The Ultimate Duel Waterski Battle

Wish

Cirencester UK. Looks like a blast from their FB page. Does anyone have any insight? Pipe dream perhaps but would love to see this in the States. Especially at the pro level or a Pro-Am. This one looks like amateurs but well organized, cash prize and even recorded. Great showcase for the sport!!
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dvskier

I’m pretty sure that was done at Ski Paradise in Acapulco many years back.

Wish

@dvskier yes, it was. Nice to see it come back and branch out to a new location. Looks like there was 28 competitors bracketed. Also looks like a bunch of age differences. Maybe handicapped? Where could this actually be done in the states?

gavski

gavski

I was one of the event organisers - this has been 2 yrs in the planning.

The idea was simple - make a slalom waterskiing competition spectacular to watch and awesome fun to ski.

The format can be applied to Pro events, Proams, league & backyard. Also, how many other sports can you have elite men and woman competing with each other on an equal level?

The event was a huge success! Nobody died - although my iphone took one for the team and a drone became temporarily MIA at the bottom of the lake as it was taken out by some huge spray.

We are now in the process of collecting all the footage - from the development trials last year to the recent competition. We will be making a punchy PROMO video that we can take to sponsors.

The aim is for BIG CASH PRIZES..

Note: the aim is not to replace the existing competition format, Pro Tours or other cool competition events out there. This is an addition.

However, just like Dual Slalom in alpine skiing, or Dual Mountain Bike Slalom etc - this event is easy to understand by the masses, and is super exciting to watch. We want to draw in crowds and create real excitement in our sport again.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=105895201847343&set=a.107233335046863

gavski

This sums it up...The Drama!!

Wish

@gavski this is exactly what could make slalom fun to watch by the masses. He who falls first or misses loses. Almost as easy as understanding jump. Hope you bring this vibe to the states and make it a big thing. There’s gotta be locations around Central FL for something like this. Lake Ivenhoe comes to mind. Or the Central Florida Fairgrounds (Barnet Park) to name a few. And like the downhill, each course may have slightly diff conditions depending on maybe wind, shoreline and the like.

Vernon Reeve

Would definitely make it more interesting. And the head to heads would go much faster, also making it more interesting.

gavski

@Wish That is the plan..but for now we need to build the hype, create the PROMO and go for sponsors.

gavski

This is Alfie. The British U14 National Champ winning the event…



And this is him post win..

gavski

The concept video from last year..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=gSfUXWj8GpI

ETskier

There's that word again, FUN. To watch, to follow, to ski in!

aussiemc

We did a Head to Head comp at Myuna Bay in 2017. Was awesome

gavski

Which ever way you look at it - it looks awesome…just spent the day skiing with Jeremy Newby-Ricci and Glenn Campbell. To see the these boys ripping it through 41’ is astonishing..seeing them do it side by side is something EVERYONE needs to watch..

We had a gourmet coffee barista wagon at the comp..he couldn’t keep his eyes off the action, even whilst making the espressos..

There are very few sports that are exciting to watch live…it’s how it’s presented, vibe created, camera angles, live feeds/ replays etc etc that make even the most boring of sports captivating…

In some ways, technology has killed off live sports, as it’s all too easy to sit at home and get the same, and arguably better experience. But, new technology has made it easier and more affordable to capture the most incredible camera angles and create a spectacular live event with all the razzmatazz that we love…watching a Bruce Springsteen concert at home is not the same as seeing him live…

This is what we are trying to achieve..

@aussiemc - that’s fantastic.

gavski

Here is a roundup video from last years comp:

gavski

UPDATE: we are on the Pro Tour Calendar..

22-24 July 2022

Details to follow and the format is yet to be confirmed…But, it will include the Pro’s shooting out against each other for cash prizes and then elements of past masters, amateurs, Pro-am/ team event..

Wish

PERFECT!

chrislandy

Looking forward to it, it's in the diary

ALPJr

Fantastic! Wish there was a double awesome button.