Suck it, purple line! (And thank yous.)

[Than_Bogan]

55 degrees in the air and water; wearing the drysuit; overcast and the light fading fast...

 

but the damn backwash was FINALLY gone!!

 

And this enabled me to run my first practice -38 of the year, finally "validating" the one I ran at crazy-easy John's Pond in NJ, back in July.

 

As a fitting end to a fabulous season, here are some rather incomplete Thank Yous, in no particular order:

 

My wife and daughters, for lots of encouragement and generally putting up with this form of insanity.

 

John Horton and all Ball of Spray participants. What a great resource.

 

But especially 6balls and Razorskier1, who have really been helping me with my gate and to understand other nuances of very-short-line technique that we're all 3 in the process of figuring out.

 

Mike Tilton, my ski partner and coach for over 15 great seasons.

 

Ray, Barak, and Chet, who answered my calls for pulls when Mike was unavailable.

 

Tadd @ H2Oz for helping me to pick out and tune up some equipment, especially my new T-factor bindings, which I love.

 

My dad, who starting this whole crazy thing by installing one of the early accufloat courses some 40 years ago, but who always viewed skiing as pure fun.

 

My mom and godmother, who helped me in the water when I learned how to waterski.

 

Halston Taylor and Jim McMahon, two track coaches (I used to do high jump and triple jump) who taught me a ton about physical training and mental preparation for competition.

 

Every tournament skier in New England and pretty much everywhere else, who make this such a fun sport to be involved in!

 

THANKS ALL! See everybody next season!

[6balls]

Congrats, Than.

Your posts have been helpful to me as well. Razor1 is a bit ahead of us running piles of practice 38's per season, but we are all working similar ideas. I'm at the end of a season that really popped for me after August 1, and feel like next year might be the breakthrough season. I've been on fire the last few sets and my ski partner wants me to find another tourney NOW. Ran 38 the other night, then 2 @ 39, then back to 38 and got 4.

All 3 of us (u, me, Razor1) should be setting the goal of being composite 102-104 guys for tourney avg next season. Given 3 round slalom tourneys and thus 6 round weekends, we should be able to get out of 38 on tourney day if decent conditions. I will prob only ski 12 rounds so game on!

Keep posting what works for you, and we will do the same. Would be cool to train together sometime.

 

[Tuney]

Congrats!

 

Question though, why are you wearing a dry suit with such nice temps?

[Chef23]

Congrats Than. Did you cut to -39?

[skidawg]

Job well done, Man code says you have to try the next loop regardless, please tell me you gave 39 a shot.

[Than_Bogan]

Amusing side note about my 10-y.o. daughter's personality: When I told her I ran -38 she was very happy and said "GREAT JOB, DAD! ... Did you try 39?"

 

Indeed I did. But the light was fading FAST, so just one try. While my PB remains 1, I'm definitely getting something figured out with the gate for these ultra-short lines. Perhaps just a touch more patience out of one and maybe I could get part way down the pass. Anyhow, I got pretty close to two and almost definitely could have swung a 1/4, but I'm not gonna pull stupid stunts like that in practice in near darkness in October!

 

But anyhow there was something a little different about this -39 attempt, which perhaps can be summarized as "It wasn't CLEARLY impossible..."

[Razorskier1]

Than -- great skiing! I enjoy thinking thru this stuff and am always learning and thinking. I probably call 6balls nearly every day with some stream of consciousness related to skiing short. At 48 i still feel like there is more in there. Will keep working at it in MN for another 4-6 weeks depending on weather. Good work! Stay in touch.