A lot of brain power went into the development of Connelly’s new flagship ski, the GT-R. Among the masterminds involved, pro team skier Martin Bartalsky played a pivotal part in guiding the GT-R’s evolution. Check out what he has to say about it.

1. You were part of the testing process for the development of the GT-R. What were you hoping to achieve with the new ski?

I liked the GT a lot, but after some modifications, I found that I preferred more grip under my feet. With more grip, you are able to load the ski easier out of the turn and get to the other side quicker. Grip adds to the support and stability of the ski as well, which is important when you get in trouble and need to rely on the ski to be there for you. Grip is what we were hoping to achieve with the GT-R, and we got it.

2. How exactly where you involved in the overall development of the GT-R?

Doug got me involved during the early stages of the GT-R’s development. I rode a few different models and sent notes back and forth with Doug. He then ultimately decided which one would be the stock ski. I was in love with the finished product from the very beginning and knew it was going to be special after the very first set on it. 

3. What was changed from last year’s GT in order to make a ski for 2019 that is on a whole new level?

The GT-R is noticeably different out of the box. The tip and tail are thicker and the side edge angle has been changed. While it has many of the great characteristics of the GT, the added grip creates incredible room in the course. The GT-R is definitely an improved ride.

4. What are some things people should know about the different ways to setup their GT-R and how to maximize its efficiency for their style?

I recommend that the skiers try all stock setups to find out which one makes them feel more comfortable before fine-tuning. They should know immediately which one they prefer. 

The short and deep set up brings the tip out and drops the tail deeper in the water, making both turns very symmetric. The ski loads easily and holds a ton of angle through the wakes and gets side to side very easily. When you are in trouble this set up makes the ski pretty much bulletproof. The short and deep set up works great for me when I let the ski do its thing without pushing it too hard. 

With the long and shallow settings, the ski rides flatter on the water and is more engaged. It also does not sit as deep and as a result glides easier and carries more speed. However, the turns are not as effortless and thus the turning radius is larger. With long/shallow, you definitely put in more effort to grab the angle through the wakes in order to create the room in the course. I personally like to push the ski hard myself, so this combination works better for me.

5. What is your favorite aspect about the GT-R?

I love the grip under my feet. The GT-R is truly the best ski I have ever ridden. It lets you load early with a ton of angle through the wakes, which creates the speed and lots of room. The ski is incredibly stable and predictable. I love absolutely everything about the it. 

Neilly Ross explains why you should sign up for the 12 week online functional fitness training program, Method by Radix! 

To learn more check out www.radixfit.com/method

Chelsea Mills defeated Lori Krueger Covington in the head-to-head final to win the third annual SportsInsurance.com Queens Cup at Little Mountain Lakes near Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, Oct. 7.

Mills, skiing on her home lake, ran 4½ at 38 off, topping Covington’s 3 at 38 in the final, and claimed the $2,000 first-place check. The Queens Cup, also sponsored by Race City Marine and the Women’s Sports Foundation, was originally scheduled for Sept. 15-16 but was postponed because of Hurricane Florence.

 Mills was the No. 1 seed throughout the two rounds of Saturday qualifying and Sunday’s Sweet 16. Covington, of Texas, was seeded third throughout and defeated No 2 seed Joy Kelley of Tennessee in the final four, running 1¼ at 38 off to Kelley’s 1 at 38.

Mills and Covington are Masters Women skiers, and Kelley skis in the Women 6 age group.

Kelley, 60, represented the mature skiers in the field and held her spot as No. 2 seed through the two qualifying rounds and into the final four. She has been a podium finisher in all three years of the Queens Cup, and also got the skiers fired up with a motivational speech at the Saturday night banquet.

“It would be impossible to duplicate how special a weekend we all had,” Kelley posted on Facebook on Sunday evening. “There is no other event like it … lives greatly impacted and inspired on and off the water! Really happy to get third with so many strong and tough women!”

Strong and tough were keywords in her speech Saturday night as she encouraged everyone present to be emotionally, mentally and physically strong.

“Put blinders on. Find a way that works for you and make it happen,” Kelley said.

The Queens Cup is for women ages 30 and older, and uses a format that allows all ages to compete on equal footing. The event included five Women 7 skiers (ages 65-69), and four of them made the Sweet 16.

Rounding out the money winners and podium finishers were Trish Burt of Florida in fourth place and Erin Peckham of New York in fifth. The rest of the elite eight were Jennifer Wood of South Carolina in sixth place, legendary Leza Harrison, a Women 7 skier from Florida in seventh, and Marla Lott of Indiana in eighth place.

Among the tournament officials were world record holders Nate Smith of Indiana and Jeff Rodgers of South Carolina, renowned drivers Tommy Harrington and Pat Bloodworth of North Carolina, and P.A. announcer Seth Stisher of South Carolina.

Slalom skiing with an endless course? OffCourse™!

Are you tired of spending more time preparing your slalom course then actually skiing? Then listen up, a new way of the slalom skiing we all love is around the corner. Introducing the OffCourse™, a revolutionizing way to roam the water, creating a slalom course on the fly.

The time of big, heavy and inconvenient slalom courses are over, thanks to Swedish company Rodics Innovation. All you need to do is start your boat, plug in the OffCourse™ and you are all set. The OffCourse™ is a patent-pending device that creates a slalom course by creating water splashes where the buoys usually would be. It’s powered by carbon dioxide cartridges, that continuously fires away projectiles to the water which shows you where to turn.

Rodics Innovation has not held back in the making of the OffCourse™, using aircraft grade aluminum and high-quality Swedish stainless-steel to ensure that the device holds for the impact that comes with skiing like a badass. Also, all the projectiles used are totally biodegradable which keeps the water clean even after all the havoc you’ve caused from riding it. The OffCourse™ is a result of years of work, late nights and countless testing sessions. It’s created by enthusiasts driven by a passion to change the way of water skiing as we know it. Making you able to roam the water like never before with a sense of total freedom, leaving no traces behind. It’s just you and the lake, like it should be.

Find out more about the OffCourse™ at Rodics Innovation’s website or on Facebook 

Pre-orders are already available – and the release date is set at May 2019. 

Click here for more information http://www.pentalago.com/