Jump to content

Rich

Baller
  • Posts

    268
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Rich

  1. I skied with Leroy Burnett in 1972-1976. His training partner at that time was Rich Pato We were all members of Diablo water ski club. I believe the slalom course changed between the 72-73 season. It went from american feet to metric. The course was shorter overall in the metric system. We changed the course at the start of the 73 season. I remember as I helped with the change work party. I did ski an american longer course after the metric as some on the delta were still the american course. It was easier as you had more space a 1 and 6 as the overall length was longer. Leroy was at the top of the sport in 1966 where I believe he was the first to run 30 off and score 2 @ 36 off at 36mph. I dont think there was a shortening after 36 off. Leroy won both masters & national titles in 1966 and set the record at 2@36 off Leroy did not ski from 67-71 as he was in vietnam. In Leroys absence Kris lapoint became the new slalom champion. When Leroy came back he was not 165 lbs. more like a solid 180lbs. He also had to change skis and developed the Obrien comp USA. He worked for herb Obien in building the fiberglass ski. He was a great practice skier but he lost the confidence he had in 1966. I saw him run 35 many times and deep 38 in the delta. Actually running 38 a couple times. Which was an incredible feat He did run 35 in competion I believe becoming the 3rd or 4th person to do so. Leroy was a true innovator with fiberglass skis. He never returned to the top form he had in 1966 and retired from competition in 75-76 If he had never gone to vietnam I think the battles between Leroy & the Lapoint brothers, Mike Suyderhoud would have been epic. I was lucky to ski with Leroy, Rich Pato & the Morrison brothers in the early 70’s. I learned alot about skiing from Leroy. He was a great guy and a great skier who for 1 year was the best skier in the world but his time was cut short by a war.
  2. C85 has a better out and better scramble mode. C75 meets nano one is how it feels.
  3. My family all skied, with my kids all being good enough to be national competitors until they reached highschool. In highschool other sports & specialization start to happen. I personally skied in boys division back in the 70's and played varsity football & varsity wrestling. As I look back even then to be really competitive in skiing I would have had to devote more time to skiing & missed HS sports. I did manage to win a regionals in boys & compete in Nationals. But my ski season always was cut short for Football summer practices & training. My son went to the same HS and had an outstanding HS football career as a running back, leading to college opportunities, but he didn't have time to practice waterskiing to be at the higher levels & being competitive, he didn't like not being at the top, so in HS he skied some weekends and just had fun. It did help him to be disciplined at an early age as he tried all sports from skiing, football, basketball, baseball, but specialization starts at about highschool. All my kids were skiing a lot by age 6 & going to clinics ect… It was all positive. He took all that discipline into football, and after that ended up doing martial arts, MMA for a couple of years & is a blackbelt in juijuitsi which took 13 years. I took up skiing again in men 2 & still ski in men 6. Skiing is a great sport in that you can learn young & pick it up again later in life. Its also a sport that requires hours & hours of practice to be good at. Even gifted athletes that dont train will get beat by those that put in the time. Competitive water skiing is a huge time commitment and is a lifestyle for those at the top.
  4. Rich

    Old Movies

    Skied at the regionals in early 70's at Horton Lakes, no trees. Beautiful site at that time.
  5. Going way back a 66 Obrien hand tuned by Leroy Burnett. 9100 Goode hand picked with Schnitz at nationals in destin FL when no one knew what a Goode was
  6. That was fun to watch. I have the original program from the event. Looks like KLP won his division, as the guy before him ran 2.5, KLP fell around 4 I wonder what the winning score was? 3.5 @ 36 off remember that was pre metric course & ropes.
  7. You do a lot of things correct & seem to be a natural. Your reach is great, stack is great. Wider gate for sure to have better angle and run an earlier line. DO you ski much? You move around & break a bit, that's indicates a lack of fitness. WOrk on getting wide & fitness. To be good I need to ski 4 days a week minimum. Good Luck!
  8. Im a LFF skier also. Try getting wider on the boat. You have a step pad on the side of the boat, put a piece of tape 8 inches in front of that, that's how wide you should be on the turn in. If you have more angle you will be earlier at one & create the pendulum/swing that you need to run that pass more up course. The turn in looks good. Arms need to be straight and relaxed at the white water through the 2nd wake with hips up/ elbows glued to your side. The lean out from the wake should be counted in your head 1 and 2... glide, you can adjust that to get the proper width. I hope that helps, Good Luck
  9. Kirk "Hutch" hutchinson has a place there, I know he's skiiing a bit still. def still has a course.
  10. Rich

    Old Chris Craft

    I have a 1960 century resorter. It was a national tow boat. Skis great. Freesking is awesome. No wake no spray. I dont think it would be great in a course. Fun on the lake.
  11. Brett, you are a talented skier with natural ability. Time on the water is all about having a good time. You have the talent to run 38 every set if you want to pay the price. That's a personal question for sure. I paid the price for a few years, and now I'm still having fun & working on technique. I'm not sure if I want to get up every day and do plyo drills and athletic movement drills, give up beer, and focus just on skiing. Its all up to each of us.
  12. This ski is awesome, I will tell you most balanced ski I have ever used.
  13. The best performing for me has been Warman, I have never missed 38 there, it feels like butter. A really fun place to ski is Ski Paradise in Acapulco. Gordon & crew do everything 1st class! Another site that skis incredible is Valensin Ranch that Paul Crawford is running it
  14. Keatons very popular in early 70's on the Delta. Lloyd Fox, The Morrison's had Keatons. Sharp wake. Real flat bottom so you could pull them around. Nice looking boat
  15. Leroy designed the red white & blue Obrien USA EP model in 1971 as I recall. Then came out with an all white version of the same ski/mold in 1972 called the special. They also did an all red version. The white "special" ski had the color in the glass. The red white & blue & all red one were painted, so the paint needed to be removed from the bottom of the ski. Leroy said that when EP did the ski with aluminum honeycomb the ski was too stiff. He said the softer ski was much better. Bob LaPoint rode that ski with multiple tops such as Jobe ect… through out the 70's In 1973 Obrien used the same mold and added an aluminum top which made the ski stiffer, Called Obien USA Mach 1 As I recall the red white & blue & specials were coveted skis of the day
  16. Obrien all foam wrapped by fiberglass shaped by Leroy Burnett 1971
  17. Fun to watch, Thank Horton! I just spent some time talking old skool skiing with KLP & Bob on New Years eve 2020 in Tahoe. Talked about 66 & Leroy Burnett, KLP says he was the prettiest skier. Talked about KLP beating Bruce Fink at the 73 Nats in a fierce rain storm. I can go back and watch video of a lot of the 80's 90's 00's but to watch some real high quality video of the old skool skiing would be fun. Best comp I ever saw was multiple run off in 93 or 94 Destin FL between a very young CP & Jeff Rodgers on a Goode 9100 with duct tape over the goode. Ran 39' literally into the dark multiple times with them finally deciding to just run through straight down the course for a zero score a co National Champs EPIC!
  18. 32 is fun when I'm at my best I still always enjoy 32, and also love 37 38 is always a challenge & when I'm spot on I feel like I can't miss it and when I'm off it feels impossible.
×
×
  • Create New...