Anyone understand what Smith is doing in this image?

[auskier]

The Zen master speaks true.

[ForrestGump]

Man, Marcus........ this makes my head hurt thinking about it. Because I hear what you're saying, but I'm not sure how to apply it. After Diablo, I switched to a reflex/rtp and had some of the most incredible, bone jarring face plants when the ski started edge changing too hard throwing my body to the inside. Let me tell you....... falling off the inside edge of the ski at the point where your speed is close to the highest at 35 off is not the most fun thing I've done. Although the boat crew seems to have enjoyed it. lol. So this topic is pretty fresh in my mind. I tuned the ski to take a more manageable approach into that transition point, but I'm open to trying this. Too bad we're starting to wind down here now.

 

The part I have trouble wrapping my head around is how to keep that hip alignment in the transition without continuing to load the rope. This is where I see that "reverse C" position happening. And where my mind sees Nate is better than just about anyone. Once Matt clued me into it, I could see Nate keeping his hips open and shoulders still back and locked in during the transition, all while the ski was already landing on it's inside edge. Maybe it's easier than my mind tells me it is.

[A_B]

Shane, I was working on this hard several seasons ago and when I was getting it done, I could feel my COM on the back side of the ski, so as I was going to one ball, and ski on left edge, the right edge was up and my weight felt like it was over the right edge.

 

I think the reverse C and getting the ski out in front of you after the second wake are two of the most critical aspects to really shortening the rope and only the top guys get it done consistently. Coincidence? I don't think so.

[Klundell]

Great thread! Very interested in what MB is saying. Over a year ago I wrote something on here about getting too wide too soon @38 (Wide of the buoy line too early in the course). I understood that something was wrong but didn't know how to fix it. I definitely believe staying open through the transition and allowing the ski to go down course will help manage the arc of the ski so that its apex hits at the buoy and not too early causing me to fall to the inside.

[Wish]

@Klundell. Would that be the cause of a split radios turn? Getting to wide too soon?

[Klundell]

@Wish. I think it is in my case anyway. I will actually use a split radius when I really screw up.

[Wish]

Another Threadtopia of information!! Thank u BOS. This thread explains so much. Problem for me I think= double radios off side turn at shortline causing poor finish of turn causing late into onside. But later equals apex of onside turn at ball but end up hooking it to make up time and end up with to much angle and speed so same at ball 3 having to do double radios again. And my adjustment has been to work harder at what alpears to be the wrong thing. Cause of double radios at one ball= to much speed and angle (am I actually saying to much angle and speed?) through gate and locking arms into vest with load on trailing arm as far out as that will go. The Fix= use Razorskier1 gate approach (in other thread) and use this approach in edge change and carry the apex later at the ball with a single radios turn. Man that's a big change. So it's not the ski after all??

 

 

 

[jayski]

@Wish focus on that till your direction needs to be the opposing shoreline, even when you release to one hand direction still needs to be carried to shore, especially as the line gets shorter, then it's the lead hip that starts the transiton of the turn back while your ski stays pointing down course.

 

@Klundell is the split radius turn a result of an error from the previous buoy? Perhaps from a loading at course width instead of progressively to the wake? Which could be from an error from the previous buoy...and the one before...and the gate...but hey the deep water start was stellar!

[Texas6]

Yes, that's very helpful data. Thx for the explanation @Marcusbrown, it is very much appreciated.

[Klundell]

@jayski a split radius turn for me is definitely an error. But you see other people use it effectively. On that Mapple video, from the follow up thread from this one, He uses it quite a bit and very effectively.

[estrom]

Can I get a brief explanation of a split radius turn? I have an idea of what you're talking about, but want to be sure I'm correct on what this is. Thanks.

 

[GaryWilkinson]

I remember an Andy Mapple coaching clinic a few years ago when he told me that you want to be as perfectly ready to resist the boat and cross the course as wide as possible in the course "because that is where the boats' pull is weakest on the skier". Makes sense, think of the geometry.

 

I think Nate is the best at finishing his turn in the perfect, most efficient and effective position at each turn and each line length. No wasted energy over turning, no loss down course under turning, no slam from the boat while out off position. He times his line up with the line and handle so perfectly, that, in combination with the perfect ski angle on edge and track x-course make it look SOOO easy.

 

It's like a golfer with a perfect swing to emulate, this is the person to visualize in our sport.

 

 

[ForrestGump]

I consider Andy to be the perfect skier. Nate is as close as it gets to him. Where they are most similar is in course management, IMO. Neither let's a mistake they make in one segment go past the next segment.

[Razorskier1]

Still think what Nate is doing is skiing better than the rest of us. One thing I did take away from an article this year was Nate saying that he "rises up over the bindings" as he approaches the buoy. I have been using this in conjunction with my new gate approach and it has been really terrific.

 

As for the split radius turn, I call that the "double pump". As @OB states, for me it is when I find that I am going to be too early and need to pump the ski back out again to get it around the ball. Mapple seems to do a double pump with great frequency and very effectively. I'm not sure, but I recall him saying that (a) earlier the better and (b) carry your speed. When I watch him ski it always seems that he is at buoy width way earlier than everyone else, and he can do that because he is carrying a ton of speed. For me at 34mph I have skied that style but find it gets difficult for me at 38. Thus my new approach of "lighter for longer", with a slightly different/later line, which helps me to maintain speed through and out of the turns.

[6balls]

@shaneh has something there, as usual. My inclination after a mistake is all adrenaline, and it gets the next buoy, maybe one more at 38 but that's it. In a tourney this year I had a crappy 1 ball at 38 but resisted the urge to give it the mellies into 2 ball. Had a decent two and was back in at 3...only to be really early by 5 and blow it. The next day in practice same crappy 1, stayed calm and ran it. It was terribly hard to fight the natural tendency...but I think is along the lines of what Shane is saying. Don't let the bad ball create another mistake which makes it even more impossible at the next one. Pocket the mistake, and go back to trying to ski correctly.

[Skoot1123]

@6balls @shaneh - I think this is what Nate Smith meant by being patient (in the WS MAG article). Being patient in the turn will give you that needed angle to make up time. That and being one of the best skier's on the planet.......!

[ForrestGump]

@marcusbrown I attempted what you talked about. And as counter-intuitive as it is to me, it works. By moving the load through the trailing arm outbound off the 2nd wake, the ski actually went outbound farther but in a direction AND average speed which was more manageable. The reach became slower, too. And because of that, I could feel the boat pulling my ski back in off the apex through my arm, shoulder, and lat.

[MarcusBrown]

Shane, you're an animal dude! Glad to hear you were able to "feel" something different....that's what its all about.

[ForrestGump]

Of course I went back out yesterday and couldn't feel a damn thing and just had to hold on, Marcus. Some days your the windshield, some days the bug, right? lol

 

Back to the original topic, and what was Nate doing in that still pic. Go look at the full speed Diablo video of Nate and Sledge that was posted in the Diablo #2 thread. IMO, the still pic and that 1/4 speed video of Nate with the handle down is deceptive. Because it's all happening way fast. He's never in that position more 1/4 second. Maybe even not that long. My personal thought is what the pic shows is a snapshot of the transition period between where Nate starts with the handle in the preturn and where he wants it to be at the apex.

[Wish]

@ShaneH I agree and that's the problem, challenge, frustration, obsession, with our sport. Your not in any position long enough to figure it out. :)

[6balls]

All still shots are deceptive that way. No one should stop moving or pose.

[ToddL]

@6balls - "No one should stop moving or pose."

 

...unless on the podium.