Water Ski
News Mashup
Rider Cup, Kneeboard Nationals Set
Thursday September 2nd, 01:01PMThe 26th Kneeboard National Championships will be held Saturday through Monday at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga. In addition, kneeboard athletes from the United States and Great Britain will square off in a team competition at the 6th International Kneeboard Rider Cup, Friday through Monday, at the same site.
Wakeboard Nationals Begins Saturday
Thursday September 2nd, 12:58PMThe 12th USA Wakeboard Nationals and 2nd annual National Wakesurf Championships will be held Saturday and Sunday at Lakefront Park in St. Cloud, Fla. Hosted by Time on the Water, MasterCraft of Orlando and the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau, the events provide riders of all ages with an opportunity to be crowned national champions.
2010 Under 13 Water Ski Team Update
Thursday September 2nd, 07:27AMIn accordance with the Qualifications and Procedures posted in the "Athletes' Resources" section for the 2010 U.S. Under 13 Water Ski Team, USA Water Ski is posting the names of the athletes who have currently submitted their letters of consideration 12 weeks prior (Aug. 29) to the start of the Pan American Water Ski Championships (Nov. 22-28 in San Bernardo, Chile). Note: this listing has the potential to change as submissions can still be received over the next four weeks.
Thursday September 2nd, 05:42AM
Thursday September 2nd, 05:19AM
9/2/2010-Heathrow
Exactly 1 week ago from this moment now, I was preparing for a trip to London. At this very moment, Terry Winter and myself are seated comfortably in London Heathrow airport, T-minus 2.5 hours until our bird launches for the West Coast of the US, scratching our heads a bit but generally enjoying this opportunity we've seized to attempt to be the best on the Globe at one thing: Skiing on Water.
How are we doing, you might ask? Well, we've done better.
Our spirits? Maybe we're foolish, but they're still high.... Why? Because we're not even close to done yet.
Terry Winter has notable titles to his name:
-National Champion: 1996
-2nd at Junior Worlds: 1996
-2nd at Junior Masters: 1997
-3rd Pro Tour Sacramento: 1999
-2nd World Cup Dubna, RUSSIA: 2004
-2nd World Cup Changshu, China: 2004
-Water Ski Mag Pro Slalom Shootout Champion: 2006
-2nd at Boardstock Last Man Standing: 2006 (best slalom event ever)
-2nd at Boardstock Last Man Standing: 2007
-etc......
My point, you ask? - At least one of us has potential. We've been there before....we'll be on top again....
So here we are, 2010....things are a bit rough. But there are things to look forward to. For instance, this past week....
Yeah, it has been rough....for us. But for the sport, its quite a different story. Amidst a Global economic recession, a flatlining past and a hailstorm of changes within the industry....Water Skiing is alive and well. Why? Because of events of the sort we just had the pleasure of experiencing, that's why.
Within 5 days time, we had the opportunity to ski 6 guaranteed rounds of pro events....3 in London at Princes Club (a fabulous idea might I add...a place where you can ski, ride the cable, grab a drink or some food at the clubhouse or simply sit back and watch the action with a cup of tea), and 3 up north in Wigan, just outside Liverpool at 3 Sisters Club. The folks in Wigan took it a few steps beyond, trusting us crazies with 70 mph Go Karts and double barrel 12 gauge shotguns. Fantastic stuff!! Add that to all the events thus far this season (Moomba Masters, US Masters, Global Invitational, Malibu Open & Alizee Cup) and it turns out to be a really solid line up. Very fortunate we are, us Pro Skiers.
The Future:
With things regarding the industry looking up, and water skiing in general making a comeback....us pros have an opportunity. We have a chance to push things to the next level. Its time. Its our time....you only ever get one shot at this life...
Thats where Terry and I are right now. Thats how we see it. 14 years ago we skied our first Pro Event: High Point, North Carolina. If fortune has it, we'll have another 14 years of Pro Events before we walk away.
I want to personally thank all the folks in this industry who have contributed to the experience, facilitated the successes, supported the skiers and fueled the passion.
Also, big thanks to my sponsors for keeping me going.....MasterCraft Boats, HO Skis, O'NEILL & Global Marine. You have kept me alive and I am ever grateful.
1 more event to go for the season.....Diablo Shores Pro am, Sept 17/18.
Stay tuned for more updates, stories, pics, vids, etc here at ShredsnDreads.com
Also, follow me at http://www.twitter.com/marcus_brown_ for updates from around the world on the latest happenings.
MB
Wednesday September 1st, 07:54PM
Believe it or not another fun filled and competitve NCWSA season is here again. Shortly after Labor Day 75 teams from acorss the country will begin competition in hopes of Regional and Nationals participation and titles. Univeristy of Louisiana will be looking to defend their National title, but Alabama and Lafayette are hot on their trail this year. It should be a good one. The 32nd edition of the NCWSA Nationals will be held in Austin, TX October 14-16, for more information click the Nationals link up top. This years wildcard and the 21st team for Nationals will come out of the West while we await the final wildcard team shortly after Regionals. Good luck to everyone and have a great seeason.
NCWSA Chairman
Jeff Surdej
New "Trained Driver" Requirements Set
Wednesday September 1st, 01:24PMThe USA Water Ski board of directors recently passed a recommendation from the USA Water Ski Risk Management Committee that requires all individuals seeking a USA Water Ski Trained Driver rating to pass a practical evaluation, in addition to successfully completing a boaters education program. This new program is a part of USA Water Ski's ongoing efforts to promote safe boating and skiing activities. This new program applies only to aspiring "Trained Driver" program participants, and does not change USA Water Ski sport division driving programs.
Athletes Of The Month Selected
Wednesday September 1st, 06:51AMUSA Water Ski has selected K.C. Wilson (Winter Springs, Fla.) and Lauren Morgan (Odessa, Fla.) as its Male and Female Athletes of the Month, respectively, for August. The U.S. Junior Water Ski Team was selected USA Water Ski’s Team of the Month. Wilson, Morgan and the U.S. Junior Water Ski Team are now eligible for the United States Olympic Committee’s Athlete and Team of the Month honors.
Tuesday August 31st, 05:00PM
I came across a great quote the other day while browsing The Water Ski Forum.com. The quote was from forum member "OB", and I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here: "Cheesy as it sounds, a lack of fear of speed, the feeling of falling all the time, and pushing the envelope on the water is required to get good...I find most skiers I'm around don't "get their fangs out" and ski hard enough to get it done" Sounds familiar. Until last fall, nobody in the boat had even caught a glimpse of any...
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INT Specials from The Wakeboard Camp!
Monday August 30th, 11:19AMLearn that new trick before the US Championships at The Wakeboard Camp! Attention INT Competitors! The Wakeboard Camp, in Clermont Florida, is running a great training special the week prior to INT US Championships. We are offering an extended training week for the price of a single week at camp. This special price gets you [...]
INT Partners with Dorsey Original’s Action Sports Furniture
Monday August 30th, 10:44AMTo Bring Amazing Awards to the 2010 INT US Championships. Dorsey Original creates exclusive action sports furniture, and now they have created something special just for the INT League. Prepare to be dazzled by an INT trophy unlike anything you have seen before. The INT League has partnered with Dorsey Originals to bring you hand crafted [...]
Monday August 30th, 06:41AM
U.S. water ski athlete Freddy Krueger won the men's jumping title on Monday at the 2010 IWWF Water Ski World Cup event in Chuncheon, South Korea. Krueger jumped 203 feet in winning the title over Russia's Igor Morozov (194 feet) and Canada's Ryan Dodd (192 feet).
Sunday August 29th, 06:43PM
The 2010 O'Brien Big Dawg Slalom Series, presented by Nautiques, continued this past weekend with the second and final qualifying tournament taking place on Saturday and Sunday in Windsor, Colo. Matt Brown (Chico, Calif.) won the event, scoring 4 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off in Sunday's head-to-head finale against Canada's Todd Johnson, who scored 3-1/2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off.
U.S. Disabled Water Ski Team Selected
Sunday August 29th, 02:23PMThe Water Skiers with Disabilities Association has announced the selections to the 2011 U.S. Disabled Water Ski Team. The team, which will compete in the 2011 Disabled Water Ski World Championships, was chosen following the conclusion of the 21st Duke Energy Disabled Water Ski National Championships held this past weekend at Hawthorn Lake in Danville, Ind.
2010 so far...& Princes ProAm update
Sunday August 29th, 06:36AMJust the other day, I was sitting with my buddy Terry Winter....who is also a professional water skier. We were catching up on some World News, and who was front page? Tiger Woods, of course. He was in the news most recently due to his performance....or lack thereof.
As a Pro Water Skier, I couldn't help but create my own thoughts on the whole deal. Mind you, these are just thoughts. Excuse me if I'm wrong, but everybody is human. OK, Tiger doesn't have the "Eye" these days....but whats the worst that could happen? Break a nail? Maybe get pissed and break a Golf Wrench over his knee? He's still making millions right? Shouldn't the news find something better to show us?...
Because heres the deal. As a water skier, let me tell you what can happen on a bad day...when things are not going your way....when life is weighing heavy on your shoulders: You get hurt. You are sidelined. You go home....empty, dejected.....
Even worse, think about Jumping! Can you imagine having to go jump 230 feet in a major pro event or suffer the punishment of being battered and bruised by the SportsCenter crew for losing your touch.....all after getting in a fight with your wife, getting a speeding ticket on the way to the lake, and finding out you're binding is ripped and needs repair before you go out?! Ya, breathe that set up in real deep and tell me how your stomach feels now. That's what I thought....gotta take a potty break right?
I get it. Golf is tough....is cheap (anyone can afford a ball and a club),....and can be done by kids from 1 to 92. But its safe.
Water Skiing is the ultimate. Doesn't matter if you're strong as an ox....strength isn't everything. Doesn't matter if your pretty as a fairy on the water, technique alone won't take you to the promise land. Even if you do have the strength and the style, you still need one more element: Lets steal it from our golf buddies shall we?? the Mental Game.
I love to ski on water. Why? Well, review the above paragraphs for most of the answer. It has it all.
Do I love to fail? NO. This season, the 2010 ski season has taught me a lot about failure personally. After a great few years and a few major wins up until 2007, I decided to shift focus. "lets promote skiing". So, the Face To Face Tour was born.
2 years and 20,000+ miles later, we had seen a lot of places, skied with a ton of people and hopefully spread a passion. It was a different experience...a very valuable and fulfilling time in my life.
So, this year, 2010, it was decided that our Face To Face Tour would be curtailed from the previous years, to leave more time for serious training and skiing again. Yet somehow I still found myself on the road for nearly half of the summer. Ohhh, life as a pro. Regardless, the training this year has been far superior to 2008 & 2009. I am fortunate to have a 2010 MasterCraft ProStar 197 sitting on my Summit Marine Hydraulic lift, and a solid HO/Syndicate ski underneath my feet. I am Lucky. Truly.
But this season on the water has been my worst in years. Is it age? 31 isn't that old. Is it burnout? NO, I'm more passionate, rejuvenated and fired up this year than the last two combined. Bottom line is the reason doesn't much matter.....its the struggles like this one that make us stronger. In the spirit of "let the journey be your joy", I'm going to continue fighting, pushing and learning....knowing that things will get better.
I've been on top before. I will be on top again.
The Princes ProAm Final 8 are set to ski in about 10 minutes. This event was the continuation of a tough event for me, as for many others. Again, just a stepping stone if you will.....These times will only make us more resilient, if we so choose to evolve from them. But as you can see from below, this event has been one of the toughest of the season. 6 guys at 2 @ 41 or more, and even more guys piled up at 3 @ 39, just out of the top 8. The weather was cold, water was rough, glare came on yesterday, some powered thru it though. The young french dude, Sacha, was the first to opt up yesterday: 32 head wind, 35 tail wind, then 39 into the wind AND glare....he barely went inside six. Ballsy move, considering the cut was only 3.5 @ 39....opting up means he has to run all 6 to get credit for any of it. He didn't. He paid the price. Jon Travers did the same....except his choice paid off, and he finished with a solid 2 @ 41. I opted up as well, felt strong at 39 but went down at 2.
So this morning, there were a lot of us ready to sell our soul to the man on the corner for some good weather and just a chance at making top 8. Actually, we weren't that desperate, but you get the picture. The weather was worse today. It was up and down, but most of us had challenging conditions. I felt it was more calm for me than others....the first 2 guys missed their 2nd pass tail wind. I opted up into a head wind 39 again....not as good of a start, but still ok into buoy 3. Screwed up. No one else did any better into the headwind, even at 38. It was tough. It was Princes, in true form. Hardnose Water Skiing.
Princes ProAm 2010 Final 8: (Top 4 seeds get to choose who they ski against from the bottom 4 seeds)
1. Jamie Beauchesne 2.5@ 41
2. Chris Parrish 2 @ 41
3. Jon Travers 2 @ 41
4. Chris Rossi 2 @ 41
5. Aaron Larkin 2 @ 41
6. Will Asher 2 @ 41
7. Nick Parsons 4 @ 39
8. Carlo Allais 3.5 @ 39
The Rest of us...
9. Billy Susi 3@39
10. Terry Winter 3@39
11. Fred Winter 3@39
12. Glenn Campbell 3@39
13. Tom Brantley 3@39
14. Sacha Descuns 3@39
15. Matteo Luzzeri 5.5@38
16. Romain Chambaud 5.5@38
17. Marcus Brown 5@38
18. Garth Milicich 3@38
19. Thibaut Dailland 5@35
And...the choosing:
JB vs Carlo
CP vs Larkin
Jon vs Parsons
Rossi vs Will
Currently its pissing down rain, and windy as all get out. Above are the matchups for the top 8.
JB vs Carlo?....I think I'll pick JB on this one...he's got the softest legs in the business....and he's got experience
CP vs Larkin?....tough one. Larkin was born with grit in his teeth. He's a Kiwi. Parrish is the World Record Holder. But his abilities and solidarity in adverse conditions is questionable on that Goode. In this classic rivalry, a Moomba rematch, I might have to go with Parrish on this one...but again,..anything can happen.
JT vs Parsons?...JT is on fire...Parsons is the sleeping Giant thus far this weekend. I see Parsons coming alive in the cold and blowing wind...he's from Utah! JT is from Florida...water temp 92 deg. Parsons is, well, a Yeti, but his home lake is 65 deg. Parsons wins this one based simply on comfort factors.
Rossi vs Willy....Willy looked awful good yesterday. Rossi did too. Its windy tho...and its cold. Willy is in his motherland. He's got soft legs, and rides that Syndicate A1 well balanced. Rossi likes to rotate a bit and fall back on the tail...I am gonna lean towards Willy on this one.
Updates for the rest of the event at Twitter: Marcus_Brown_ to follow me.
That's http://www.twitter.com/Marcus_Brown_
Till next time...
See ya..
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