WATERSKI j
o
u
r
n
a
l
WATERSKI NATION Tour
season
is
not
over
yet!
at
least
4
pro
events
are
surviving the rona!
WATERSKI GAMES
this is not crossfit, this is waterski! WorldWaterskiers in association with Matteo Ianni launched some kind of contest that is about to rock our sport!
HERITAGE OF THE SPORT
The
waterski
podcast
is
now
a
reference.
Sharing
untold stories from the most interesting people that make waterski. Matteo Luzzeri makes the legacy of skiing something we can listen at.
°
N 1. AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
Edito
Freddie Winter on the way for the win at Travers Grand Prix 2019 / Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Why do another “magazine” for waterski… well just because I think we all miss it! Waterski Mag is no longer in activity. That does not have to stop us to talk, write and dream about waterski. Digital era allow us so many things! Why not try this? Waterski Nation gave me the opportunity to share pictures and videos of the best, the most crazy and finest athletes of our sport. We can also talk about it. Watch pictures with story that come with it underneath. Waterski Journal is not a proper magazine of course. But if you guys like it, we will put more into it. This first edition is an occasion to come back over the Moomba Masters. Last Covid-free tournament we ever had. And obviously, time to talk about the future. Especially because 2020 should have been the starting point of the European Waterski Tour, a new face for professional waterski championship. Thankfully, some great project are still on track: Vincent Stadlbaur’s amazing waterski video/documentary - Matteo Ianni Waterski Games project that will start in August thanks to the effort of Worldwaterskiers.com / the Flowpoint Method of Marcus Brown and Jenny LaBaw / Matteo Luzzeri’s podcast aka the waterski podcast… So many things that deserved to be share as many times as possible, as many ways possible! Ski great, enjoy! And follow @waterski_nation Gregoire Desfond
www.edgewaterski.com
www.edgewaterski.com
Waterski Journal N°1 8 Back on Moomba time to share the story of the 2020 Moomba Masters.
10 Waterski Nation Tour 2020 ? season has been totally messed up by the Corona Virus, is there anything left?
14 Stay tuned with the Waterski Podcast Matteo Luzzeri interviews some of the best characters in our sport and we love it.
15 Waterski Games: the rise of waterski Matteo Ianni and WorldWaterskiers are launching the new challenge for waterskiers worldwide.
28 Matt Rini - Word with the coach When the coach talk, you listen!
30 Lookbook our sport is beautiful, now is the time to share some great pictures of it.
50 FlowPoint Method: 2.0 coaching Marcus Brown & Jenny LaBaw approach to performance waterski
52 Meal plan with Ambre Franc Top 6 in the word, Ambre tells us what to eat. Yummi!
54 Portraits of the month
19 Featured Lake
Slalom: Dane Mechler Jump: Igor Morozov Trick: Erika Lang
Buy your ticket now for Orlando, you're going to Swiss Waterski Resort
60 EWT, the story is not over yet
23 Pro Tips : Freddie Winter
Learn about the next professional pro championship in Europe.
we ask a pro to share some of his secrets with us.
62Â Rankings who are the best nowadays?
26 A cinematic eye in the sport Well recognize driver and photographer Vincent Stadlbaur keeps pushing to entertain us!
66 Contact Keep in touch.
www.radarskis.com
Back on Moomba! Jacinta Carroll - source: instagram/@jacintacarroll
Close
your
,
Calm
.
eyes
outside
Imagine
powerful
a
. . .
river
underneath
The Moomba Masters is yet the only
big tournament that skied in
Banks filled with thousands of people
is
Speaker announce your name and you
event
.
have to jump into the water
,
that tide already
6
buoys
ahead
.
not even skiing yet
of
.
you
You
.
turn them no matter what
.
Feeling
have
.
the current
No matter the wind
matter
swell
the
. !
Here
to
No matter
we
No
! ’
go
It s
of
often
referred
for
the
,
,
despite
the
2020.
It
the
favorite
Not
because
.
obviously
all
other
.
tournament
Moomba
is
festival
that
during
brings
,
that river
thousands of people
.
blowing
jumpers
in
,
the
,
event
pro
,
set
night
daylight
The thing is
.
over the years
This
happens on the Yara River
the heart of Melbourne
,
Moomba masters
skiers
conditions
tournament
event
.
many
ski
as
the waterski became a full attraction
Notwithstanding that
that
is
simply
mind
,
Same hard conditions
…
has
turn
kicking
gone
off
their
brain
.
that
while
Pretty
ramp
A
sure
before
former
professional jumper told me the swell
,
was so strong one day
he could see
down
the bottom of the ramp going out of
and
the water times to times
… !
better be
on time when you go for it
Thomas Degasperi - source: instagram/@goodeskis
First
tournament
Moomba
.
March
great
last
Masters
The
. ,
one
year
favorite
of
2020 so
year
always
the
happen
in
edition has been a
Webcast
we
skiers
,
the
improved
could
properly
’
since
watch
even
our
if
we
.
didn t flew the globe to join the party
!
A lot of drama in the course
with
the
,
women
World
Starting
Champion
Manon Costard came as the favorite
.
for the slalom event
off
against
the
Ended up in a run
american
Allie
Nicholson who fought her way to tie
!
the lead
,
Coming up first of the dock
better
with
score
than
4@11 (38 m
believe
in
a
,
pass
and
.
Melbourne
!
either
previous
.
Manon
did
Defending
not
the
). !
off
he
had
title
champion
in
us
Thomas
5@10,75
m
Strong because of the bad
Struggled
,
after the buoy
5.
not
deceive
Degasperi scored a strong
(39
was
she managed to run
outrighted
Men
one
which allowed to
victory
done yet though
the
her
)
off
she set a
Good
behind
the
4
boat
but managed to turn
performance
.
afterall
,
Following him on the same score
World
record
Promising
Nate
a
went
managed
fine
first
to
Finishing
holder
with
his
the
an
for
off
m
amazing
). 2
off
buoys
performance
. . … (39 ). Smith
the
run
10,75
take
3@10,25 (41 2019 m
fight
in
Nate
title
and
off
score
of
short
of
were
he
tied
up with Will Asher to set the course
.
record
The
Italian
,
chase Smith
. °5,
line
,
to
10,75
m
Tgas fell at buoys
a little bit too much on the back
,
of the ski
for
strong
solid start at the
Unfortunately
n
came
the
.
boat
’ 450
that didn t set him up well
pull
of
the
horsepower
,
Trick wise
the young Pato Font continued to secure his
dominance and scored an amazing
,
final
leaving
Llewelyn
(2 ) , nd
competition
Gay
and
no
chance
and
Joel
to
his
Poland
11 740
points in the
competitors
(3 ). rd
In
the
Dorien
,
Erika Lang won the title once again
Giannina
Bonnemann
joined
her
'
women s
Anna
onto
the
.
podium
,
Jumpers are crazy
they have to leave it on the dock and
.
go kick that ramp as hard as they possibly can
,
end
the living legend Freddy Krueger came up longer
than
the
others
,
Morozov though
and
. 1
won
foot
longer
than
Igor
who delivered a strong performance
and put himself in a position of being a strong contender
with a
river
65 (213 )
for
m
m
ft
another
55,2 (181 ) ft
.
jump
Jacitta Caroll flew over the
consecutive
year
and
.
jump
Yarra River, Melbourne, Australia - source: instagram/@nautiqueboats
Podium slalom men - source: instagram/@this_is_tgas
At the
Podium slalom women - source: instagram/@manon_costard
won
with
a
2020
WATERSKI NATION TOUR what's the plan ? No need to talk about the covid again. 2020 is not happening as it should. Tournaments got cancelled for the safety of us all. A wise decision I believe. The most important is to face those events and come back stronger next year. Elite points are not going to be allowed this year so Masters’ spot are secured for next year.
Regina Jaquess at 2019 Swiss Pro Slalom - Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Also, we might have a small professional season thanks to the work and perseverance of few people. And this is exciting for us! Here is the plan: there are supposed to be 4 tournaments across the US from August 15th until October 11th. Maybe a fifth tournament would be in preparation in the Orlando area but nothing is confirmed yet. All this is subject of modification obviously. We hope they are going to happen.
MEN SCHEDULE Hilltop pro am,
WOMEN SCHEDULE August,
Stillwaters pro,
August,
Arlington, WA
14-15
Oconomowoc, WI
14-15
Malibu Open,
Sept,
Malibu Open,
Sept,
Charleston, SC
Travers Grand Prix, Groveland, FL
11-12
Sept, 24 - 25
Charleston, SC
Travers Grand Prix, Groveland, FL
11-12
Sept, 24 - 25
Swiss pro slalom,
Oct,
Swiss pro slalom,
Oct,
Clermont, FL
11th
Clermont, FL
11th
4 names to remember. The good news is that they are all supposed to be broadcast under the supervision of Vincent Stadlbaur and the Waterski Broadcasting company! That’s obviously the best part. We will follow the action. Waterski Nation will award a special prize over those tournaments results. Name it the Waterski Nation Tour. A special ranking will be organize for this purpose only and award the best skier of the season. All instruction will be released soon on www.waterskination.com and obviously their instagram account @waterski_nation
Matteo Luzzeri interviwing 2x world champion and italian teammate, Thomas Degasperi - source: instagram/@luzzgram
It has been a few months now that we all listen to waterski stories while driving our car or sitting in our rocking-chair. Hearing about the story of young and less young personalities of the sport has brought good times to many. The magic of The Water Ski Podcast is brought about by the magnificent subtlety of the interviewer, professional water skier and PhD in sport psychology, Matteo Luzzeri.
stay tuned with
THE WATERSKI PODCAST He manages to walk us through past events and inside the industry of waterskiing. Sharing his microphone with all time legends like Thomas Degasperi, Will Asher, Trent Finlayson, Jay Bennett, Wade Cox, Chris Parrish, Jennifer LaPoint, and Adam and Cory Pickos. He also gives space to new kids on the block like Robert Pigozzi or Jaimee Bull. And, he does not shy away from good chats with top elite skier like Freddie Winter, Erika Lang, Manon Costard, Dane Mechler, Corey Vaughn, and Igor Morozov. He also shares more untold stories from insiders of the sport like Vincent Stadlbaur and his Waterski Broadcasting company crew Tony Lightfoot and John Waldon, photographer Thomas Gustavson, and former pro turned movie director Marcus Brown. Plus, he has been picking the brains of top officials like Mario Pigozzi and Candido Moz. An entertaining way to learn about the sport, how it grew, what it was and where it is going. Walking around the history of water skiing from past and present, Matteo Luzzeri is building a heritage of the sport we are all thankful he shares with us. The Water Ski Podcast is a “must listen” that has become a classic rendez-vous for people like us, passionate about water skiing.
Matteo Luzzeri interviwing coach legend Jay Bennett- source: instagram/@luzzgram
The Waterski Games is a project I have developed in conjunction with World Water Skiers, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote, market and advance knowledge of the sport of water skiing (https://worldwaterskiers .com/foundation/ ) Most skiers are familiar with the radical differences in scores between one tournament and another. Apart from weather conditions (that are never the same), slalom courses, ropes and boat paths are always different. A tournament can follow world record tolerances but still transform a 39 off into a 38 off. As a result, ranking list scores are not as comparable as one might think.
It occurred to me that one way to reduce this disparity could be to calculate how much each skier advances, relative to the boat, at every buoy. By knowing the advancement value (in degrees) and adding it to the reach of the skier (in cm/inches) one could calculate with a sufficient level of accuracy whether all tolerances were met. Allowing any skier, anywhere in the world, to be able determine line lengths by themselves without judges or difficult instruments, has the potential of revolutionizing how record tournaments are done. Anyone could record a ski set and prove that their score was legit! (Dr. Micheals would have never happened if this existed ;P )
But how could I calculate that angle reliably and easily? I first developed an Augmented Reality app that could place a 3D object extending from the pylon of the boat. The app allows for clear visual proof that a skier was (or wasn’t) reaching the right “height” relative to the boat for each specific rope length. This route had a technical hurdle to overcome, though. To trigger the Augmented Reality object I needed a fixed anchor image on top of the pylon. I needed to develop a specific pylon mount, manufacture it and distribute it to all skiers who want to use this system. This would not have worked on a global level.
During the first phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, dusting off some toys I had at home, I found a 360 camera I had used last year for fun. I looked up how accurate these cameras were at evaluating the space around them and quickly uncovered that they are quite good at measuring angles! I couldn’t believe I had not thought of this solution earlier. 360 cameras are now everywhere. People can buy them on amazon or in any electronic store starting at 150 dollars. I immediately hired a software developer to create a custom 360 video player for waterskiing that would easily let me measure these angles. The result was great!
The goal was not to profit from my idea, but I wanted the world of waterskiing to benefit from it. Talking about this to Marcus Brown he suggested to contact our good friends Tom Grey and Jaret Llewellyn, who are the spearhead of worldwaterskiers.com. Marcus, Tom, Jaret and I arranged a call and from that call, our vision just meshed together. They loved the project and explained how the WWS platform could make my idea come to life. So I decided to donate all the work I had done, including the softwares, to the non profit and we started working together on the online platform to launch our new way of competing.
Tom then implemented a Leaderboard and tournament entry interface in less than a month in order to launch the project this summer. I have to say… he did an incredible job and the end result looks amazing! Moving forward, we will deploy the platform in 2 stages with 2 different types of tournaments: C-Class and Record Tournaments. On the 1st of August we will launch the C-Class events to provide the waterski world some additional motivation to go out and get back into the competitive waterski mode after months of uncertainty. Then, once we are all once again stoked on tournament skiing, we will have partnered with Ski Schools and Ski Clubs all over the world to launch our Record Tournaments with 360 Cameras.
How do these C-Class tournaments work? First of all you don’t need a 360 camera. You can simply use your smartphone. Second of all… the events are completely free. Entry does not cost anything to the skiers! You just have to sign up on worldwaterskier.com, if you haven’t done so already, and enter all the mandatory information required to compete, which will only stand to complete your personal profile and bio on the WWS site. Once logged in, these are the steps needed to participate in our C-Class tournaments: -Enter an active tournament by simply clicking on an icon in the dedicated “Waterski Games” section. -The system automatically generates a numeric code that will identify your specific performance. -Following the rules provided on the website, you will have 72 hours to upload the video of your performance on Youtube, Facebook or Instagram and paste the link to it on the dedicated section on worldwaterskiers.com. -Enter your provisional score, and your performance (score and video) will immediately appear on the world wide Waterski Games Leaderboard. Users will be able to see all scores and videos of all performances on the Leaderboard. Custom filters will allow to sort the scores by any variable they want, sex, age division, nationality, ski used, boat manufacturer… It is incredibly fun! On the 1st of August we welcome the whole waterski world on the platform! Go to worldwaterskiers.com, get your profile ready to compete, and swerve your way up the leaderboards!!
Matteo Ianni
www.kdwatersports.com
FEATURED
E K LA
Swiss Waterski School is already one of the most famous lake in the world. Though, it is well deserved! First of all, this is my favorite ski site in the whole world. Talking to fellow skiers around, I am not the only one. Most of skiers there have been going there for years. The thing is, once you ski there, it become really hard to go somewhere else. Two handmade lakes: Stefanie and Caroline. Host of the Swiss Pro Slalom, an event that became a reference on the pro tour and delivered a fantastic show over the past editions. Last man to get the victory there? Will Asher… a man you can see time to time over there. It is none secret that Swiss Ski School is driven by excellence. Committed to deliver the best experience for skiers and focusing on performance as much as pleasure. Hometown boy, Benjamin Stadlbaur (top 9 on the world ranking list) is a proof of the efficiency of the school. Good news is you can also sleep onsite. Swiss Waterski is a resort, surrounded by beautiful villas for rent with your friends or family. Less than an hour from downtown Orlando. Looking forward to see you there folks!
Contact: www.swisswaterskiresort.com email: ski@swisswaterskiresort.com Phone +1 407 968 3481 Swiss Waterski Resort 13344 Skiing paradise Blvd Clermont, FL 34711 - USA
FEATURED
E K LA
Swiss Pro Slalom is an event that the pro scene is waiting for every year. Perfect conditions are reunited to delivered the greatest show waterski is able to! Last edition did not desappointed with a fantastic run-off between star girls: Whitney McClintock-Rini and Regina Jacquess. The defending champion Regina, finally managed to run 10,75m (39off) and secured her title. Will Asher, signature turn, 2nd buoy - Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Overall world record holder, Adam Sedlmajer on the starting dock- Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Men wise, the all-time legend Will Asher delivered an astonishing performance and won his first Title here on Lake Caroline.
Definding champion, Regina Jaquess - Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Sacha Descuns - cover pic
Benjamin Stadlbaur - Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Father and son, organiser and skier, Clint and Beny Stadlbaur - Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Inside run off: Mario Pigozzi, Sergio Font, Regina Jacques & Whitney McClintock-Rini - Ph. Gregoire Desfond
www.aidecrew.com
PRO TIPS freddie
winter
THE GATE
The Gate Pull Out Paradigm
Over the course of my increasingly deep dive into
skiing
I
have
come
to
realise
how
As a kid I used to see the importance put
misguided my earlier thinking was. There are
upon
every
no more important parts of the course than
coach I talked to as slightly ridiculous and a
the pull out, glide and turn that we all have to
little
do
the
pre-entry
frustrating.
My
gate
young
set
up
mind
by
was
solely
in
order
to
run
the
slalom
course
focused on turning buoys and saw the swing
effectively. This has been underlined not just
out to the left, to where there were none, as
by my experience but from watching those
something of an inconvenience; a necessary
around
me.
evil in my pursuit of slalom course dominance.
training
partner
I would be told I had to focus more on this
every detail of his gate pull out and glide to
area but I was convinced that a big buoy 1
the point of a (healthy) obsession. The chap
turn could and would set everything right and
has
the course could be run from there.
encouraged me to focus even deeper on this
set
A
really of
world
top
mine
level, is
records
sometime
occupied
so
with
naturally
it
area of the slalom course.
My own gate has seen a few iterations over the years. I started out, as we mostly all do, using
the
traditional
two-handed
approach
before moving to the one-handed gate that, beyond helping my scores, tickled my desire to be on the cutting edge (one hand gates were oh-so-trendy back in the mid-00s). I’ve since
moved
necessarily
back.
‘better’
I
don’t
than
the
believe other
one as
is
both
have their strengths and weaknesses but what is certain is that no matter which approach is used there are definitive areas that must be considered equally for both. The following is a brief
explanation
of
my
thinking
comes to performing a perfect gate.
when
it
The tennis ball fall Probably the hardest part of the gate is understanding exactly the point when the skier should turn in towards the gate. Confusingly, this is not actually a physical point relative to the gates but a speed relative to the boat. The best point for the skier to turn while maximising control, swing and therefore width is when the skier is going at about the same speed as the boat itself.
An easy way to think about this is to use the metaphor of throwing a tennis ball in the air. As you throw the ball up it moves to a point of maximum height where it is neither moving up nor down: an equilibrium. After an initial acceleration up the ball decelerated to a point where it has zero velocity before inevitably falling down. This equilibrium point is exactly the point at which a skier should aim to turn in. At equilibrium the skier has no excess speed relative to the boat which would result in slack through the turn or too little speed which would decrease width and make swing harder.
My advice: if in doubt, pull out early and miss the gate when trying to feel this. Feeling the correct swing and getting across to buoy 1 balanced is paramount, even if it means not being tournament legit. Once this is mastered, pull out later and make the gates every time.
The pull-out pyramid To put it in very basic terms, there are three variables that govern the incredibly crucial level of speed the skier will have when they turn in to cut through the gates towards buoy 1. These three are closely linked and depend on one another in shaping the perfect pull out (hence ‘pyramid’). These are:
- The initial pull out point.
- The intensity of this pull.
- The pull out length.
a
How much pressure the skier puts on
How long the level of intensity is held
wide point close to or past turn buoy
the line and ski to create speed out
for
width from just to the left of the wake.
wide.
pressure
This is generally measured relative to
acceleration.
Where
the
skier
starts
to
move
to
the proximity of the boat or the skier to the green pre-gates. Later pull out, less time to get wide (and less time before turn in point).
More
pressure,
more
before
the
and
skier
enters
releases the
‘glide’
the or
deceleration phase. Longer pull, more speed at turn in point.
When
these
variables
are
balanced
and
coordinated the result will be a perfect pull out. The skier will have optimum speed, width and balance when they turn back in towards the gate itself. Conversely, of course, if even only one variable is under or overcooked, the pull out will be off and the skier will be forced to turn in with less than perfect speed, width or control. For example, if the pull out is in the right spot and the level of intensity is right but it is held for too long the skier will overshoot the gate and turn into slack.
For the more prevalent two handed gate, an overall marker for many is to pull out when the boat is one boat length (6m) in front of the pre-gates.
This
point
of
but,
is
a
course,
solid this
ball-park can
be
starting modified
depending on boat speed, line length or simply skier preference.
Ph. Eudes Metivier
Pull out intensity and length are so easy to get wrong but the fix is easy. I often see skiers go extremely hard against the boat very soon after their pull out point and then stand up quickly after a short pull. In this case, acceleration is high so speed is achieved but it is done so in an uncontrolled manner. At this point the skier has very limited ability to adjust their speed and must simply make do with what they have. I favour a more controlled, lower intensity pull out over a longer period. If the skier feels they have too much speed they can decrease the length of their pull and vice versa. The further benefit is the skier maintains better balance, a crucial but often underrated benefit in slalom skiing.
Above all consistency is about the most important thing for perfecting a gate pull out. Given the multiple variables
described
above,
it’s
crucial to focus on changing one at a time. Limiting variables is the best way
to
see
what
works
and
what
does not. If everything is changed at once
then
the
understanding
skier of
will
what
have
made
no that
one gate the best there ever was or a horrific disaster.
Freddie Winter
A CINEMATIC EYE IN THE SPORT -VINCENT STADLBAUR
You all know Vincent. Whether you have seen one of his photography, whether you have watched a waterski webcast, whether you have been driven by him on a tournament or at Swiss waterski resort, whether you have watched waterski videos on youtube. Vincent Stadlbaur is a “swiss knife�. He does a lot for the sport and keeps pushing forward! Graduated from Full Sail university in Orlando, cinema & tv industry oriented, he might be the most legit person to do video of guys and girls on a ski. Thankfully, he does!
Click to play
Last great achievement “Story of a champion” starring Nate Smith. World champion and world record holder. The video goes through the whole journey of the athlete, starting with his early age on a ski and going through his career. A kind of documentary that should be stream on Netflix! It’s hard to write about something so visual, but one thing is certain, Vincent has developed a proper pattern over his videos. Getting shots always closer, from angle we did not think about before. The kind of shot that requires preparation plus a full trust and commitment from both skier and the team behind the camera. Best advice right now? Open your laptop, go to YouTube, look for the Waterski Broadcasting company channel and enjoy the show! Stay tuned for the next big release, I heard we are about to see some jumps … Gregoire Desfond
@vincephotography
WORD WITH THE COACH
M A T T R I N I A r e
y o u
c o a c h e d
Think about some of your main keys that help your slalom. Everyone has a short script of a few key technical elements that they know work and make them ski better. Some you may have got from a coach or some you may have figured out on your own and some you may have acquired from watching other skiers. Now if you break down those keys do they trace back to the big picture of slalom taken at 30,000 feet or are they simply band aids to help compensate for some bigger issues in your technique that you may not understand?
o r
b e i n g t a u g h t ?
There is a big difference from being coached and being taught. Being coached is like when you help someone with their math homework but basically do it for them. Yes it gets the assignment done and they may kind of understand it but without you holding their hand every time they do it more then likely they will have problems and need you to get through it next time. Being taught is taking the time to break down each step until the person truly knows it, from that point they really don't need much help in the future until something harder comes along. If they have to do that kind of math again they will be fine and will have the skill for life.
Waterski instruction is much the same. Having a skiers understand the “goal” of slalom is key before they can truly understand at what point they are at and where you need to begin to break down the barrier that currently holding them back. “Technique” is fancy word that describes a series of movements that we go through to try and make our ski do what we want it to do when we want it to do it! But do you know what you want your ski to do?! If a coach helps you understand the big picture then all the exercises/drills or techniques he has you do should be helping you reach the goal. Understanding how the ski works in the water at different times in the course is step one…once you understand this then any body movements should compliment what you want the ski to do and where you want the water to be breaking on it at every point in the course. Many times i have students at the school who say “this person told me to do this” so i ask them is this what you want your ski to do here? Never forget for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction…this could not be more true as our sport is performed on an unstable surface. There are 3 planes of balance and if we move 1 plane then the other 2 will automatically adjust. Nothing on a slalom ski is ever static.
I have always found that once i explain the big picture of slalom and help skiers understand how the ski reacts with the flow of water at difference points in the course then the “technique” becomes very simple and they can take away all the band aids and focus on the main issues that are holding them back. MATT RINI
www.mattrini.com
Neilly Ross / Ph. Vincent Stadlbaur
Will Asher, 2019 Travers Grand Prix / Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Thomas Degasperi / Ph. Tiare Miranda
Regina Jaquess / Ph. Spencer Shultz
Freddy Krueger, US Masters 2019 / Ph. Vincent Stadlbaur
Robert Pigozzi, 2019 Swiss Pro Slalom / Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Freddie Winter / Ph. Spencer Shultz
Pato Font, 2019 Worlds Championships, Putrajaya, Malaysia / Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Sacha Descuns at Fungliss, Dommartin, France / Ph. Gregoire Desfond
Blaze / Ph. Tiare Miranda
How committed are you, to becoming the best skier you can be? That’s the question upon which we built the FPM.
Marcus Brown
Jenny LaBaw
Moomba Masters and US Open Champion 20+ years of coaching expertise and knowledge .Ski and Boat Designer (HO Skis and MasterCraft Boats)
BA in Fitness and WellnessNational Strength and Conditioning Certified Personal TrainerCertified Nutritional Therapy PractitionerCertified Mobility Specialist Lifelong athlete
10 years ago, when we traveled the country on the Face To Face Tour, we realized there was a huge
gap
skiing.
in
We
the
way
played
skiers
around
approached with
the
their
idea
of
building some sort of online program, specifically for
skiers.
Unfortunately,
back
then,
the
technology just wasn’t there.
Within the past couple years, we again revisited the possibility of building an all-inclusive program for water skiers: all the latest information on water ski technique, fitness, nutrition, mindset, etc….basically everything you need, as a skier, to reach your potential on the water.
As a pro skier (Marcus) and fitness/nutrition expert (Jenny), we have put our combined 40 years of experiences, mistakes and successes together to develop an all-encompassing ski program. We believe this program is the best collection of information and resources, all in one place, giving you the tools to take your skiing to the next level. As we have traveled the world coaching, we have seen a lot of great things that skiers are doing. BUT, we’ve also seen some not-so-great things. We have used this knowledge to create a holistic program to improve your knowledge and implementation of skiing, fitness, nutrition, mindset and more.
The FlowPoint Method isn’t a one and done program. It isn’t a quick fix. It is a continually evolving program that gives you the best chance for success on and off the water. No more scouring the internet, navigating half-assed YouTube videos or visiting endless forums. This is your one-stop shop
Marcus Brown
www.flowpointmethod.com
It’s
been
a
long
time
since
science
proved
us
that
following an healthy diet and drink enough water can improve your performances in any type of sport.
If eating healthy should be an everyday concern, there’s few nutrition tips that could be very helpful with your skiing. These are averages advices, and I encourage you to book an appointment with a certified dietetician or nutritionist that will help you create your own diet.
Your last meal should be 3 hours before your ski turn: It will give you energy, and enough time to digest without feeling bloated, or sleepy.
Your meal should be high in carbs to give you energy, moderate in proteins and low fat, because they take longer to digest. If possible, don’t eat a meal with too much fibers : they can cause you stomach pain, and cramps. (Tips : if you like to have veggies and fruits, cook them. It will softer their fibers which will be easier for you to digest)
Examples for breakfast :
Exemple for lunch or dinner :
- Omelet with 2 eggs and a portion of
- A small piece of chicken + rice + a
spinach + 2 slice of bread + 1 portion of
little portion of broccoli + banana with 1
fruit
teaspoon of peanut butter
-
Greek
yogurt
with
a
portion
of
- A small piece of Salmon + pasta + a portion of zucchini + 1 slice of cheese +
granola + applesauce
1 portion of applesauce
AMBRE FRANC Ambre is a top Elite skier from France. #6 on the world ranking list Graduated drom Florida Souther College, Lakeland,, Florida Certified nutritionist
WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT BEFORE A TOURNAMENT ?
You can have a snack until 30 minutes before your set. Dried fruit (except prune that contains a lot of fibers) or fresh fruit (such as bananas, peaches...) 1/2 of an homemade cereal bar, few nuts and apple sour are perfect before a ski set because they give you energy very fast and does not ask for a lot of digesting work.
Ambre Franc
@ambre.francski www.ambrefranc.com
Slalom skier of the month
Dane Mechler WJ - How old were you when you started skiing?
WJ - Worse memory? You can choose, funny or serious hah!
DM - 5 years old. Summer of 2000 in Cincinnati, OH
DM - Junior Worlds 2013 - went to win, ended up last in finals ♂ - First pass of familiarization in Malaysia đ&#x;˜‚ thinking "is this real?"
WJ - Where do you ski now? DM - Little Mountain Ski Club - Charlotte, North Carolina. Moved here summer of 2018 WJ - How many set per week? DM - 4-5 days. 6-8 sets peak season if work allows.Â
WJ - Favorite training partner? DM - Giannina Bonnemann - keeps me in shape đ&#x;˜… WJ - Your ultimate goal? DM - Be World Champion, the dreamÂ
WJ - Do you have a favorite course? DM - Pickos Ski School - Lake 3 WJ - Favorite tournament? DM - Swiss Pro Slalom - amazing site, people, Webcast. US season kick off. That “summer is here� feeling. WJ - Best waterski memory? DM - Winning the U21 World Championships in 2015. First big title. Something I will never forget.
WJ - Best set up? (lake, time of the day, boat, pilote, ski) DM - Lake 38. Right at sunset, just after the glare. Keith Albritton at the wheel. Luzz watching. Fresh pair of gloves. Goode ski dialed in. Water mid 70s
@danemechler
Jumper of the month
Igor Morozov WJ - How old were you when you started skiing? IM - I started with snow skiing at about 2,5 years old and pobably around 4 years old on water skis WJ - Where do you ski now? IM - Mostly in Florida WJ - How many set per week? IM - Really depends on what I’m doing at the particular moment. Getting ready for the event or skiing and working on some new things. Usually ratio is about 3 days of skiing and one day of rest WJ - Do you have a favorite course?
WJ - Favorite tournament? IM - Every tournament I jump very far is my favorite haha I would say Moomba is great because of all the crowd and a downtown set up. But it’s quite nerve racking event. Malibu Open last year was my favorite, because I won WJ - Worse memory? You can choose, funny or serious hah! IM - I’m not a person focusing and remembering bad staff, so I don’t really know. Even if I skied bad or injured myself I was always able to focus on something positive. From a recent memory I would say last worlds were very lame... WJ - Favorite training partner?
IM - The bigger jumps the more favorable course. I like Palm Bay set up, lake Tennessee and Fluid in Florida. But the wind has to be right for the most fun! In Europe love to jump in Lincoln, England and Franz’s lake in Austria felt really good too.
IM - Stoked to have Rocketman behind a wheel for the most of my jumping training. He is a huge jump enthusiast. And it’s alway fun to jump and jumpchat with MegaDodd. Very inspirational dude.
WJ - Best waterski memory?
WJ - Your ultimate goal?
IM - Hard to say, because I have so many great waterski memories on and off water. I might be able to narrow it to like best 10 memories, but it’s a long story
IM - Most fun and happiness! WJ - Best set up? (lake, time of the day, boat, pilote, ski) IM - Yet to be determined! but no jumping in the mornings for sure
@igormorozov
Tricker of the month
Erika Lang WJ - How old were you when you started skiing?
WJ - Worse memory? You can choose, funny or serious hah!
EL - I was two years old when I first started and 5 when I started competing.
EL - My worst waterski memory is whenever I’ve fallen early in any major competition. A memory that stands out to me is when I fell on my first trick second pass last year at Worlds. I always have to remind my self tbt you have to have the bad days in order to appreciate the good ones.
WJ - Where do you ski now? EL - I ski at Crystal Point in Gilbert, Arizona and at Matt Rini’s Water Ski School in Orlando, Florida.
WJ - Favorite training partner? WJ - How many set per week?
EL - My favorite lake is Robin Lake in Callaway Gardens, Georgia.
EL - My favorite training partner is anyone who motivates me to be better than I was yesterday. My coaches Richard Abelson and Matt Rini have helped me a ton but I’d say my most influential training partner has been my mom. A lot of my sets have just been her and I and I’d say without her I wouldn’t be where I am today.
WJ - Best waterski memory?
WJ - Your ultimate goal?
EL - My best waterski memory is breaking the 11,000 points barrier last year. This had been a goal of mine since I was super young and to finally accomplish it was the best feeling in the world.
EL - My ultimate goal is to be a positive influence for the younger generation and to push the barriers of what can be done on the water.
EL - I take at least 5 trick sets per week. WJ - Do you have a favorite course?
WJ - Best set up? (lake, time of the day, boat, pilote, ski)
WJ - Favorite tournament? EL - My favorite tournament is the Moomba Masters in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is always so much fun and the energy of the event can’t be beat.
EL - My favorite setup: Boat: Ski Nautique, Ski: D3 Aira trick ski, Lake: Crystal Point Estates in Gilbert, AZ, Time of Day: The evening around 5pm.
Photo credit / Spencer Schultz
@erikalang36
Photo credit / Spencer Schultz
European Waterski Tour
the story is not over yet! As you may or may not know, 2020 was supposed to see the launch of the European Waterski Tour in association with tournament organisers and professional water skiers. Basically, the EWT will be a professional championship over the pro tournaments happening in Europe from June to August. Delivering points on every tournaments in order to set a ranking for this special purpose and at the end: tell us who was the best over the European pro season and deliver a cash prize.
Hopefully we will keep this set up for next year, otherwise, we will adapt. Sponsors are coming from other industry than waterski and will keep supporting us.Â
Original schedule for the 2020 edition of the EWT
The action will be followed by the great crew of the Waterski Broadcasting Company for most of them, guaranteeing a perfect webcast experience. The ranking and leaderboards will be available through the website of the tour: www.europeanwaterskitour.com Robert Pigozzi at French Mlaibu Open in Lacanau, 2019 - Ph. Eudes Metivier
See you next year, summer is going to be hot!
For any questions or contact inquiries please email: greg@europeanwaterskitour.com
www.watergear.shop
SLALOM RANKINGS
source: www.worldwaterskier.com
TRICK RANKINGS
source: www.worldwaterskier.com
JUMP RANKINGS
source: www.worldwaterskier.com
OVERALL RANKINGS
source: www.worldwaterskier.com
CONTACT www.waterskination.com greg@waterskination.com IG: @waterski_nation
Thanks to everybody that took part one way another to make this first Waterski Journal edition. To name a few Brooks Wilson and Radar Aide crew Edge KD skis Matt Rini Vincent Stadlbaur and the whole Stadlbaur family Marcus Brown Ambre Franc Freddie Winter Eric Franc Matteo Luzzeri les coureurs Valentin Lucas Matteo Ianni Tiare Miranda Olivia Merieux Spencer Shultz Pato Font Will Asher Thomas Degasperi Jon Travers Neillly Ross Eude Metivier Dane Mechler Igor Morozov Erika Lang Keusseoglou family Paige Rini Whitney McClintock Rini Roberto Pigozzi Marion Mathieu Ellis Scot Ellis World Waterskiers Givego FFSNW Watergear.shop Swiss Waterski Resort Monaco ski nautique my beloved parents and brothers
@waterski_nation