Skwake

Zero off gives a level playing field and yes your driver needs to be on point yes yes yes and yes I understand all that. But I'm asking how do we get your average joe into the spot. I'm not talking about getting pros into the sport @Stevie Boy , theyre already clearly in the sport. I'm talking new people, you're average person. And yes high level tournament skiing needs it but I'm saying we need more flexibility for people to get into it get started and take it from there. @Horton why me that needs the solution? Can I not put a thought ahead without a solution? I got some ideas, but others help especially from around the world. I am doing way more then you would imagine to get new people into the sport but I thought this was a forum to discuss our views on the topic? That's my view and that's why I think people are struggling to get into the sport. My solution??? I dont know? Lets talk? Throw some ideas? You having the influence on waterskiing around the world you do you should be throwing some ideas forward to help rather then calling me out on not 'having a point' because I don't have a solution. I'm pointing out a problem I see and experience first hand which has an influence on where the sport is going, is that not what this forum topic Is somewhat about? I signed up to chat and express opinion but was unaware I needed a solution to my comments. Now i know, any of my future comments, I'll make sure i have a solution so I have a 'point' ? @ToddL exactly one of my points how do you ease into it? Many skiers out there on the river that think they're awesome and potentially are but what is bringing them in to try and STICK with tournament skiing? @Stevie Boy I believe it would work, anything like that which is more inviting to start people.off get them keen keep them keen. Some.just scare people and then they're done. Your mate who skied deep 38 out of no where is a freak of nature. As in said a while ago there has to be a happy medium and I feel like the sport gets held up with the people who are already involved in it rather then who they can get into it. Once again most of what I am saying is from others I have met. I'm.competitive as hell and love everything being on point, but my chat comes from probably 20 social skiers to the 1 tournament skier (in my area) as to why they find.tournament skiing so hard to get into.

Ok, I understand everything fired back at me and I probably didn't word what I said the best. I'm basically going off what I've heard many enthusiastic skiers say about getting into tournaments, not just skiing. In regards to the boat (most of what I'm saying is in regards to getting them into tournaments) yes you can ski behind any old boat and have fun with it, that's what I'm saying alot of people do, but they get to a tournament and zero off is just completely different and they struggle all of a sudden probably miss the first pass because of how different it may feel then they don't feel like they can be competitive in their division (even the comps we run based of levels not age groups) and the end they're done with tournament skiing just like that. I've heard it and seen it so much. I remember my first season i could comfortably ski a so called 36 behind my old foot throttle, couldnt do anything behind a zo lxi practice and tournament it was frustrating and I hated comps till I finally got to constantly ski behind zo if I wasnt so extremely competitive i probably would have pulled the pin. And yes you'll say but tournament skiing is tough and I know it is but its tougher when you don't access to the gear you need to compete behind. Seriousness of a tournament I understand and obviously you're going to do everything you can to optimize the performance of the skier and yes most tournaments should stick that way but if we want to grow our sport and include new people into it that are not brought into it by a skier friend or family there needs to be something there to start them off. And we have started those fun tournaments @Horton and we are getting a huge response and now I'm not the only one travelling to more serious comps i got 4 or 5 others coming with me. What I'm saying is for people who want to start skiing tournaments and are new to it, there isn't alot of factors 'inviting' them in. Once again I'm saying this from what many people have told me and what I've seen from people trying tournaments and a bit of experience. And you talk.about 15-20k is nothing, for a lot of people that is not an option.

As a 25 year old I believe tournament skiing is going to decline and I believe the companies within waterskiing are doing the most damage to the tournament scene especially in the age bracket from 18 to 30 and the average wage earners. Boats are increasing in value every year and so is equipment. I run a hobbie ski sales business and ski school in outback Australia to help the locals and the amount of people that are keen to do it (tournament) as an individual or a family but simply can not afford it is sickening. The fusiness and seriousness in tournaments has got out of hand to where it takes the fun out of it not to.mention who wants to go to a tournament pay $100 and miss the first pass because they're not someone who gets to ski every week. it isnt an overly inviting structure to someone who just wants to enjoy and not be a full serious competitor. Bouy height perfect, boat perfectly weighted, best boat driver, this prop that rudder, boats reving to high, boats not strong enough etc etc. I understand the serious side of it, went through it myself but there needs to be a happy medium to.invite new people into it because there are heaps that want to do it! people need to feel like skiing the course in the old outboard can still set them up to ski tournaments. Most things I have seen in tournament skiing over the past 10 years hasn't done much to help your average river rat get into the sport. Every man/woman and their dog out here waterski it's just how do you get them involved in our side of it when so many factors seem to be against them?