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Driving for the World's best skiers


swbca
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Driving the World's best skiers  

53 members have voted

  1. 1. How many Open Division World Champions have you driven for in Practice, Tournament or Special Event. BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER their World Title.



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In the history of competitive water skiing, the standards for boats, drivers and equipment have evolved from no standards to extremely high standards.  A few BOS members have been top level drivers and skiers in their their lifetime.  Some had this experience a long time ago and some are currently tournament driver's. 

Maybe someone was desperate for a practice driver and you were the only choice.  Maybe it was last year or decades ago.

This a poll to share your experience driving the World's best skiers at any time or under any circumstance. 

Edited by swbca
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Only a Senior Worlds Slalom Champion (65+) - and only tournaments before and after, not during.

I've driven a couple ranked Open Men skiers (practice and tournaments) who subsequently made it into the 2018 America's Cup Finals.  Have pulled both into -41 and one with a tournament 3@-41.

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The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears.

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found this today as I get started on my post (going on 5 years) hurricane annual spring cleaning. 

this from when we were developing the 196 / 206 

Andy was one of my our test athletes. his notes on testing.

the manager of our department was adamant about documentation.

 

20230124_094334.jpg

20230124_102219.jpg

Edited by Jody_Seal
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I drove for two World Champs when they had no choice and it's ancient history.  I had no tournament qualifications as a driver.

I was attending the Roberge ski School in Florida.  Tom King the water ski photographer of that era showed up to shoot photos of Karen Roberge for a wet suit manufacturer.  At the time I was the only person on site who could drive.  No big deal but it was fun the meet Tom and Karen.

After Mickey Amsbry won the world trick title he took a real job with General Mills in Minneapolis.  He needed a place to ski.  He came to our place every weekday morning at 7:30am before work for two summers.  I pulled him on Tricks and Slalom each day for two summers.  I learned a lot about skiing and skiing "attitude from this Hall of Famer.  Regarding "standards", we were skiing behind my parents Glastron IO.  We both were practicing into 1@36off at 36mph back before Metric.  We timed every pass, but its now hard to imaging skiing behind a Glastron IO.  

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I pulled Jamie Beauchesne a couple of times years ago when he would stay at our lake to get ready for the Masters. 

I pulled Nate at Sawmill several years ago due to no one else was at the dock and he asked me to pull him. To my surprise he ran 41 with me driving. 

I pull a lot of people at No Wake but pulling people at Jamie and Nate's level is a whole different feel than pulling your average 35/38 off skier. I knew that I was not the caliper of driver these guys were used too. But both were very nice and thanked me for pulling them.

Tom Smothers (oldmanskier)

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I’ve driven none but my old 1985 Ski Centurion pulled Glen Thurlow a few months after he went 205’.  He put on a little slalom exhibition at a novice tournament we were putting on. I could have drove but wanted to watch the skiing so let my buddy Warren do the driving. 
 

His comments after his opening -22 was (in a thick Aussie accent) “those wakes are enormous”.  

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Get high, Get fast, and do some good work.

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I would never pretend to claim I'm a great driven. I'm ok at best. However I get very few opportunities to drive really good skiers. I did have the honor of pulling collegiate champion Cale, thru 39 in practice right before he won again. Pulled Brad Brascho thru 39 in men's 3 in a pretty hard rain in a class C. Both were in the perfect pass days.  The point is, for, me, it seemed easier to get in rythem and feel with  really good skiers. Hats off to those who have successfully pulled guys like Freddie and Mike Kjelander. 

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I voted 3, but went back to count and its more like 6.  Andy at one of his clinics, Freddie, Manon, Dorien, Jaimee and Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya at collegiate tournaments in the SCR.  

If you include U17, U21 and Senior World champions, the list gets long pretty fast with all of the collegiate talent in the SCR.

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Andy Mapple in practice.

Kris LaPoint in tournaments.

Freddie Winter in practice.

Nate Smith in practice.

Regina Jaquess in practice.

Don't think she was ever world champion, but pulled Karina Nowlan in 2011 to a tie of the Australian record (1@41 off).

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I originally read the poll wrong but there's a big difference between "open division" and "world champions".  As far as open skiers, for me it's more than six for me but not "too many to remember".  During the old days of the pro tour, I got to drive a bunch of practice rounds and some media runs.  (Dating an open woman in the '80s gave me a chance to drive for her a lot😉.)  I think my count of 5 world champions is close.

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For those that have pulled numerous champs, your expertise and commentary would be a top read on this forum, not only that 'I pulled xxx' but adding concise descriptions and feedback on the details of the how to's.  Schnitz did a nice boat driver checklist/best practices write up several years ago.  Behind the wheel and holding the handle commentary would make good reads.  Fun poll:-)  

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On 1/24/2023 at 11:19 AM, Jody_Seal said:

found this today as I get started on my post (going on 5 years) hurricane annual spring cleaning. 

this from when we were developing the 196 / 206 

Andy was one of my our test athletes. his notes on testing.

the manager of our department was adamant about documentation.

 

20230124_094334.jpg

20230124_102219.jpg

 

 

 

🤣 I hated when he wrote notes for anything and I had to read. if he was really thinking you could barely read it sometimes

 

 

I put to many to remember, even when I was younger, but to this day, the hardest person I have ever driven is either Tom Brantley, or Jeff Rodgers, both are strong as Bulls, and no matter how late they got the pull on the boat was crazy.

A few times for Parrish he almost yanked me around.

Edited by mike_mapple
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Performance Ski and Surf 

Mike@perfski.com

👾

 

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I drive for Joel Howley regularly.  Its pretty cool to drive for such a talented skier especially at 41.  He was very patient with me learning the skills to drive consistently well.  And he is so in tune with his skiing that he can feel the driver good and bad and give really good feedback.

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