Conference vicki::boats

    
    
    
    	Oh Praise be to thy VCR!!!!!
    
    
    	Thanks for posting that Doug.....

    OK all you WSki nuts...I'm gonna try to get this stuff on tape. 
    Unfortunately, I missed the 6/14 and 6/21 shows on ESPN, but I did
    manage to tape last night's '87 Worlds recap of the jumping competition
    (Sammy Duvall soared 200' to take the jumping and overall).  Does
    anyone know if last week's "Highlights- '87 Worlds" was the same
    as this week or was it slalom, tricks, or whatever?  I'll try to
    tape the rest of the shows.  And away we go........
    
    					...Roger...

    Roger, 
      I have on tape the 1st 2 hours (6/14 and 6/21) you can borrow
    it if you want. The mens slalom is definately worth it! (6/21)
    Doug.
    
    I also have all of last years ('86) Coor's Light Tour on tape.

    
    
    	Re: .2
    
    		Yeah Sammy was really flying! what a jump, that
    must be a real rush!
    
    		Just a comment about the commentary... Whoever the
    female commentator was last night would have done better to 
    remain silent. Every time she said something it was wrong.
    ie:
    
    	Female commentator: "Oh that was a great, a magnificent jump!"
    
    	Male commentator: "Bad form at the ramp, no spring on that jump"
    
    	Oh well......
    
    Rick
    
    Disclaimer.. This is NOT a sexist reply, I merely used female/male
    since I don't know their names.

    Re.3: Wayne Grimditch (male commentator) is an ex world champion
    jumper.
    female commentator (name?) is an ex recreational skier. I believe
    she said that she had "skied several times".
    

    Yup.  Doug is right, that was Wayne Grimditch, ex-world record holder
    in slalom (and maybe others).  The woman was Susan Hunt, and I have
    no idea who she is (or was).  I initially thought she was one of
    ESPN's commentators.  In my opinion, the only thing she did right
    was let Wayne talk about the technical stuff, otherwise it seems
    ESPN wanted someone who would praise just about every performance.
    Oh well, c'est la vie.  (Same disclaimer as Rick's [.4] applies). 
    Maybe they should have hired Camille or Deena!  :-)
    
    Doug, I'd love to get that (those) tapes from you sometime.  I can
    copy them (with the express written consent of AWSA and Doug Whynot,
    Inc.) and return them to you.  Let me know how/when we can do this.
    
    					...Roger...

    
    Just be glad ESPN doesn't have *BUD COLLINS* (GAG!) commentating
    these hot summer nights series.
    
    We tennis players have to put up with him and his flowery 
    commentaries tomorrow on "Breakfast at Wimbledon"....
    
    Jeanne
    

    re:.6
    Roger,
      I'll get the tape back from the friends' who "borrowed" it and
    I'll mail it out to you. Hopefully all the magnetic particles aren't
    worn off the tape from overviewing.
    Doug.
    (tonight, tricks competition taped at 87 worlds) 

    re: .8
    
    Doug...the VCR is set for tonight.  I'll be skiing tonight in
    preparation for our annual ski show on July 24th.  I'm the middle
    person on the bottom of a 3-2-1 pyramid.  Ugh.  These kids are getting
    heavier every year!  :-)  BTW, you mentioned once that you might
    need some bodies for your ski show in August (13th?).  Is this still
    true?  I mentioned this to some of the folks I ski with and they
    seemed pretty excited.  If the need be there, so can we!  Let me
    know...
    
    					...Roger...

    Rats!  I forgot to watch last night!  Was this the April 1988 Orlando
    stop???  I was there for that one and wanted to watch myself
    on TV. :)  
    
    Rick, did you record last night?  
    
    Jeanne
    
    
    

    Jeanne...I got it on tape.  I missed the first 20 minutes (but my
    VCR got it).  I believe this was the 1987 Worlds Mens Trick
    Championship at some lake (I keep forgetting the name) outside of
    London.  I presume you weren't at that one :-) ...
    
    		  			...Roger...

    Correct you are Roger, men's tricks from Thorpe Park in England.
    So much for the schedule in the base note! I'm sure they will all
    be shown, they'll probably just be a little mixed up. ESPN seems
    to be a year behind in their broadcasts.
                     
    Doug.
    P.S. I'll send you a mail message, Roger, when I send that tape
    out to you so you'll know it's on the way.

    Great, Doug.  I'll be looking for it.  And thanks for the name of
    of the tournament location.  They must have said it 50 times during
    the broadcast...must be those face-plants and barrel-rolls I took
    this weekend practicing my barefoot tumble turns. :-)
    
    					...Roger...

    Roger,
    
    I missed the ESPN on tuesday night,  could I borrow your tape of
    the tricks, I would really like to see those guys in action.
    
    Where is your ski show on the 24th being held? Can we stop by if
    we are in the area?
    
    Mike Smith  ZEN::SMITH  225-7237
    
    

>                                    could I borrow your tape of
>    the tricks, I would really like to see those guys in action.
    
    Must be a good tape! :^)
    
    Nelson
    

    RE: .14
    
    Sure Mike, I'll get the tape out to you ASAP.  I'm taping Doug's
    first 2 recordings of the AWSA overview and the Men's World slalom
    championships, so I should have everything next week.
    
    Our ski show is in R.I. on Johnson's Pond (or Flat River Reservoir
    to the old timers) in Coventry.  It's about an hour away from the
    Marlboro area and fairly easy to find...Rt. 495 south to 95 South
    to Rt. 117 west (I think it's exit 10B off 95), go about 8 miles
    (I can get exact measurements this weekend) on Rt. 117 (a few funky
    turns but there are signs) and the show site is on the left.  There
    will be a big sign and lots of cars.  Come on down!  We'd love to
    have ya.  It's located on a sandy embankment so bring a lounge chair
    if you like, or at least a towel.  There's refreshments (soda, beer,
    hot dogs?), hats, and T-shirts for sale too.  Look for my grimmacing
    face on the bottom of the pyramid, skiing the 360-around-the-boat,
    and driving another version of the 360.  If you come down, you're
    more than welcome to stop by my place and ski/eat/drink/go wild!
    In fact, everyone can come.  Just let me know in advance so I can
    get food/drinks.  Or you can BYO.  We have the grill, the fridge,
    and most important, THE BOAT!
    
    					...Roger...
    
    P.S.  That tournament on the 23rd is tempting, but we have ski show
    practice early on Saturday morning (8AM) and it looks like I'd miss
    the Men's division.  Fudge!  Good luck to you (and Jeanne?) though.
    Get in there and take home some hardware!

    
    I remembered last night and taped the show.  It was the kick-off
    tour in Orlando at Lake Ivanhoe.
    
    Camille looked like she was having problems with her shoulder,
    she did have an operation on her rotor cuff?? ... you could
    see it was bothering her as she came around the 3rd buoy.
    
    Susi Graham (champion/women's slalomn)....credited her win to
    her new EP ski and mentioned she had just recently made the
    switch.  
    
    Andy Mapple won out over Bob LaPoint.....I can't believe these
    guys ski at 35 1/2 , 2 buoys...   interesting to see the net
    protecting the driver/spotter from the rope handle in case it
    snaps back.
    
    Jeanne
    
    
    

    Hey Jeanne...
    
    Didn't you say that you were at the Orlando stop on the tour?  If
    so, was that you in the lime green one-piece flashing for the camera?
    Brutal!  :-)
    
    But seriously, that was a good tour stop.  I got it on tape too.
    They make it look soooooooo easy..."I think I'll do a WARM-UP pass
    at 32 off."  Right!  Oh well, keep practicing...
    
    					...Roger...

    
    Hey.....
    
    Yes, I was there for that one.....no, that wasn't me in the lime
    green....I was wearing a leopard print thong suit! :) 
    
    I was glad to see this event again because I missed so much trying
    to photograph these skiers coming through the course.  (Have an
    excellant photo of Bob LaPointe that I enlarged for my office).
    
    Did you see the free-style skier come over the jump, fall, get
    dragged a few feet on his back and then stand-up again?  That
    was interesting.
    
    Jeanne
    
                                                             

    Yeah, that was Mr. Freestyle, Scott Clack.  Reminded me of myself
    this morning doing barefoot tumble turns without the initial jolt
    of the jump.  :-)  Those freestylers are sick boys!  It's kinda
    funny, though, because one of them tried some kind of flip with
    two skis that is fairly commonplace with one ski and he got wrecked!
    Wayne Grimditch said something like "This stunt has never been
    performed in competition with two skis..." and I can see why.  Nasty
    fall.  You gotta wonder about those guys when they come up after
    a fall like that waving their hand "I'm OK" when I think it's just
    a nervous reaction...they're really saying "Holy S**T, that
    hurt...hurry up pickup boat, I need to suck some wind!"
    
    Sooooo, the leopard print thong, eh?  Gotta put that tape back in
    the machine tonight... :-)  And I thought you'd be bucking for a
    spot on the cover of Swimsuit Illustrated... :-)  Enjoy your vacation,
    and ski till you drop!
    
    					...Roger...

    
    
    re: Roger
    
    	The freestylers are no sicker than we are. They are just
    at a different level. You can't tell me that if you or I
    thought we could perform some of those moves that we wouldn't
    try them!
    
    Rick

    RE: Rick...
    
    Oh too true, Rick.  I think I may get a shot at learning some really
    crazy things this weekend.  A guy on our lake who is a rep. for
    HO skis told me yesterday that Tony Klarich (known in water ski
    circles as Mr. Hot Dog) will be performing in our ski show this
    coming weekend.  He's the guy who does the forward flip and side-slides
    on a HO slalom.  Apparently he's coming to our lake to give a kneeboard
    clinic on Saturday and when he was asked to stay for our show on
    Sunday he said "Sure!" and agreed to do a couple of crazy "hot dog"
    tricks.  I am psyched!  I hear that he's quite the party animal
    too and I'm looking forward seeing him perform.  Should be a hot
    time in the neighborhood.
    
    					...Roger...

    
    	Any openings in the kneeboard clinic.??

    I have no idea.  I think it's one of those "Bring Tony Klarich to
    your lake..." things that ski schools sometime do, just like Mike
    Siepel's Barefoot School has during certain months of the year.
    I would guess that a bunch of people kicked in some $$$ to pay Tony's
    expenses, etc.  But y'know come to think of it, the HO rep. said
    that he's picking Tony up at the airport on Friday so it may be
    a HO-sponsored clinic.  I'll call a friend and check it out.
    
    					...Roger...

    
    Speaking of Mike Siepel.....that Yamaha commercial that Mike's in
    is wicked!  Love the way he comes out of the water barefoot/backwards,
    and it looks like it was filmed in slow-motion.  No boom, just a
    barefoot harness and he's 10 feet (if that) away from the boat.
    
    Catch the Masters this past Tuesday?!  Good stuff, watch out
    Bob LaPointe, Andy Mapple is having a great year!  Thats' twice
    now he's won the men's slalomn.  
    
    Jeanne
      
                               
    

    
    These Tuesday night shows are becoming routine....I've got a
    great waterskiing tape in the making from ESPN's coverage.
    
    Last night the competition was filmed in Lansing, Michigan.
    Mike Khellher (sp)...and Andy Mapple made it into the finals
    with Mike K. winning.  This guy is 6'5 (Swede), and when he
    comes around the buoy on his strong side he actually hits
    the water with his shoulder and elbow, giving him the nickname
    "slam-dunk".  After clearing the 3rd buoy (which he needed to
    win) he slam-dunked a little too hard and slid into the jump.
    He wasn't hurt though....
    
    These guys had to deal with the variables, i.e., strong winds,
    currents, not conducive to giving their best performance.  In fact,
    it looked to me like Bob Lapointe came a little too close to the
    boat after missing the 5th buoy.  Scary!
    
    Roger, are you there??  How was your ski show?  Did Tony Klarich
    make an appearance or did you  get rained out? :>(
    
    Jeanne
    
                       

    I missed taping Tuesday night's ESPN showing...I fell asleep early
    watching a movie and didn't set the VCR.  Damn!  Oh well, I'll get
    the next one.  Anybody have a tape they wanna let me borrow for
    a day so I can copy it?
    
    Regarding our ski show, believe it or not we had it and it turned
    out great!  The rains fell Sunday morning until about 10:00 and
    then just stopped.  We cancelled our 8:00 AM practice and feared
    the show would be cancelled too, but Mother Nature smiled on us.
    The crowd filed in (about 1500 people, my guess being that they
    had nothing better to do on a cloudy Sunday) and we got under way
    on schedule.  The pyramid was nothing less than perfect, and everyone
    went wild!  Our 360-around-the-boat went well too, the 3-man was
    perfect (I was driving for that one), but one guy fell after the
    spin on the 5-man (I was skiing, but I stayed up).  The crowd liked
    it anyway.  We're gonna set up for 6 next year.  Oh yeah, and Tony
    Klarich didn't show up due to a screw-up on the part of the HO rep.
    One of the local ski shops was supposed to have a big promo using
    HO equipment but the HO rep forgot to confirm Tony's arrival, so
    by sometime last week he decided to go to a lake somewhere in Colorado
    and disconnect his phone.  Ah well, maybe next year...
    
    For anyone who has access to the Providence Journal (Thurs. 7/21),
    you can see a nice picture of me on a slalom ski with a fairly good
    spray (and no slack line either, Doug :-) ).  We were practicing
    the one-man around-the-boat.  They shot some pictures two weekends
    ago as advertisement for the show.  Boy did I have a big head on
    Friday!  :-)
    
    Oh yeah one more thing, I got a chance to go parasailing this weekend.
    Gawd is that neat!  Our ski club bought one this year (with a large
    donation from Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co.) and I went for a ride on
    Saturday...what a trip!  If you ever get a chance to try one DO
    IT.  It is the neatest thing since sliced bread...
    
    Hey Jeanne, how was your vacation?  Did you trick yourself silly?!?!
    And what about the course...you must be at 28 off by now, eh?  :-)
    Next week is ski vacation for me.  I'm planning to go nutso!  Can't
    wait.
        					...Roger...
    
    

Roger;

Re: .27
3, 5, and 6 man what?  

Rob

    RE: .28
    
    >> 3, 5, and 6 man what?  

    Why 3-man around-the-boat, 5-man around-the-boat, and 6-man
    around-the-boat of course!  It gets very tricky with 5.  We'll have
    to so some serious rope length computations to insure safety.  But
    I think it can be done.
    
    					...Roger...

    
    This week ESPN covered the Barefoot Nationals.  Ron Scarpa and Mike Siepel
were bumped out of first place in the Men's Wakes by a 12 year old, whose
been barefooting since he was 5.  In the women's division, a 13 year old
competed.  They sure do make it look easy. 

It was interesting to see the different types of events for footin'.
The mens wakes is judged by how many times the footers can cross the
wakes in reverse body position.  The footers lift one leg while coming
across the wakes.

In the trick event, the barefooters did a lot of moves that you see
trickers do, except I didn't see any wake flips or body overs.  A
popular trick seemed to be reverse barefootin' with the rope between
their legs.  

Oh yes, there's a jumping event (barefooting) also.  What will they
think of next? (probably barefootin' behind a plane or something sill
like that)! ... :>)

    Jeanne
    

      Jeanne,
    I believe the reverse barefootin' with the rope between the legs 
    you referred to is part of a line step over trick, just like the
    trick skiers do. The footers do a 180 then put the rope between their
    legs, then step over to the forward position. The trickers do front to 
    back and back to front step overs very quickly, but it is basically the 
    same trick.



    Chuck

Jeanne,

I thought the footin' was excellent, and where to those little kids
get off skiing better than us!!  I guess no matter how hard you work,
a little God-given talent can never hurt.

One thing I didn't see, and I consider to be very exciting is the starts
event.  At least I thought it was an event in competetive barefooting.
Is it?  Did they just not show it?  Did it used to be?  Does anyone
know?  Roger???

Also, in spite that the US is slowly losing its dominence in three-
event skiing, it looks as though the US barefooters are getting stronger
every year!!  Four pending world records were set at the US barefoot
nationals, one by a 17 year-old, and the other by a 12 year old!!!
With performances like these, the US's dominence in barefooting will
get stronger!  The future looks bright!  Good luck to the team this year
in Australia!!!

-ric.

    Ric,
    
       I didn't see a start event but, in the tricking event, the 
    footers had the opportunity to gain more points from the start 
    if they did something fancy.  They're taking a big chance with a 
    tough start though, if they miss and can't recover the scoring stops.  
          
      I'm not sure who is was, maybe M. Siepel, but he started his
    routine with a dock start.  And I'm sure you've seen Ron Scarpa
    leap off the dock and land on his stomach for the reverse start.
    God, I've always wanted to do that! :>)  Talk about a face-plant.
    
      Jeanne
     

    Yup, there used to be a "starts" event but I think they have since
    folded it into the tricks event, at least for the Nationals.  If
    you really think about it the start is just a prelude to something,
    so waiting for a skier to come around after a start then letting
    the water settle takes a lot of time.  So now you do a "funky" start
    for your trick run if you're brave, else you do a deep water start
    and play it safe.
    
    Ron Scarpa is the sick one who did the flying back dock start. 
    They don't call him the Raging Bull for nothing.  I think it was
    Bob(?) Fuchs (pronounced "Fox" by the announcer) who did a flying
    front toehold dock start (or maybe it was the Powell kid).  That's
    a pretty wild start too!  I managed a one-foot toehold deep water
    start and got up sliding on my butt, but I never got enough speed
    to stand up on one foot.  That's on next year's agenda.
    
    Hey, how about that 3rd jump for Mike Siepel?  He hits the ramp,
    catches a toe, springs forward OVER the jump and lands on his side!
    Had to suck wind on that one!  At 41+ MPH you gotta know that hurts!
    
    					...Roger...
    
    P.S.  Anyone notice the towboat at the Barefoot Nationals?  You
    got it, the Correct Craft Barefoot Nautique 2001.  They did use
    another boat (Ski Centurion?) with a Yamaha outboard for the jumping
    event.  No surprise since Siepel is a Yamaha promoter.

 RE: < Note 37.34 by ROGER::GAUDET "Ski Nautique" >


Roger,

The sick &*(%&() who did the flying one foot dock start was William Farrell
(sp?).  He is also known as the bayou boogie barefooter!

These barefooters are known as a sick crowd!  I guess you'd have to have
a few screws loose to go out and pull some of the stuff they do!!

They make it all look so easy!

-ric.

    Thanks for the correction, Ric.  I knew it was someone with several
    (if not all) screws loose!  Yeah, they do make it look easy, just
    like the folks who cruise a warm-up pass through the course at 32-off!
    They make me sick!
    
    I think we have one more ESPN show left...then it's re-run time
    with the VCR :-) ...
    
    					...Roger...

    
    Well folks, that was the last show :>(    A good one, though!
    This was an invitational only, the top 8 men and top 6 women.
    
    Anyone see Carl Roberge's winning slalom run?  Camille Duvall's
    remark was "he just fell 6 times coming through the course"!  Carl's
    head and shoulder practically went under water coming around buoy
    #1 and he recovered!  Then he swung around the rest of buoys very
    wide...(this must help when you're late?)...its was one of the
    strangest runs I've ever seen.  Did you see that Rog?!  6 @ 37?
    Also, Carl did a fancy dismount after his slalomn run, ended up
    in the reverse position, actually it looked like he did a 180 into
    a 360 but for some reason ESPN didn't stay with it!!! :>(
    
    Camille Duvall is the women's overall champion.  She does a good(great)
    job commentating.  She's much better than that Suzy whatshername?
    Camille points out whats' right/wrong about the skiers' performance
    as its happening.  Suzie whatshername usually says "Can you explain
    that, Wayne?"                
    
    Thanks Doug, for posting all the dates/time and starting this note!
    
    JD/

    Yes, Carl was great! He looked like he had trouble around #1, I
    have no idea how he ever did 6! He just seemed to throw himself
    down the course bouncing on/through the water. Not a very pretty
    run, but very exciting to watch, and the main thing, it got the
    job done.
    With the increase of interest in water skiing, ESPN will continue
    coverage of all the tour stops and any other competitions. I post
    next years schedule as soon as it's available.
    Doug.
    

    Yeah Jeanne, I saw Carl's run.  Boy was that something or what?
    Maybe I should try the body slam dunk technique next time I hit
    the course!  Could be interesting.  Unfortunately I've found that
    slamming the water is easy, getting back up is the tough part. :-)
    And at 36 mph with only 37' of rope the next buoy is there awfully
    quick.  How Carl pulled that out is beyond me.
    
    Camille is good on the mike too.  Sammy isn't bad either.  It's
    much nicer to listen to people who can make sense of what's happening
    rather than, as you said Jeanne, "Can you explain that, Wayne?".
    I didn't miss Susie whatshername either.
    
    Oh well, till next season... can't wait for the next tour.  I'll
    spend many of the up-coming winter nights watching this year's tour
    again and brooding over why I can't get out there and ski myself.
    Of course, one look at the thermometer and I'll get over that!
    
    And, I should hope that we can keep the conversations rolling in
    this notesfile.  It's just about all us folks north of 34� latitude
    have after early October!  (Hello Overton's, I'd like to order a
    dry suit with hood, insulated gloves, booties, ... :-) )
    
    					...Roger...

    
    There is waterskiing on TV tonight.  ESPN @ 10:00, International
    Tour. (R)
    
    jd/

RE: < Note 37.40 by PSYCHE::DECAROLIS "Left On!" >

	Jeanne,

	Do you know if this is a wrap-up show or another stop or
	what?  This isn't fair, them teasing us like that!  Just
	when I was preparing myself for a cold winter and lots
	of water-skiing reruns, they go and do this!! :-)

	I know where I'll be tonite!  Luckily I still have room
	on my tapes... for just one more show! ;-)

	-ric.

    Ric,
    
    It was a repeat, I already had that one recorded and everything!
    
    I bet we have a freak 80 degree day in late October/early November,
    and all the boats will be put away (but not mine!), so I'm not
    tossin' in the towel just yet.
    
    jd/

    
I thought Bob and Kris Lapointe's interview last night on
ESPN was interesting.  Bob talked about how technique
preceded ski technology, and how long it took for the
two to catch up to each other.

Kris said he had to relearn ski technique when the manufacturers
developed a more responsive ski, and how his brother (Bob)
adapted quicker than he did.  Both Chris and Bob, but more
Chris, are involved with designing better/more responsive
skis.

Anyone see the Mike Hjellander fall/face plant/cartwheel
allyoop?!  Why was he hanging onto the rope after his
ski had fallen off?!  :+)   Guess maybe he didn't know
he had lost his ski.  That fall gave another win to
Andy Mapple.


Jeanne
    

Hey Jeanne, did you get it on tape?  I missed it.  Darn!

...Roger...

    
    Yes I did Roger.  The fall was the highlight of the show,
    Toyota dubbed it "Crash of the Year".  I'll put it in
    the mail to you next week after I record next Monday's
    episode onto the tape.  
    
    This past show was a good one, they came close to
    breaking records!  I think Jennifer Leachman broke
    a previous record of her own.
    
    Jeanne
    

	Hi Jeanne!

	Can I get a copy of that tape, or view it after Rog.  Please,
	please, can I, can I?!?

	I only caught the last half of the show, women's slalom and
	men's jump.  Jennifer Leachman broke the previous tour record.
	I think it was 1.5 buoys at 38 off...amazing isn't it that the
	women have cleared 38 off entirely!?  FANTASTIC!

	See ya!

	-ric!

    I believe she did set a new record.
    If I remember correctly, Jennifer did 3 1/2 buoys at 37 feet.  I know
    nothing about records so maybe the above makes no sense to you folks
    that are enlightened.  The other finalist (Kjellender?) only made 2 1/4
    buoys at 37 feet.  I was really impressed with the jumping complete
    with back flips and rolls.  How they manage to land on their skiis
    most of the time is beyond me.  I'm happy doing a deep water, single
    ski start and then twice around Lake Monomanac before my legs give out.
    Wayne

    It was at 38 feet, not 37.
    

   
    I can never get those rope lengths straight either!  The
    ski school I attended last spring had a name for each
    take off length....anyone know?   
    
    Hi Ric, I'll get that tape out to you as soon as I can.
    
    Re:  Jennifer Leachman - she said she was skiing the
    course @35 off when she was 17 years old.  She was at
    first very competitive in basketball, but later switched
    to waterskiing during college.  Jennifer skis on a TRC.
    
    Re:  Mike Hjellander...Mike talks about *why* he slam
    dunks, and how getting that low to the water helps him
    get through the course.  Wayne Grimdich said its a style
    a coach would not teach to his student, but it works for
    Mike!  
    
    Jeanne
    
    
    
    
    

	RE: .48

	You were right the first time.  Her run was at 37 feet of rope,
	also known as 38 off...

	Jeanne, I'll be looking forward to seeing the tape!  Tx...

	Regards,

	-ric.

RE: Wayne ... I think you were right with 37 feet.  They talk about "X-feet off
the line" so that at 37 feet, you're at 38'-off (75'-38'=37').

RE: Jeanne ... I don't know of any "names" (like 22'-off is called "Charlie" or
something like that).  But on a standard slalom rope with "take-off loops" you
get the following:

	Take-off	Rope length from
	loop		pylon to handle

	0'		75'
	15'		60'
	22'		53'
	28'		47'	14.25 meters *
	32'		43'	13.25 meters *
	35'		40'	12.25 meters *
	38'		37'	11.25 meters *
	39.5'		35.5'	10.75 meters *

I don't know if they have a special rope for 41' (34' of rope) or if they just
measure and wrap the rope around the pylon the right number of times.

* You may have seen the metric values on ESPN (they used to use them, I don't
know if they still do) and are rounded off to the nearest 1/4-meter.

...Roger...

    Roger, this probably doesn't belong here but while you are talking
    about attaching the rope to the ski pilon (sp?), is there a proper way
    to do this?  I have the old style, a post with a big loop at the top
    and no little hook inside.  I just tie the end of the rope to it.  I
    know this is probably not the accepted way.  Am I missing some type of
    short harness or something?
    Thanks for the explanation of "38 off".  It helps to better understand
    what I'm watching.
    Wayne

Wayne ... I've seen about a dozen ways to attach the rope to the pylon, most of
which depend on the style of the pylon you're attaching the rope to.  I simply
pull the rope through the loop (any of the loops, for that matter) and slip it
over the top of the pylon and into the notch (or, for the older Correct Craft
pylons with the ring & finger, just below the ring).  This allows to the rope to
smoothly rotate as the skier cuts from side to side.  For reasons which escape
me, I thought I saw the guys on ESPN attach the rope with a very funky twisting
knot (which I couldn't reconstruct if my life depended on it).  Or maybe I was
dreaming and they use the very simple way I described above.

...Roger...

re       <<< Note 37.51 by ROGER::GAUDET "Because the Earth is 2/3 water" >>>
>                            -< Slalom line lengths >-

> You may have seen the metric values on ESPN (they used to use them, I don't
> know if they still do) and are rounded off to the nearest 1/4-meter.

	Me thinks its the other way around.  The international
standard is defined in meters and fractions of meters, the feet and
inch measurements derive from those and they don't come out exactly to
what we're used to calling them. 

Full line is 23 m  (+/- 30cm),   or  75' 5 1/2"  (+/- 11 3/4")
	     18.25m (+/- 15cm)	 or  59' 10 1/2" (+/- 5 7/8"

OK, no big deal - I'm not going to start asking for  "eighteen and a
quarter metres"  when someone asks me what line length I want to ski
at, or  "fifty four KmPH"  (-:, (-: 

	Reg

Hmm, well that's an interesting thought.  But I think you're just saying that
'cuz you want us to think that you guys from across the pond who are stuck on
the metric system are really the ones who defined the rope lengths!  :-)  :-)

Does anyone know for sure?  The idea of the lengths being originally measured in
meters (or is that "metres"?) never occurred to me.

...Roger...

ESPN will show (taped) the Masters Tour, tonight, 8:30