Encouraging wakeboards rule changes

[eleeski]

AWSA Rules Amendment Request Form

In order to request that the rules be amended you must be a U.S. Citizen and a current member of USA Water Ski with AWSA listed as

your primary sports division. This form must be submitted in electronic format to the Chairman of the Rules Committee by August 31st

to be considered for the upcoming year.

Member Name: _Eric Lee_____________________________________

USAWS Member Number___200008363___________________________

Age Division_M5_______(ex. B1)

U.S. Citizen?_Y___ yes _____ no

AWSA primary sports division? _Y___yes ____no

Rule number to change?____8.03 _____ (ex. 1.08)

Suggested wording:

8.03 D) 1) delete

8.03 D) 2) delete

8.02 E) 1) If the tournament supplied boat has a functioning factory approved tower, the skier may opt to attach the rope to the tower for one or both passes.

11.06 A) Since speeds over 38K (24mph) traverse the course in less than 20 seconds, speeds over 38k are not recommended and rerides will not be granted for reasons caused by a skier’s excessive speed.

11.02 A) 18m (60’ or 15off) is the recommended maximum rope length to fit the width of the course. Rerides will not be granted for reasons caused by a skier’s excessive rope length. A rope longer than 18m may not be allowed when that length may be unsafe.

 

 

Reason: We need to welcome and encourage wakeboards in the trick event. Removing anti wakeboard rules, allowing reasonable ropes, hookups and speeds may encourage wakeboarders to participate in our tournaments.

 

Background: The wakeboarders I have skied with are every bit as driven and dedicated as any skier. They would be great assets to our sport and are an immediate growth opportunity.

 

[klindy]

@eleeski Help me understand this one.... Except for allowing fins and rails over 1/4" I don't see a change. A skier can use a wakeboard now (without fins and rails deeper than 1/4") including a rope 60' long or longer and can trick at any speed requested.

 

There isn't anything in the current rules to discourage wakeboards even if most tricks done on a wakeboard are difficult to call. The requirement to eliminate fins and deep rails is because flips are relatively easier on a wakeboard than they are on a "flat" trick ski.

 

As I interpret this request your attnept to "encourage" wakeboards has the unintended consequence of disadvantaging trick skis.

[Kelvin]

As the rules are currently written, most (maybe all) wakeboards are not allowed. The width of a ski may not be more then 30% of its length. Most wakeboards are wider than that.

[klindy]

@Kelvin and nothing in the proposal appears to want to change that which adds to my confusion.

[eleeski]

@Klindy Allowing the tower hookup is critical to wakeboarders. The proposal deletes all the 30% rule and the fin restrictions. The speed and rope length are realistic physical limits to get a wakeboard run to fit in the trick course. Designed to be small evolutionary changes.

 

@Kelvin You would be surprised how many wakeboards are legal already. Kirk went to his first Nationals on a wakeboard. I was in charge of measuring wakeboards at Regionals one year. Only one failed. So they bolted a flip flop on the ski to male it longer and passed the test jig.

 

I can't do a flip on a wakeboard but I can on a trick ski. Kirk says a trick ski flip is easier as well. If we work this right, the wakeboarders will switch to a trick ski and really up their game!

 

You guys are right that the rules are not the true limits on accepting wakeboards. It is the attitude of the conventional skiers. But remove the few restrictions (especially the tower hookup!) and change the attitude of us conventional skiers and we can grow by absorbing some wakeboarders. Maybe we are afraid of what we will grow into...

 

Eric

[footloose42]

According to NCWSA rules, no fins, molded or otherwise, may be used at all. Though it also says non-conforming skis (aka wakeboards) may compete for half points.

 

I don't see a problem with getting rid of the fin restriction to allow full points for wakeboarders. I could be wrong, but I feel it would be mighty difficult to beat a trick skier (of comparative skill) on a wakeboard due to the increased time required to complete equivalent tricks on a wakeboard.

[Than_Bogan]

Phase 1: Embrace wakeboards.

Phase 2: Turn them from the Dark Side.

Phase 3, as always: Profits!

 

Seriously, why not? Women 3 tricks at Eastern Regionals has ZERO competitors. Let's get some folks into "our world" and see if they like it here.

[footloose42]

You'd think they would be all for it. I mean, with wakeboard boats breaking $120K nowadays...

[klindy]

Frankly I don't think the problem is a technical issue whch limits or forbids wakeboards. I think the issue is how to call tricks for skiers who use them. Waterski tricks, at least at an advanced level, are whoesale different than wakeboard tricks. So go ahead and let the boards be used, but forcing a skier to do "ski" tricks really doesn't help much. And to @eleeski's comment that "allowing the tower hookup is critical to wakeboarders" may be true for wakeboard tricks but for B, F, R, R, etc??? It may help for BFL, BLFB, BLFF, etc. but trick skiers (on a trick ski) can likely benefit from the tower then too.

 

Like I said earlier in this thread, wakeboards are used today. I get to about 10 or so 3 event tournaments a year and probably see an average of one wakeboard at a tournament. Currently it's the B/G divisions or the occasional collegiate skier who uses one and it's simply for basic tricks. I'm not the best trick judge but I have called both men and womens records and feel capable of calling the best of the best and I still routinely have trouble calling even the simplest tricks on a wakeboard because it do damn hard to tell (or remember) which end it front!?

 

Once this year some G1 or G2 skier used a wakeboard and started one pass with a 5B, F, B, BB, R or something similar. Sounds simple enough but it looks the same no matter what direction they travel so you loose track of the reverse tricks especially if theres a positioning trick in between. And don't even think about doing a Back - Out Of Course at the beginning because the time will certainly start as soon as you move backwards the first time.

 

I recall years ago having folks using wakeboard tie a bright colored hankerchief on their "front leg" so we could tell which was intended to be which.

 

Point is use a wakeboard, you can today as long as it's not some extra wide board. Ski at 24mph if you want, nothing restricts that. Do 8 flips (in an AWSA tournament, limited to 5 flips at class L or R) on a wakeboard, nothing prevents it. So again I really don't see the value in this suggestion.