CP Gate Turn / Pro Ski Coach Water Ski Forum

miski · #1 Wed, Sep 16, 2009 5:55 PM

Hey WW, First - nice instructional animation in my video coaching session! I've been thinking about the gate turn a lot as you suggest, and noticed CP's gate turn in the video on PSC home page (LFF and all). After watching maybe 1 million times, I still don't see how the move starts other than maybe a 3" forward movement of the handle - other than that, legs, hips, shoulders don't seem to move.

I don't feel like I will get that turn by only moving my hands. Part I would assume is 34mph vs 36mph and line lenght difference, but still...

CP, if you are on PSC - great skiing man!

HO410 · #2 Wed, Sep 16, 2009 6:46 PM

All comments are based off of observation.

Parrish does a subtle S turn in his gate. He pulls out with space to coast for a beat or two. With what looks like a bias toward weight on the front foot, he makes a very small turn to the left (you can see this clearly in the right to left passes in the video Goode has up on youtube). You are seeing him pull his hands down as the ski comes back around from the S turn. The hands moving might be obscuring that, at this point, he also counters a little, and this is when he really starts to move. CP is very, very, very quite on the ski so you are not going to see a bunch of gross movement.

Last edited by HO 410 (Wed, Sep 16, 2009 6:48 PM)

WadeWilliams · #3 Thu, Sep 17, 2009 1:55 PM

First off, you have to qualify anything CP does along with the fact that he has huge arms and he's 8 feet tall. So it will change the dynamics slightly... he can get away with some stuff that we just can't.

The move starts as a result. You cant stay next to the boat forever right? So it's just the timing. He's rolling in with his speed... his ski is starting the turn as a result of reduced water speed... i.e., his speed = the boat speed = turn in starts with barely any movement

Hope this makes sense

SethStisher · #4 Sun, Sep 20, 2009 3:15 AM

I think it is important to note that the slight counter that you guys mention also causes his body to SLIGHTLY fall to the right and ahead...which begins the move toward the gate while speed is maintained.

miski · #5 Mon, Sep 21, 2009 1:10 PM

I wouldn't call that slightly - it's like a giant redwood coming down - maybe that's what the CAPS are getting at SS? It makes sense getting the ski to go left, the counter, and little handle move let him turn in like this while staying tight on the line - he only loses line tension for a split second. It's amazing though that all this can happen w/ so little movement - for me, getting the speed, load, angle timed happens about as often as the 9 planets align...

kstateskier · #6 Tue, Sep 22, 2009 8:37 PM

It might be worth noting that CP and Ian Trapp have a similar turn in for the gate (my opinion of course). But Ian isn't a GIANT so maybe we could better analyze his videos.