"S" initiation: A gatechanger

[Mateo_Vargas]

I saw Marcus doing that in some tournaments over 10 years ago. I think he was also wearing a speed suit.

[Than_Bogan]

If you're referring to running -32 starting from the centerline, I would bet a good sum that he can. I've seen Mapple do it. In fact I'm pretty sure there's video somewhere of him (Mapple) running -35 from a centerline start?

[Edbrazil]

Noting the @jordan video. At Kris LaPoint's tournament on November 1st, I saw Parrish do this.

He was hurting a bit, and only skied one round, but he did get 1/2 way down 41 off. Jennifer

Leachman LaPoint was using the same approach.

BTW: Kris: 1 @ 41 all 3 rounds there, with the conventional gate approach.

[DefectiveDave]

@Than_Bogan,

 

I didn't find Mapple, but I did find this:

 

 

I didn't even know that was possible. It looks like gates might not be as important as I thought at the longer line lengths.

[Wish]

I know Andy had @Razorskier1 run either 32 or 35 (cant remember) from the white water on the opposite side to prove a point.. so way less then a pull out.. if memory serves..he ran it easy.

[Razorskier1]

@Wish -- correct. He was trying to get me to stay connected better after the second wake, and figured starting narrow would help. I ran 32 and 35 no problem. On the third try I ran 38 that way. Crazy.

[Skislalom]

Andy talks about this whitewater turn in in his slalom with Andy Mapple dvd, he said it was practice to make him confident he could run passes even with a bad gate...

[Chef23]

The stuff with Mapple running with no real gate is in the video he does with Gordon Rathburn. I think he runs through at least -38. The big thing I took from it isn't that my gate doesn't need to get better but don't panic if your gate isn't perfect there is still a lot of time and space to run the pass. Of course I have never tried it.

 

On the S wiggle before the turn in the more I watch it I am not sure it is a deliberate S or just the skier trying to make sure they maintain their width before turning in for the gates. Many high end skiers I see video of still have some spray coming off the right side of their ski before they turn in for the gates. This tells me they are still edging away from the wakes slightly to maintain their width. Many skiers I ski with (myself included) seem to go flat and glide which lets them drift in towards the wakes and give up the width they developed.