Adam Caldwell - possibly the best recovery - for 1/4 point - 2021 Malibu Open.

swbca

Someone suggested this video should have its own thread. (Cellphone video of TWBC stream)
The Video Transmission breakup from the boat camera is in the original broadcast.
Click the YOUTUBE logo at the bottom of video for full screen on Youtube.

Horton

He had the 1/2 ball before he did the craze $h*t. Yes that might be the most amazing additional 1/2 point I have ever seen.

Stevie Boy

Was that built into the Design of the ski ?

Kelvin

@horton, I disagree. His ski came completely out of the water in the 1/4 buoy zone. If he had not regained skiing position, I would have scored it 1/4. I know it was 41off, but there is a window where 1/4 still exists.

klindy

@Kelvin i don’t agree. You are correct that his ski (front binding) made it outside the buoy and into the 1/4 zone. Then left the water. While he was sliding on his side his front foot made it into the 1/2 buoy zone. Then he stood up and was able to get “inside” the boat gates. By definition he “ultimately regained skiing position”. And his ski (front foot) met all the requirements for the 1/4 and 1/2 buoy. So I think the score of 1 is correct.

RGilmore

For the record, there's footage out there somewhere of Andy Mapple doing the very same thing, maybe a couple of decades ago. One of the LaPoint's (Bob/Kris) was known to have also pulled it off now and then.

Doesn't make it any less amazing, however, to see Caldwell do it too.

Kelvin

@klindy, I absolutely agree in this case the correct score is a full buoy, @horton was saying it was already 1/2 before the crazy stuff to regain skiing position. That was my point.

klindy

@Kelvin thanks for the clarification

klindy

For the record, here are the relevant rules (these are AWSA rules since the language is a bit more clear but the specifics are the same in the IWWF rules.

8.06 A Fall
A fall in any event is when any one of the following occurs:
A. The skier loses possession of the tow line (except as noted in Rules 9.11, 10.11 and 11.11); or
B. The skier does not have at least one ski on one foot; or
C. The weight of the skier is not primarily supported by his ski or skis, and in addition the skier is unable ultimately to regain skiing position.
If the skier does not lose possession of the tow line, has at least one ski on at all times, and ultimately regains skiing position, there has been no fall.

8.07 Skiing Position
Skiing position is defined as that position in which all of the following exist:
A. The skier has possession of the tow line; and
B. The skier is riding forward or backward on the water with a ski or skis on his feet; and
C. The weight of the skier is supported by his ski or skis or the skier is ultimately able to regain control.

Think of it this way, if somehow (longer line?) he was able to get to #4 or beyond, his score would continue to add buoys. Just because he was momentarily “not supported” by his ski is irrelevant. Trick skiers do dips all the time which is
The same. Years ago, Patrice Martin bounced on the water with his foot in the toe strap for 4-5 seconds before he was able to stand back up and do more tricks. Jumpers obviously are t supported by their skis in the and many times a weird landing will pull off a ski and/or cause them to bounce along the water only to ultimately get the ski back under them and stand up. The jump counts.

It sure was incredible to watch).

Horton

@kelvin you may be right. He was still advancing on the boat when the ski came out of the water so the line would not have pulled him inside the line.

On the other hand he only got out side the ball by inches. He traveled at least 10 feet before the ski came out of the water so I would think he would have arced in far enough to the inside for the 1/2.

AdamCord

@adamhcaldwell sure you can slide your onside and make a full buoy, let’s see you do it on your offside like the GOAT

mfjaegersr

“Upon further review, the ruling on the field - Caldwell’s Recovery is Greatest - stands. The Skier’s one-footedness supersedes the GOAT’s off-sidedness...”

Bruce_Butterfield

I'm not sure if @adamhcaldwell 's brain fart of dropping the handle at 4 ball the next day cancels this one out?

Flat out awesome skiing by Adam regardless.

swbca

Its harder to get angle with only 1 foot in the ski. Look again carefully; he made a quick cut to the gate. Agile navigation under the circumstances. Are most pros that a versatile?

adamhcaldwell

I was very grateful just to get outside of the ball without another trip to the ER!

The game plan was to stay safe. The competitor in me forgot that plan and went for it.

Realty kicked in when I felt my left side make the first impact with the water. There was a quick flash of light in my eyes after touchdown on the water that almost made me regret what I did...but after a gentle bounce - I realized my ribs survived it! From then on I was just trying not to get tangled up with the rope!

My back foot completely slid out of the kicker when the rope came tight and in the next moment I shook the spray out of my face just in time to see a yellow buoy passing the boats platform far enough away to be able to make a move on it!

Crazy weekend! Thanks for all the support!

6balls

@adamhcaldwell be careful man. Had that happen where my back foot came out but in the slide the ski tip caught and spun my foot all the way rearward. Gotta hope your binding will release in that instance--I was in rubber so no release although in the end my foot did come out--but not until all of the bones between my knee and ankle were toast.

Otherwise great skiing man you are en fuego.

travtitle

HSL

@adamcaldwell Wow. Congrats. The super-human skills, hard training, innovating and next generation equipment that all contribute to your scores — simply dazzles. Any comments on the fin and expectations on unveiling?

adamhcaldwell

@6balls -For sure nothing is ever 100% perfect for every situation.

Although my binding/release is highly tuned/customized. It comes off exactly when it should and never when it shouldn't. Knock on wood.

To be out trying all the crazy things we do with skis and fins (almost every set out since 2008) without a trustworthy release system would be suicide.

travtitle

@adamhcaldwell You should know that I am showing this video to all of my English classes today. I don't know if making it into the high school English curriculum was on your bucket list, but you can cross it off now (at least from one school in Nor Cal).

PS -- We are coming to visit this summer! Looking forward to you teaching us how to do that.

adamhcaldwell

To go with the video above - here is a still shot from an extremely talented photographer we have here in Charleston, Cary McDonald. The 2021 Malibu open shots will be on his website at this link https://www.carymcdonald.com/Sports/Water-ski/2021-Malibu-Open-Day-1/ once he finishes uploading 4000+ images.

Killer

Awesome!

ISP6ball

jjackkrash

Holy guacamole.