Looking at the below image of JMac I am reminded of just how incredibly unlikely it is for a skier to actually score ¼ and even less likely it is for the judges to get it right.
At deep shortline skiers are traveling somewhere around 40 or 50 feet per second at the ball. To score ¼ ball the skier must lose the handle or fall in a space of LESS THAN 3 feet.
My proposal is that ¼ balls should only be awarded after video review and only when it effects a placement at a major event or a record.
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Watching live the buoy/pass is question at Swiss I questioned myself if it was a 1/4 or nothing, 1/2 buoy was not even in my thought process. As I could not know with any certainty, I would have given 1/4 buoy as the benefit goes to the skier. The critical question: was his front foot past the line (buoy/gate line) before the handle left his hand, clearly his ski never broke the 2,4,6 plane so 1/2 buoy it is not.
I am sure I have scored a 1/4 in practice but I can not remember the last time and do not have think I have ever gotten a tournament score of a 1/4.
Part of my thinking is that level 8 skiers and below skiers almost never actually score 1/4s.
The other part of my thinking is that I just do not know how judges can be expected to consistently get the call right because
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At 15 or 22 if you tried real hard you could stay outside buoy line and get a 1/4. Maybe an new challenge, what is the shortest line you can ski away and stay ouside buoy line until past next set of boat guides.
.
The confusion and errors it brings FAR outweigh the benefit of having that extra notch in incredibly rare situations.
However, getting rid of the 1/4 doesn't really fix the judging problem because you still have to decide between 0 and 1/2 which is still an invisible line.
I do have major issues with the inconsistency and misunderstandings of how its judged. As a skier, I know if I can get around the buoy to the 1/4 score area with the handle in my hand, I can turn the buoy and get at least another 1/2. The only time I would let go of the handle is if I know I can't get around the buoy still holding on.
With the skier's perspective in mind, as a judge, I will almost never score 1/4 if the skier lets go of the handle. It would have to be very clear that he was in the 1/4 score area and for some strange reason lets go. IMO, the only legitimate way a skier can get 1/4 is to be holding on to the handle, hit the buoy, and yard sale away.
Yes, its still a judgement call, but if the judges kept the skier's perspective in mind - that if you get to the 1/4 region with the handle in hand, there is no reason t let go - the calls would be much more consistent.
Video review is going the wrong direction and adding complication.
"Also, just three weeks after Thompson was hit with the four-shot penalty, the USGA and R&A released a new Rules of Golf decision decision (34-3/10) limiting video evidence in two ways:
1. If an infraction can’t be seen with the naked eye, there’s no penalty, even if video shows otherwise. "
The event judges should make the call with only FULL SPEED video if available.
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My opinion is that the only reason for a skier to "let go" of the handle is if he isn't going to get outside the buoy line - and no 1/4 score. If he is able to hold on to the handle and get around the buoy and keep going, it should be a minimum of 1/2. There is a very small window for a "real" 1/4 and in virtually all cases, that results in a yard sale. The judgement for that call is just as easy as knowing if the bat made contact with the fastball.
@disland, the reasons (IMO) that 1/4 scores are more common with shorter ropes has to do with several factors:
- faster speed at which the skiers are going
- the margin of error to get around the buoy or not
- knowing that the extra 1/4 will make a difference in placement, standings list or prize money causes the skier to go for it and sacrifice the body. If there is nothing important on the line, there is no reason to take the crash.
WRT significantly displacing vs grazing, yes that's absolutely part of the judgement, but at most short lines when the 1/4 is in question, grazing the buoy is enough throw the skier off and cause the fall - that's what happens in most yard sales. If the skier runs straight over the buoy, "...move it significantly from its position or temporarily sink it", it would not be unusual for the skier to keep going. Again, all part of the judgement call, but thinking about it from the skier's perspective makes a better judge.
I agree its not a perfect rule and is frequently judged incorrectly, but I have yet to hear a better suggestion.
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