vtmecheng It's so if one of their retail dealers just so happens to say "do you have a high-end slalom, I might have a customer or two ask for one this year?" they can say, "we sure do." The fewer brands the better for dealers. 

Bringing my daughter to ski in her first ever Nationals!

@autpatking and if I DID own O'Brien I would do exactly that 🙂 My point was that you just couldn't call them defunct as they are possibly the most successful company in the business. 

If I could own any ski company, it would be O'Brien. The volume they do in tubes, wakeboards, kneeboards, combos, etc., probably easily surpasses any of the high-end slalom companies. 

https://www.usawaterski.org/suspended-members

Mystic Waters, home to Austin Abel's ski school, is in Mill Spring, NC, which is about 45-60 minutes southeast of Asheville. 

Not sure how I would feel if I bought a new boat, invited a friend over to ski it and he told the world the next day that his "first impression on this new of a boat was not great as far as the wake goes."

Sometimes I think we just nitpick the hell out of things in this sport. Just enjoy the pull and the generosity behind it!

1 hour ago, unksskis said:

@jcamp so it’s the responsibility of those “in the mix” for Nationals to make Regionals worth it to you?  I would say in most cases/divisions at Regionals it is a few Nationals qualified skiers skiing as required, and maybe a couple additional skiers with a major discrepancy in-between.  Very rarely is there this days of old where it’s giving Level 6-7 skiers a chance to ski vs Level 8-9, and frankly why should that be an expectation. What is the value (to Nationals qualified skiers) in requiring them to ski Regionals?  
 

Are you qualified for Nationals, and/or if you were to be would you attend?  If no, why not? 

I am just saying that not everyone skis regionals only because they have to, and removing the requirement would certainly be a negative impact to regionals, a tournament that I suspect I am not alone in considering the highlight of my year. 

In the eastern region Mens 3 and 4 realistically go about 10 skiers deep so it makes for a competitive event. 

Yes, I am qualified to ski Nationals and plan to this year. I have missed the past two nationals (covid, family, etc.) but had a streak going of I think 6 or 7 in a row before covid hit. 

"... the only reason qualified Nationals skiers attend Regionals is because its required ..."

@unksskis not true for everyone. I attend regionals because it is the most competitive and fun tournament I ski in all year. I am not "in the mix" so to speak at Nationals, but very much am so at Regionals and have even found myself on the podium a couple times. Nationals may in fact be the more important tournament and have the most skiers, but to me Regionals is my "biggest" tournament of the year and I gear all my training toward it. 

That is awesome @dvskier have fun. I started with a "no tubes in my house" attitude too, but quickly found out that my kids had fun on the tube and that's what got them interested in getting out on the boat first. They all eventually started skiing, but tubing was the gateway drug so to speak. Whatever it takes ... 

@JL5 I just direct messaged you. 

Is the club in Banks still operating? 

@Loopski I grew up skiing on that lake and we had a course on it from about 1985 until at least the the mid to late 90s was in college and eventually moved away and lost touch with the skiing scene there. The vast majority of the people who used the lake came from the Medford, Oregon/Rogue Valley area which is only about an hour away. 

I'd love to ski it one more time before it reverts back to a river ... 

@Horton The removals are more about Pacific Power and Light not wanting to maintain and/or replace the dams. That and to some extent tribal fishing rights. 

Sad to hear that Iron Gate Lake will be no more once the dam is removed this year or next. Does anyone know if anyone still skis there? Is there still a course? 

What about tricks?

Which S Lines rope is most similar to the Optimized 2.0? 

What does the partnership entail? What does it mean for customers? 

Thoughts and condolences to the ULL and Ontario water ski families.  

University of Louisiana-Lafayette champion water-skier dies 

5 hours ago, disland said:

Our new PC world is BS and if we let those types run our world we will all be worse for it. There is no doubt the Masters tournament is worse for it today.

How can you come to that conclusion without knowing what Freddie is accused of doing? 

I am amazed at how many people have formed an opinion on this issue - on both sides of it - without knowing all or in some cases any of the details ... 

Can you still ski at the marine stadium? Is there a course? On google satellite it looks awesome. 

Maize, Kansas