2011 Season Summary

Well now that colder weather has settled in and the boat has been winterized for a few weeks I thought I would write a post to reflect on the past season.

For the first time ever I was able to ski well enough to run complete passes at 15off @30 mph every time out until the last day or two.  I ran alot of multiple full pass sets and I think I am beginning to understand the overloading of the line at the buoy and trying too hard to ski a pass.  I actually ran 2 complete passes at 22off and managed to run 2@28off.  I began to speed the boat up a bit to 32mph as well.  Even my wife, who has been my steady driver since the beginning, said that she has never seen me ski so well.  The new Radar Theory is a much nicer ride than the old Kidder Redline and I think I have made the adjustment from the traditional wrap boots to the Bio boots fairly well. 

I think I began to struggle at the very end of the season due to less time on the water.  Through August and the beginning of September I was skiing about 5 days a week at least 2 sets per day but that dropped off due to schedules and weather.  The colder water seems harder to ski in and everything seems faster and more solid.  At the end I just kept telling myself that this is all part of the sport but to do real well and finish at less than your best was kind of sad.

Now I am busy enough that not skiing hasn't really bothered me but as the winter wears on I know I will miss it again.  I look forward to next season and new goals.  I would like to ski in at least 1 tournament.  I like the INT league from all I have read about it and with the wide ride division being based on ability it could be fun as well as challenging.  Last year the only tourney was in Dayton, Ohio, about an hour and a half from home.  That is the goal at least.  I figure that if I can pick up anywhere near where I was, I at least might have a chance to get a couple buoys in a tourney.  My other goals will be to run at least 1 pass at 28 off and be able to be more consistent in all my passes.  Less work, more fluid, less pushing the tail through the turns, more progressive load and the like.  But until then I guess its rowing machine time again!