Jump to content

  • BallOfSpray Posts

    BallOfSpray Posts
    For some young athletes, reaching the pinnacle of their sport means reaching the pinnacle of arrogance. I was discouraged Friday when I read on another website, allegedly pro-level skiers disparaging the Men's Masters competitors and their inclusion at the Global Invitational Pro Event in Grand Rapids. More troubling than disrespect for the Men's Masters skiers, is the flagrant disrespect for Dana Reed.
    When I was a child, the rule was, as long as you live in my father's house you abide by his rules. That is a perfect analogy. As long as Dana Reed is the event organizer and is doing all of the work, it is his event. If a skier does not like the format of an event, I suggest they stay home. If a group of skiers wish to raise the money and do all the legwork, they can have an event with any format they choose. At the very least, if you are a pro skier who hopes to receive a paycheck at an event organized by Dana Reed, it is enormously disrespectful to publicly and anonymously criticize him.   I would personally prefer to see a men's and women's three event professional tournament instead of Men's Masters Slalom but I'm not a sponsor and I'm not organizer. I'm going to assume that the decision to run Men's Masters slalom the Global Invitational Pro Event in Grand Rapids was not a thoughtless, random decision.   Many of these young athletes, behind a shroud of anonymity, act as if respect is owed them simply because of their buoy score. I suggest to these young skiers that to be a truly professional athlete, they have to do more than just ski. They have to promote themselves, their sport and their sponsors. At an individual level they have to produce sales for their sponsors. They have to become celebrities. They have to become entertainers. They have to acquire a fan base. If Chet Raley, Chad Scott, Dave Miller or Mike Morgan are better representatives of their sponsors, they are the real pro-skiers.   From a business perspective, the only difference between many pro-skiers and the Men's Masters is boat speed and buoy count. Professional sports is a business. If the professional athletes do not elevate themselves above the amateurs beyond just buoy count, they are indistinguishable from the amateurs. If the audience cannot discriminate between the amateurs and professionals, the professionals have failed.   When professional skiing, becomes more professional, the money will flow in that direction. When professional skiing becomes more professional, old guys like me will be where they belong, sitting in the stands and watching. But in the meantime, let’s show respect to Dana Reed and others involved in promoting the sport to position it for future growth.     John Taylor Horton  

    Wide...It's the New Early

     Running an early line into the buoy is fine, but no matter how early you are, straight-lining into a turn will force a sudden change of direction and rapid loss of speed at the ball. Skiing outward from the wakes to the widest point possible will ensure the sort of fast, flowing that allows you to set and maintain angle, and leave you feeling light on the line.  Skiing wider is simple. You just need to delay your separation from the handle for as long as possible. 
    WASHINGTON -- Before Santa loads his sleigh Christmas Eve, he'll be putting on a free show at National Harbor.
    Make that, "on" National Harbor.
    Claus is hosting the 25th annual Waterskiing Santa tradition, and tells WTOP you can expect to see Mrs. Claus, the jet-skiing Grinch, flipping wake-boarding elves, Frosty the Snowman in a dinghy and hydrofoil sky-skis that can do inverted flips.
     
     
    The best viewing for the show is from one of the two docks flanking the show at National Harbor, Claus says. The performers are nationally-ranked water skiers and wake boarders who participate -- and prefer to stay anonymous -- as a way to give back to the community.
    The region is expecting cold clear weather for the performance. This will be the 25th year the free show has gone on rain, snow or shine, Claus says.
    Show time is 1 p.m. Dec. 24 at National Harbor in Prince George's County, on the Maryland side of the Potomac River just south of the Interstate 95 Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
     
    source http://www.wtop.com/?sid=2211098&nid=25
    September 2010 EZFT / BallOfSpray Intergalactic Cash Prize Slalom Challengehttp://www.ballofspray.com/images/stories/Bailey2.JPG
    Skiing 4.67 balls above her 2010 USAWA Average, Bailey crushed us all.
    Special Thanks to EZ Fin Tool
    Final Rank Skier Handicap Score OverUnder 1 Bailey Austin 81.33 86 4.67 2 David Wolters 88.25 92 3.75 3 Matthew McCuddy 100.67 104 3.33 4 Mark Shaffer 85.17 88 2.83 5 Shane Hill 86.5 87.5 1 6 Emily Darwin 91.33 91.5 0.17 7 Brad Miller 104.83 105 0.17 8 The_Krista 92 92 0 9 Horton 100 100 0 10 michael erb 94.33 94 -0.33 11 Kim Schneewind 63.75 63 -0.75 12 Ward McLain 110.33 109.5 -0.83 13 Richard Doane 104.33 103.5 -0.83 14 James Little 98 97 -1 15 Joe Darwin 99.67 98 -1.67 16 Terry Bandel 71.33 69.25 -2.08 17 David Satterfield 101 98 -3 18 Lydia Heard 77 4.5 -72.5
    Name Country   Categ. Priliminary Final       1 Dodd Ryan CAN   Ope M 62,7m 66,1m       2 Krueger Freddy USA   Ope M 68,6m 64,6m       3 Sharman Damien GBR   Ope M 59,9m 64,6m       4 Morozov Igor RUS   Ope M 62,9m 64,5m       5 Seels Jason GBR   Ope M 66,1m 63,9m       6 Magnowski Kole CAN   Ope M 60,6m 61,9m       7 Ryanzin Vladimir RUS   Ope M 59,9m 61,1m       8 Ballon Pierre FRA   Ope M 51,2m 51,6m         Name Country   Categ. Priliminary Final       1 Parsons Nick USA   Ope M 5,00/58/10.75 4,50/58/10.75       2 Degasperi Thomas ITA   Ope M 5,00/58/10.75 4,00/58/10.75       3 Travers Jonathan USA   Ope M 1,50/58/10.75 3,50/58/10.75       4 Rossi Christopher USA   Ope M 5,00/58/11.25 3,00/58/10.75       5 Asher William GBR   Ope M 0,00/58/10.25 2,50/58/10.75       6 Larkin Aaron NZL   Ope M 4,00/58/11.25 2,00/58/10.75       7 Campbell Glenn GBR   Ope M 5,00/58/11.25 3,00/58/11.25       8 Susi Billy USA   Ope M 4,00/58/11.25 2,50/58/11.25       9 Faisy Jean Baptiste FRA   Ope M 3,50/58/11.25         10 Morozov Igor RUS   Ope M 1,00/58/11.25         11 Allais Carlo ITA   Ope M 0,50/58/11.25         12 Seels Jason GBR   Ope M 4,50/58/12.00           Name Country   Categ. Priliminary Final       1 Beliakou Herman BLR   Ope M 10510 11490       2 Le Forestier Nicolas FRA   Ope M 10470 11450       3 Poteau Alexandre FRA   Ope M 10770 11420       4 Zharnasek Aliaksei BLR   Ope M 11720 10220       5 Ballon Pierre FRA   Ope M 8690 10220       6 Fortamps Olivier BEL   Ope M 10910 10050       7 Dodd Ryan CAN   Ope M 9160 9740       8 Desboyaux Franck FRA   Ope M 7600 8200       More http://www.iwwfed-ea.org/competition.php?cc=T-10UKR10&page=women_slalom_results

    SACHA DESCUNS @10.25

    thumb
    VICTOIRE A L'ARRACHE DE SACHA CHAMPION DE FRANCE OPEN QUELLE BOITE IL EN RIGOLE QUAND MEME CHAMBRE PAR TOUS SES POTES;
×
×
  • Create New...