PB Trajectory with Age
There are few skiers in every region that have been skiing in tournaments for a lifetime. Measured by tournament best performances, some ski better with more years and some don't. Very Few skiers had great skis a few decades ago. Those who got lucky on a ski selection and had effective ski tuning skills had the best performances, making it harder for them to improve scores 20 or 30 years later.
What's your story ? There are many variables to explain every lifetime skier's performance trajectory.
If your current performance is less than before, where did the performance go ? Was it "the trifecta of aging" or something more specific | fragile orthopedic conditions | added weight | less access to practice | other
Deduct 1 Pass from your current PB for every 2mph difference in speed with your old PB
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Your Current Personal Best versus your Early Personal Best 58 votes
My PB in the last 2 years is about 4 PASSES LESS than my best from a few decades ago.

2 votes
My PB in the last 2 years is about 3 PASSES LESS than my best from a few decades ago.
My PB in the last 2 years is about2 PASSES LESS than my best from a few decades ago.
My PB in the last 2 years is about 1 PASS LESS than my best from a few decades ago.
My PB in the last 2 years is about THE SAME AS my best from a few decades ago.
My PB in the last 2 years is about 1 PASS MORE than my best from a few decades ago.
My PB in the last 2 years is about 2 PASSES MORE than my best from a few decades ago.
My PB in the last 2 years is about 3 PASSES MORE than my best from a few decades ago.
My PB in the last 2 years is about 4 PASSES MORE than my best from a few decades ago.
I don't remember but have something to say in comments below.

2 votes
0
Comments
First time I skied a course was in college in the mid 90's. Grew up freeskiing and didn't even know competitive skiing was a thing until just before college. I had zero coaching and really had no clue what I was doing. My college PB was barely getting through 15 off at 36mph and the only way I was able to do that was pure grit.
After college I had no access to skiing for close to 20 years. I free skied like twice a year. Not one single set in a course though.
In 2016 I finally got a proper boat, upgraded my ski established some access to a course and leaned in hard to the sport. Slalom is my golf now. I've been getting coaching at various spots several times a year, learning as much as possible. Got on my C85 and got it pretty well dialed in.
This past summer I got around 5 ball at 32off (34mph) and running the pass felt totally doable. My current stretch goal is to get through 35off before I turn 51. 3 more seasons ...
I had a 36mph PB of [email protected] in my mid 30’s, stayed in Open Division for several years in my later 30’s. In my early to mid 40’s I was running 39 about 50% in both practice and tournaments and had a record tournament PB of 1 ½@41.
The implementation of ZO has definitely set my skiing back. I’m about 195 lbs and use to rely on strength in the old days, but age and ZO both work against me.
Now as I approach 60, I haven’t run 38 in either practice or a tournament in several years. The downhill slide after 50 has definitely increased despite multiple cross-training and fitness regimens. I did come close to running one tournament 38 this year due partially to riding the best ski I’ve been on in a long time.
I have had 3 surgeries in the last 3 years, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’m done with my 1,000,000 mile overhaul and can continue to ski with only “normal” aches and pains.
I think ski selection and tuning are way down in the noise as compared with regular access to a course, injuries, proper fitness and coaching. I've been pretty serious about skiing for the last about 20 years and have improved over time, although PBs come slower as you get better. At some point your ability to continue improving runs into the physical limitations of age. I'm pretty sure I'm close to that point now at 60.
As long as I can ski better then @Horton all is good.
In 1998 on Sac State Ski team we all skied at 34 mph, I don't think they had speed based scoring back then. Trying to break into the team I never completed a full pass; Every chance I had on the course (about 1 set per week for 4 months a year) I went for a PB and score that would be good enough to get me on the traveling team and got [email protected] Off 34MPH about 10 times. Ironically I probably didnt have the experience to complete a pass at 15Off34MPH back then. I am every so grateful for those limited sets, but it was water time that limited my progression.
Took a 22 year break never skiing, and now at 44 years old back at it with more course time than ever getting about a set a month in Winter and skiing course weekly in summer. Very happy to have gone from not skiing in 22 years to [email protected] 32MPH and easily clearing [email protected] 30MPH in less than 20 sets over the last 22 years.
1974 - 1991 - A bunch of free skiing. Slalom skiing exclusively from 1978 onward.
1991 - First time ever seeing a slalom course in person and first time skiing behind an inboard boat. Took some lessons and could eventually run 34/-15 with hand driving at age 26.
1997-1998 - Some course skiing on the Grand River behind an I/O. Ran some passes at 36/-15. Attempted some 36/-22. Speeds per I/O speedometer, so not likely to be legit.
1999-2004 - Free skiing for only a couple weeks each summer. All behind I/O or outboard.
2004 - Bought first inboard. Some free skiing about 1-2 times per week in the summer.
2005 - Bought Goode 9100, which replaced my circa-1980 EP Super 2. Some free skiing about 1-2 times per week in the summer.
2007 - Returned to the course and took 2 lessons in late summer. First exposure to PerfectPass. Did not run any passes. Researched ski clubs in Michigan and contacted some.
2008 - Joined first ski club and participated in their informal ski league night, which was run like a tournament and used speed control. Could eventually run 34/-28 occasionally by 2010 and had experienced ZO frequently.
2010 - Skied in first tournament (after Nationals, so 2011 ski year) at age 45. Best score of that event for me was [email protected]/-22 (yes, a Rico). By the end of the 2011 season, had run 34/-28 and had a PB of [email protected]/-32. Ranking average for 2011 ski year (first full tournament season) was 80.50. Bought second inboard to get ZO boat.
2015 - Attempted 36 mph in a tournament for first time at age 50. Best score at that event for me was [email protected]/-28.
2019 - Ran 34/-32 for the first time in a tournament. Ranking average for that ski year was 88.83 (no 36 mph scores included), which is the highest I've achieved so far.
2021 - Ran 36/-28 for the first time in a tournament. (Edited: just checked, my 36 mph only scores gave me a ranking in OM this ski year of 88.50)
For me, time on the water and access to a course on a private lake made the most difference. Equipment was also a factor moving from the EP to the Goode, but not as much of a factor after that initial move. I feel fortunate that my scores are still trending somewhat upward and my level of injuries is limited. But, I am not really where I should be - or want to be.
first set not sure of the speed probably was 30 mph. Set course up following spring
and started skiing fairly regularly when conditions would allow (big public lake lots of
wind and boats and could not ski before 9 AM of after 7 PM ran first 32 off in a tournament when I dropped down to 34 MPH at 35 years old (ran it in a tournament way before in practice due to better drivers and conditions) Ran 32 off in tournament at
least one set for the next 20 years or so. Took me until age 55 to run 35 off only did it once and it was in practice but with Z0 and a rated driver. Best tournament score is 3.5 at
35 off. Now I am 65 ran a bunch of 5 at 32 off last year did not run it at 34 MPH ran a best of 4 at 35 off 32MPH. Never had any real coaching for the most part which I think really hurt especially early on when I formed tons of bad habits.
So! How does speed factor into PBs?!
'19 Denali c75 (S)
'09 Malibu Response LX
"Deduct 1 Pass from your current PB for every 2mph difference in speed with your old PB"
Its not a perfect answer because 2mph difference in speed and 1 line-length difference are not perfect equivalents in difficulty. However AWSA Class C tournament rules that allow a skier to ski above his division's maximum speed treat 2mph as 1 rope length increment (6pts).
In your case your PB now at 34mph is about the same as it was at 36mph ~15 years ago, so looks like you lost about 1 pass over those years.
As noted its not a perfect measurement of better or worse.
Had kids, my course is 2 hours out of town, dropped to averaging 1 ski day/week 3-4 month/year. got stuck around 4 ball at 22 off almost every pass, only getting 10-15 days / year in the course wasn't enough.
Last year told the wife and kids that I am probably close to slowing down to 34, and I'd like to see how far I can make it before I do. So we went harder, I think I got about 40-45 days in the course, probably averaged 3 days/week. by July ran 28 off almost every set, by august made it through 32.
We've had a pretty brutal spring in Alberta so far (it snowed again on Monday night this week), so I haven't really gotten going yet. I was planning to go hard again this year, hoping to get through 32 consistently and make some progress on 35.
35off and beyond is like Mogul skiing, requiring greater strength and much faster more extreme body mechanics when compared to "cruising" long sweeping turns in either sport. My lifetime snow skiing peers still snow ski with great form on steep groomed hills or 12" of powder in their 70's where technique is the principal requirement. But none of can keep up on steep mogul runs, so we don't try. In brief, in both sports technique endures while athleticism declines with age.
35 off mentioned above is arbitrary, some guys can cruise 32off with technique alone. Other older guys may have cruise techniques that carry them to 22off or 35off.
Started skiing at 40
50 - late 50s: PB [email protected]/34mph
65 - present (68): PB [email protected]/32mph
Looks like a full pass lower
Took it up again at age 40 bashing away at 18m 36mph.
Realised at age 45 that didnt need to ski 36mph (Too much testosterone at our site!)
Became a slalom “student” and sought out the right coaches for me to develop the correct technique at 34mph.
Progressed until the season before covid, at 55, I was running 12m every set, ran 11.25 twice and had a practice pb of [email protected] (39off)
The covid yrs and lack of time on the water have messed with my skiing and I didn’t look at 11.25 during them - this year!