Malibu keeps "Official World Record Towboat" title

[VinRLX]

I think the skiers can run that pass.  Unfortunately, only the really tall ones are going to be able to do it.  At 43 off there is a 5 foot gap between the handle and the bouy, I'm 6'4" and I got about 8' of reach from my feet to the tip of my fingers.  I'm not claiming to be able to get to 43 off just to clarify.  Take Terry Winter and everything is going to have to be perfect, whereas CP will have another foot of space.

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Something I've wondered about for awhile. Perhaps there should be a handicap system? And maybe, just maybe, there IS something positive that can come from buoys that move. . .

[skisix@38]

CC has the masters and they go to nationals and they still pull a lot of the record tourneys that are held in the South, that's where the records are set- in the small class R tourneys held at pristine sites. They have the opportunity, that's why I think it's so interesting. Don't get me wrong, I think the SN196 is a great boat to ski behind and truth be told my own top tournament scores are behind a 196(not the same one). I just don't think they are "all that". My top best ever though is Bu. I don't feel any difference between the the RLXi and the 196, I don't feel the prop rotation and I think that's a farce. I would take any boat with a great driver any day. My whole trip to Bell Aqua was pulled by a MB 190plus, I skied the best I've ever skied because a great driver was straight down the course. The world record probably won't be set behind any other than the big three only because they are going to have the boats at the tourneys that are going to being in the pros. I'm not saying they can't be driven within the tolerances of record capability, I drove the above mentioned MB and I thought it drifted all over, I'm saying that it's so much easier to do when the boat is set up well to begin with.

Six - is it that CC just doesn't have their boats as sponsors of the big events so they don't have the opportunities like Bu' or MC; do they not have drivers that are capable?  Also, when YOU ski behind a CC can you tell the prop rotation is opposite?  Lastsly how possible is it that a WR would be set behind a boat other than a Bu', CC, M/C ... do the other manf. have the handling and responsiveness to allow a driver to make a perfect pass?  (I notice several do not even get their boats approved as it must not be worth it to them).

On a different note 25K seems a little weak ... I hope when CP breaks the record with an 06 RLxi  that the manf. will show him some love since he is their skier ... I wonder if the manf. buy insurance against a WR (like in those golf tourney - hole in one contests) or if they actually do ante up the 25K.

I don't ski a course but for those who do .. what are the chances of someone ever getting a full pass at 43 off?  Is it up to the skier from here on out, or will boat advances help?

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I think the skiers can run that pass. Unfortunately, only the really tall ones are going to be able to do it. At 43 off there is a 5 foot gap between the handle and the bouy, I'm 6'4" and I got about 8' of reach from my feet to the tip of my fingers. I'm not claiming to be able to get to 43 off just to clarify. Take Terry Winter and everything is going to have to be perfect, whereas CP will have another foot of space.

The other advent for setting world records is boat and driver. Interesting to me that no-one is talking about CC because they aren't even in the running. Here they are supposed to be "the best slalom boat out there" and nobody came close to breaking a record with that boat. The boat and driver combination requirements are huge! Most drivers can't even tell +/-6 off center line which puts someone at 39.5' to 40'. 6' becomes a much greater percentage as the rope gets to super short lines.

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[Lakenut]

Question I've always had is whether or not skiers are besting WRs in practice

Probably so. Home lake. Own boat. Own driver. Skiing when conditions are perfect. Does it get any better than that?

[Toby]

on running 43 0ff:

Andy has said you need to be 6'8" to run it

Jamie B has said if you lay a hose out around the bouys you have to stay within 6 inches of it for the entire pass

Schnitz has said if they can get around 1 they can get round them all

ski six- i think CP has a little over 8 inches reach over TW as said in waterski a few years ago.

The real challenge now is 3, once CP and/or others start being able to come out of 2 ball ok it will slowly ( very ) get more at 43. coming out of 2 is a massive challenge right now and will be for some time.

Cant wait to see someone turn it

i think CP's practice pb is 2.5@43 by memory, so it is possible

time will tell

[billb]

For those of you calling for handicapping for taller skiers, forget it. Yes, being taller is an advantage during the reach, but we taller guys struggle a little more with balance. If height was such an advantage, shorter skiers like Bob LaPoint, etc., wouldn't have been such a force for so long. Height is only an advantage for those blessed with uncanny balance as well. Most of us don't have it. I prove that on a regular basis.

As far as practice scores, check this out from a Waterski Mag article :

Best practice performance?

Jeff Rodgers: 4 at 43-off.

Chris Parrish: 5 at 41-off.

Andy Mapple: 1 at 43-off. I've only tried it a couple of times in practice. Tournaments aren't won at 43-off. I do most of my training at 38-and 39.5-off.

Wade Cox: 2.5 at 43-off.

(I get the feeling that Parrish was sandbagging on this one, but check out Jeff Rodgers' score. As Tom Ruta would say, daaayyemmmmmm.)

[mlange]

Holy crap! 4@43-off???

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Probably got those big eyes rounding 4 and thought 'Hey, I'm gonna make this one!', then promptly fell flat on his face. At least, that's what happens to me...

edit: at MUCH longer line lengths and 2mph slower!

Edited November 3, 2005 by SunriseH2OSkier

[billb]

I did that once this summer, without the fall, though. I was having a great pass and after coming around 4, I just stood up at the wake, thinking I was done. Then I spotted the other balls and felt like an @$$. It was terrible.

[Toby]

check out the august/sept article on Chris. dont have it on me at the moment but im pretty sure it says he started running 41 off when he was 17 while working at trophy lakes. dont think that that is so impossible either. mateo ianni, is another 17 or 18 year old from italy who i would not be suprised if he has run 41. his tourney pb is one or two @ 41.