Simpson

I should just note that for me this is strictly practice.. about two weeks before an event I ski nothing but tournament sets.

@jhughes @PacMan doing this mostly helped me understand how important my gate and 1 ball were and being consistent with them. At -28 I can be for lack of a better term lazy I.E. not pull out far enough or be strong enough through the gates and still be just fine for 1 ball. Also the timing at the start of the pre-turn. It has to happen so much faster with each progression that without trying it I had no idea how much faster it had to happen hence mostly just getting to 2 ball at -32 I never knew what to expect.

@Slaomsteve I think you analogy is absaloutly true and I am In no position to be giving "coaching" advice. All I can do is share my experience. I'm currently skiing 34mph into -35. What I have learned in slaom skiing is the the drastic difference between any increment change either speed or rope length, for me cause a semi shellshock effect. I got to where I was running -28 most every time but would only run 1 maybe 2 bouys @ -32 due to how much faster everything happened. So I changed my approach and began my sets 2@ -35 2@ -32 4@-28 this helped me understand the importance of my efforts at learning the basic steps necessary to running any pass and also allowed me to feel what's necessary to run my hardest passes. I was also able to end each set on a high note usually running several easy passes as they got exponentially easier rather than harder. I know there is no exception to the proper muscle memory in proper position but for my weekend warrior operation I am regularly skiing into -35 when I wasn't even close to that score. So I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. Get the basics down and then make it exponentially easier rather than harder. Just my experience.

@Bruce_Butterfield Thank you for the kind words and yes it is unfortunate things unfolded this way, its very hard at this in particular juncture to not be somewhat discouraged. however I will not just quit pursuing the sport I'm quite passionate about. I would much rather not be at the center of this debate (for the obvious reasons among others) but am willing to be the most recent sacrifice necessary to possibly improve the sport I am just beginning to compete in. - The "tournament official" was the chief score keeper and as such I would believe to be just that a Tournament official. BY FAR THE NICEST PERSON I MET! and was within 30min of predicting the end of the events Saturday for my practice set. - As I stated in my original post I completely understand the seeding and agree 100% - I have competed at national and regional level events in a different sport. (slightly more difficult due to It being 5man teams) Have organized local tournaments in the same sport. - With this very thread I am in the process of trying to get rules changed. - To even insinuate that everyone should get a trophy is crazy! I haven't heard one argument that perpetuates this socialistic ideology. Well maybe @skierjp with his democratic debate he may have those ideals. - I just don't understand how setting a very optimistic time schedule for each event is difficult or makes organizing the event more difficult as it could actually make it easier. Especially since all of your allowances are delays not speeding things up so it seems as each delay makes people that much earlier for their event. simple Excel takes care of all of that. A working Queue to move events up is unrealistic. I agree with @JohnN when he says "how can it be trust no official, there may not be any "source of truth" that you can go to in advance, and get there early and figure it out for yourself. Kind of crazy for something at this level. I think this can be fixed, and not just for newcomers!" - As for the nationals exception, my case is my case, all I can do is plead it and there's nothing I can do about the EVP's decision. I could be perfectly capable of having a hangover but if I can be at work by 5am with one I can damn sure ski with one as well if I told to be on the dock at 5am like I am by my job. @BG1 Again has a simple solution to this problem let me ski with no score and BOOM I got up behind the boat smashed face at the gates and can go to nationals and still a lesson learned without allll of this back and forth and lets just be honest I'm no threat to anyone in men's 2 for regionals much less nationals. (at least not yet) - Throwing out ALL of the rules really? I don't believe anyone is asking for that, not me for sure and never will. - @klindy has been quite helpful and obviously cares for this sport and I've greatly appreciated his input. To read that "We all have heard of a story like this" - "this exact thing happened to me" so forth and so on makes me question again why? This is so easy to be black and white without making someone "have to chalk it up as a learning experience" on some poorly worded rule, lack of schedule or guidance. You are correct wisdom comes from bad decisions for most and I'm definitely no exception. In this case I don't see how my actions can be construed as "bad decisions" for doing the exact thing everyone does at any event they have never participated in not just skiing but anything sports, professional, school, college, traveling and the list could continue. I went and asked someone...

This just happend to @aupatking put a new cap and button on and boom like new again. There was no sign of any problems with the old ones.

@Horton I'm curious what your response to "scratches" decision was at that moment?

@Horton I do understand the judges decision. I was most certainly not trying to attack him as he was very professional just slightly cold and again I have been in his shoes in another sport and understand why he responded the way he did. You are correct I didn't have the experience. I do appreciate the sympathy but that Is not the reason for my post. I wanted the question answered about being able to ski in Nationals or not and it has. (@disland thanks I may do so) If anything I would hope a dialogue could be started for a solution and change to the rulebook to prevent this for other skiers. I'm to hard headed for this to stop me but I can honestly say not competing anymore did cross my mind on the ride home and if you knew me that's not me. I do believe there are simple solutions to this problem such as @elr and @Than_Bogan suggested or @vtmecheng with identifying newer skiers at any event so they will be guided in the right direction and made aware of how things go. I would just hope my mistake can help in one way or another.

To begin a little background on me, I ski as much as my job/life allow and have for about 4 years. I have made enough progress to be convinced to "support the sport" and enter a local tournament. Just so happens I set my all time PB and scored well enough to qualify for nationals with a regional participation. So naturally I began making preparations to ski in both. Fast forward to regionals, I arrived found registration and met the really nice ladies and got registered. They were very accommodating and provided me with the running order and got me setup with a practice set with an estimated time. Keep in mind this is my 3rd tournament, I asked when should I arrive for my set and the very nice lady said "you probably won't ski till 2pm tomorrow but if I were you I'd probably check in at 1pm" I said okay great. The following day I arrived at 12:50 began towards the starting dock and heard "well our first skier Ian arnold was a scratch so this is...." I ran to the starting dock and began asking anyone who looked of importance, hey I'm here I just herd my name, after 3-4 people a girl holding some medals asked the guy changing handles if there is somthing to be done he with a empathetic look said "that's a chief judge question but I don't think so" so she radios the judge and sure enough he says there's nothing to be done. The girl tells me I can go talk to him if I want. He was at the opposite end of the lake I met him after running down there and he obviously knew why I was there and seemed to have a pre-disposed negative demeanor. I began to plead my case about why I was there at that time and that my division was still skiing and so fourth to a response "it's you responsibility to be here on time, once the event starts there's nothing to be done" I ask so your telling me this is over? "Yes there's nothing we can do". I turned and had a variety of emotions go through me #1 being anger, considered going to the office pleading my case again, making a scene all kinds of things but with how angry I was i decided to just leave fearing I would say things I may regret. I'm not posting this to bash anyone. I recognize my faults in this I realize that at registration that was her opinion on a start time not a schedule, how was she to know that the sets would be really short or that I didn't know a soul there and wouldn't just be hanging out. I understand the chief judges viewpoint on the running order and seeding with me being bottom seed or this being the last event of a 5 day tournament. For all he knows I'm just a cocky self entitled punk. I really do understand that. I feel like things could have been handled differently on both sides I could have stayed and held my composure, the judge could have actuly cared if I skied or not... it certainly didn't help my view on competitive sking driving 4 hours one way spending several hundred dollars to be inadvertently guided to not getting a pass and potentially not being able to go to nationals. Maybe someone can tell me if I'll still be able to ski national's since I had to "participate" in regionals and didn't or will my entry suffice? In summary: Don't ever expect to go to an event and not just be there all day regardless of the running order or your level of comfort at the venue.

Im going to be in the area working for a few weeks, wondering if there's a place i could get a pull in the afternoon's? Thanks