2012 Who are you guys?

[sunvalleylaw]

I hope you have a great time! We are taking the family boat up to camp at one of the northern lakes this weekend. BTW, I have not seen the course put in at Magic this year yet, though I have been down there a couple/few times. I wish I had a hook up for you for one of the private lakes, but I am still working on that. :-) Have fun in the SV area! Where do you normally ski?

[kmenard]

@Horton - I haven't figured out where to mount the other 4 yet :) The boat has a really heavy layup, so my guess is mid 70's, but after that one pass on the CT river, I haven't had the guts to go full throttle for fear of expensive parts flying all over the lake. It has a great wake for skiing, but because there is no rudder or prop in the water, you can turn the boat with a really hard cut.

[bogboy]

Btw, retired insurance claims 23 years,W.S.U. coug grad., enjoy skiing, motorcycling, lap swimming, and asking Lucky Low about his goats.

[SkiJay]

I’m a racecar driver/entrepreneur. Racing is what I’m best at, who I am, and the only vocation I’ve stuck with my whole life. Along the way, I’ve collected a group of small companies that my accountant calls diversified, but that I call “unfocused.” I’m late to the party slalom skiing, having only taken it up in earnest five years ago at age 50. I went from 28 mph to 2@-35 in the first two years and then shattered my shoulder at Predator Bay. After a long recovery, tons of physio, lots of excellent coaching, and thanks to the Goode Powervest , I’m back up to multiple 4@-35s, but with much better/safer technique. I envy those of you who got to start this fabulous sport young, but will be happy to meet my short-term goal of making a sweet 35 while 55!

[Rich]

I have been skiing since age 4, always passionate about the sport. Would bum rides on lakes behind anyone who would pull me from age 7-12. I looked for fast boats and faster older women. I lived on the Lagoon in San Mateo and got my Mom to pull me most every day after school. Became quite proficent on the "Maja 3.5"

1st saw a slalom course at age 10 at Bee Winans Ski school in Novato, however my parents wouldn't cough up the money untill a few years later when I became an addict at age 14 at Mike Suyderhouds Ski school in 1972 at Lake Shasta. Was able to run 30, 32 34 36 and 15 @ 36 my 1st time in the course. Suyderhoud says "You need to go to Berkeley and ski with Al Frosini" which we did after vacation. 2 weeks after my experience at Suyderhouds I skied in and won my 1st tournament at Lake Berryessa put on by Dave Holder. Quite an experience and for you old timers, many National skiers got thier 1st taste at this tourney, Stacy Spiker, Steve Larson, Randy Shelly, Bill & Lindy Mahanah. Back in those days everyone started at LL, I ran 30,32,34,36. And they put me back on the beach as the line didn't have loops. All the skiers skied, once this was all completed

(no one made 36 LL) they measured the lines to shorten, put me back out on the water at 36 15 and a ran that and 3 at 22. My 1st sanctioned tornament, a the Sept tourney at Berkeley where the competion in Boys was pretty fierce, Some guy named Bob Lapoint, Mike Mcginley, Rich Slingerland, I ran 4 at 28off, Bob was the winnner with 2 a 35. Was a member of Diablo water ski club and was able to ski with some pretty good skiers, Leroy Burnett, the father of the fiberglas ski, Rich Pato, Doug & Don Morrison, Rich Slingerland. I was lucky to be around some pretty talented skiers. Skied competitively untill age 20, bcame a surfer, Started an Insurance Agency, www.richardstorelee.com Had a family, and started sking again at age 33. Founded a private site along with some fellow DWSC members called twin cities. Sanctioned tourneys there for about 10 years. Pretty much a self contained group, we had all our own officals inside. All 3 of my kids at one time were National qualified skiers, and I have continued to slug away at slalom and after all these years it sure has been alot of fun. And by the way I do think Horton has some pretty funny moments, and SKIMOM was that hot untouchable GF back in her open women days, I think I like it better as it is. Keep skiing, keep training and one day I'll outlast 'em all! LOL!!!

[Rich]

some things never change 1973 to 2012

[Rich]

By the way, I skied behind a jet boat in 1973, could run 28 @ 36 behind that beast. The day before a tounament I'd get a ride behind an inboard Keaton from Lloyd Fox, or the Morrison family. Simple times, sweep minivera stop watch, hand timing. Very simpole compared to what we have now!

[xrated]

@bananaron, Next summer when I can ski again we will have to meet up sometime when I am back in McGregor.

[GregHind]

Greg Hind from Tasmania (Australia). PB 3 @ 28 off 36mph yet I'm a World Water Ski Record Holder (2010) and Pending Water Ski World Record Holder (2012)

;)

 

Horton, I love the site top job.

 

I'm currently skiing on a 2008 Connelly Prophecy and had one of the first F1's prior to that. Just getting serious about getting back into it after nearly 10 years of well, not being serious!

 

P.s I went skiing with Jack Horton back in 2008 at his lakes in the desert. Considering his were the first ever man made ski lakes, they are so amazingly well thought out. I love the custom boat lift that pretty much nukes the boat out of the water! Roller blades turned into bindings. All sorts of interesting ideas.

 

I've fitted PP to a few jet boats and the owners have been happy. Don't know how well Z box would work with the boat pictured here tho!!!

[Mortyski]

Murray Mortson from Chestermere AB but I water ski in Montana. 57 years old this year. Father of 3 boys: Larry, Curly and Moe and married to a babe. I snow ski and water ski passionately...unfortunately I'm better at snow skiing. Ski Natique fan owned an 89, 92, 02 and now 200. I change hulls when Natique does. Engineer by profession and I tried to put together LISA 2 for GPS / Load cell analysis of waterskiing technique. My biggest claim to fame on water is I took the photo AB uses on his ID

[Roger]

Roger Clark, 59, living in Lake Worth, Fl and skiing at Okeeheelee Park. Skiing since 1988, first tournament in 1989 in Men 3. Practice PB 4 @ 38, Tournament PBs: PP 2 @ 38, ZO 1.5 @ 38. Previous sports include drag racing (66 Chevelle SS 396 with 427, best run 12.22 with street tires) and Skydiving (1000 jumps, 2 World Records).

 

[Guest]

Some things never change. Ham Wallace, Nashville, Tennessee. 59 years young. Skiing since 5 yrs.old. Own a 1966 ski Nautique that resides in our boathouse in Guntersville, Alabama, and a 2011 Malibu Response LXI 6.0 Liter. 1st tournament was in 1966. Never quit. Married for 28 yrs. 2 children. My 24 yr. old daughter is living and working in L.A and my 20 yr. old son will be a sophomore at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. He is working for the Nature Conservancy at Silver Creek Reserve in Picabo, Idaho for the summer. Love the Lake! Prefer Public water!

[sunvalleylaw]

@Oldskeer, that makes sense about your visit now. Let me know if you come back into town or if your son wants a pull some time. I will see what I can arrange!

[Onside135]

Father of 3 boys: Larry, Curly and Moe

 

@Mortyski...Real names? That is awesome!

[Mortyski]

Nah...but I do call them Larry, Curly and Moe with them standing there and they argue about who is Curly. We briefly watched a 3 stooges DVD from a TV show and I have to admit humour has changed since that time.

[RichardDoane]

on the way to the western regionals, we stopped and skied at No Name Lake in Mollala, OR. Got to meet @jedgell and his wife, they've moved to OR from MT and have become an excellent addition to the tournament scene

[RichardDoane]

[RichardDoane]

[jedgell]

@richardoane - Thanks for the kind words and pictures! It was a fun tournament, I'll try and get up to the Seattle area before the end of the season.

[RichardDoane]

Broho Wednesday, August 8th - possibly a 3rd round, and Broho Saturday, August 11th - definitely a 3 round tourney with a Novice group that's guaranteed 4 passes per round, both are in the Regional Guide for more info

[Skoot1123]

Scott Brinkmeyer, 31, have a 2 yr old with one due in Sept. Learned to ski at 10 and skied pretty much until college. (1999 through 2003) Didn't start skiing again until I started dating my wife, who's father is very much into skiing. Bought a boat with my father in law in 2007. Found a local ski club which has two lakes (old strip mines) and have been addicted ever since. Always wanted to ski a course when I was younger, just never had the opportunity. Now I am soaking it in! Never been to a tournament to ski, but I'd like to get started. I'm still not skiing at the right speed for my age so there is lots to learn and gain. PB at 34 is all 6 at 32 off. PB at 36 is all 6 at 28 off. Am working on consistency and form/technique. Set a PB for consecutive runs last night: 6 full passes at 22 off at 34 mph. Couldn't have felt better. Now I just need to make that at 28 and so on. Can't wait to meet some fellow Ballers at Malibu Open this weekend!

[Skoot1123]

Also am a huge barefooter.....skills aren't anything to talk about but footin' is my other water sport love. Also is a great way to relax and just enjoy the water when the buoys make you frustrated....not that that ever happens....

[rayn]

@horton. I am not sure this is possible, but if there were it would be great to capture these paragraphs in the profiles, that way they would be more easily found.

[Horton]

@rayn

Yea I will get right on that.

[igkya]

bump

[6balls]

@igkya nice job digging up the thread. OK recent Ballers...time to jump in and let us know a little about you.

[Waternut]

John Woodington, 31 y/o living in Macon, GA. I'm still skiing at 28mph on a 2010 Radar Annex and can run the course at 15 off but every time I start feeling like I'm running consistent enough to tell the driver to go 30mph, I regress and forget how to run 28mph. I've been skiing recreationally for 15 years on and off but recently got more serious when I found a group of friends who enjoy skiing and wakeboarding and then found a couple slalom lakes that I had no idea existed right down the road from me.

 

I'm an aerospace engineer by trade and a tinkerer by hobby building stand up jetski's and modifying everything else that I can from cars, boats, to my house. That said, I used to mess with my fin and boot settings because I couldn't make it work for me...then I asked Radar what a standard setup was (mine was way off when I got it) and haven't touched it since.

 

If you guys happen to run across someone else in middle GA looking for others, feel free to send them my way. I try to go 3-4 times a week or as energy allows.

[MattP]

@jfw432 If you ever make it up to the big city let me know.

[Nando]

Ok, since I've never checked in on this thread, I guess it's time. I'm another MN skier. Was a longtime lurker who started occasionally posting a while ago. I've been away from tournaments for almost 5 years due to injuries (mine and my ski partners'), low water on 3 of the 4 lakes I regularly ski on (except for the biggest, busiest, public one), and new job, but have been getting after it lately despite getting a late start this year. Have become an M5 old fart now. Kind of a hack- have always had a big discrepancy between my practice and tournament PBs- tournament is 4@-35 and practice is 2.5@-39, but am working on getting back to consistent -35- was never consistent at -38, even in practice. Used to be a respectable overall skier, but never terrific in any event. Served 6 terms as president of the state association and 3 as VP, 2 as Regional Councilman, and was the second or third certified technical coordinator in the midwest region, but could walk past most of the MN ballers and they'd have no idea who I am- 5 years away is an eternity. In my mind I was one of the top drivers around in the pre-speed control era- the reality may be different. Rode the coattails of some of the top skiers around here for a long time (Including one ex-girlfriend who was ranked, if I remember right, as high as 10th in US and 18th in world while we dated), due to no merit on my part, but they let me hang around. Was in a meeting earlier today with a baller (spotted his name tag) but he bolted before I could accost him. Remember being introduced to JTH by the good Doctor Horton many years ago at some Nationals. Met thager in '77 or '78 when we went to rival colleges- maybe he can guess who...

[Davis_LK]

Hey Ballers! Long time lurker here. Just took up the sport in May at the age of 31. My goal is to get into the course (have one on our lake) and start cutting line but I am trying to be patient and develop good skiing technique first. I have gained a ton of information off this site which I think has really helped me to learn the sport, although I realize I still have a lot to learn.

 

I am currently working on pull out drills to get the feeling of being in a good leverage position. The hardest part was learning this on my offside (RFF) but when I final felt what it was like to be stacked, how much less effort it required and the quickness of the ski during the pull out - I was so hooked.

 

I am absolutely loving learning how to slalom and feel like every time I am on the water I am progressing. I have lots of people around me who are willing to give advice but I plan to visit a ski school this off-season in Florida to get some serious training to help me get into the course. Thanks @Horton for such a fantastic site where even future ballers feel like they can come to get advice.

 

 

[6balls]

@nando where is all the low water? We have maintained ok in my neck of the woods in/around Litchfield. Let's hope you get some rain before the season goes away and get crackin' that blue line.

[thager]

Has to be Nardini or Farkus. My guess is Nardini. Rival School - St. Thomas " Ka-hill a Tommie for Christ!"

[xrated]

@nando I'm with 6balls, where are you finding low water in MN? Cripes our lake was no wake for at least a month this summer.

[Nando]

Nardini or Farkas?? Come on Tom- I graduated from there; they just kind of attended the place, so you've got the right place, but wrong guess. I did run into Tommy Nardini not too long ago- he's a lot of pounds removed from the famous Nardin Flying Circus days. My ski partner ran into Sox last summer- he's back from Dallas and in MN, but hasn't skied in years. One key difference between me and those two is that I have enough brain cells left to remember you... My lake was too low to get a boat in the last three years and has been no wake this year due to construction nearit where the wakes would disturb the erosion control materials- next year I can ski at home again!

[thager]

Must have recked the same brain cells as those guys. Was going to guess Chapin but he went to the U. Can't be Pat Smith. Hmmmm, I am drawing a blank. I know I will feel silly when you tell me! Jim Rose?

[usaski1]

 

Mark Turner, age 35. Live in Buda TX, (Austin) and own a house at Aquaplex. I was injured shortly after birth, and use a wheelchair all the time. This has not stopped me from skiing, and I learned to ski when I was 13. I haven't found ANYTHING in life that gets me as excited as skiing. I work full time for HomeAway.com in Austin. I have several world records that have been eclipsed in slalom. And won the disabled worlds 2x. once in 1999 and again in 2001.

[nzcabbage]

Who me? I am Nick of Cambridge NZ (Down Under in New Zealand).....home of.......Aaron Larkin, The All Blacks,........and more. I have been free skiing for 25+ years, but only got around to joining a club, 3 years ago www.skikarapiro.com and learn't to ski the course. It's hard being 40-something and trying to undo 25 years of bad habits, but with great support from club members and lots of reading on "The Ball" each season has seen progress. Last season ended with my PB 1@14 in our club champs, which I had only ever done once before in practice, so I cannot wait until October when we get back on the water. My only other major skiing achievement was crashing and tearing my Bio binding uppers clean off the plates, which also got me a plaster cast for a couple of weeks and 6 months recovery. I have got a 2013 strada ordered as I broke my Sixam SS, so looking forward to doing warp speed around all 6 on a super bright carrot stick!

 

If I am not skiing, love boat driving in the course - I could sit all day at the wheel. Our club has just purchased a new SN200, so rock Summer!