Jun 30, 2009

Press release from MasterCraft

This is straight up cut and pasted. This is the first official look into the troubles that have beset the ski boat industry.


MasterCraft plan avoids bankruptcy filing
June, 29 2009, 09:53 AM


MasterCraft reports that it has found a way to return to viability without filing for bankruptcy protection, and is asking its vendors to accept a staged repayment plan or a discounted immediate payment.


While this is an out-of-court process, it will take a "significant amount of cash to restart production and normalize the company," CEO John Dorton said in a June 5 letter to vendors.

"This is a very happy outcome compared to what it could have been and what else we're seeing in the industry," Dorton said in a phone message to Soundings Trade Only. "This will be out of court, and we're just looking for our vendors to help us."

Dorton is traveling today and could not be reached for further comment.

Vendors agreeing to the staged repayment will receive 25 percent of the full amount owed, on or before July 30. The balance will be paid in equal quarterly installments during the next four quarters beginning Sept. 30.

Vendors choosing the immediate payment agree to accept a 35 percent discount off the full balance and will receive payment of the remaining 65 percent July 15.

"MasterCraft is in the process of restructuring our balance sheet to deliver and generate the liquidity to ensure our ongoing viability," Dorton said in the letter.

"More specifically, we have reached an agreement in principle to convert our existing bond debt into a combination of 1) the equity of the company and 2) a very manageable revised debt load, which will require no cash debt service going forward," he added.

The restructuring is being accomplished through the support of Wayzata Investment Partners, the company's largest bondholder. Wayzata is a Minneapolis-based investment firm with more than $5 billion in assets, according to a statement released by MasterCraft.

"The company and Wayzata have arranged for this restructuring to take place out of court, which will allow MasterCraft to avoid the damage and distraction to our business that would be caused by a bankruptcy filing," Dorton said in the letter.

The company, Dorton said, is seeing reduced dealer inventories, zero factory inventory, and a demand for its 2010 models. He expects the company to begin building boats regularly beginning July 6.

"Our pipeline is considerably healthier today than it was last year," Dorton said in a statement released this morning by the company. "Today we have zero stock boats at the factory and 35 percent less inventory in our worldwide dealer network."

Dorton noted that the last nine months have been challenging for the Vonore, Tenn.-based builder of ski, wakeboard and luxury performance powerboats.

Unit shipments declined 56 percent from fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2009 and, as a result, MasterCraft went into "crisis cash management mode in order to maintain our liquidity," Dorton said in the letter to vendors.

This meant laying off the majority of the work force, significantly curtailing production, and reducing wages and benefits for remaining employees.

Dorton emphasized that the company will proceed cautiously.

"We are taking this opportunity to be both leaner and smarter in all areas of our business, and we are confident that, following this restructuring, MasterCraft's industry-leading liquidity, balance sheet and inventory pipeline will position the company for significant growth when the market recovers," he said in the statement.

____________

Lets hope they learn from it and dont think that leaner only means fewer employees, but also fewer outlandish hull designs.
The following is an ODBF interview with an industry insider*

*himself

ODBF: so what does this mean for the waterski boat industry?

ODBF 2: they be screwed

ODBF: um...elaborate please

ODBF 2: unless a vast majority of MC's creditors sign on to this deal you will see a bankruptcy filing in the near future, most likly chapter 11 reorginization but possibly a chapter 7 liquidation.

ODBF: and what does that mean for the industry as a whole?

ODBF 2: it means the entire industry as a whole has priced itself out of reach of the common consumer and with the collapse of the credit markets has cause companies such as MC to become way overextended and unable to refinance their credit obligations.

ODBF: so from this statement it looks like they are working it out.

ODBF 2: possibly, but this is just a statment showing that they are putting out an offer to pay their debts. If, as stated before, they do not recive commitments from a vast majority of their creditors they will be forced into bankruptcy.

ODBF: so what are their chances?

ODBF 2: How the hell would I know? Im you remember? and if you dont know I sure as hell dont know.

ODBF: errrr...gotcha

Lake Trout Carry Out

Video grab bag.

wow does this guy have some crazy bat handling skills...

/dick joke



speaking of stick tricks...

/dick joke 2



sticking a slalom ski flip aussi style.



Alexi Zharnasek is a crazy good trick skier.

Jun 29, 2009

Marcus gets his interview on

Marcus Brown posted some great interviews and reports all weekend long. So those of us that could not make the trek to some field in Michigan could follow along. Not only did he twitter along with Tadd and the others he also posted some great vids.



interview with 4 of the jumpers

best line "I just about landed on my nose". I would suggest not doing that, it kinda stings, and its real tough to balance.



Hmmmm, controversy? "guys down there are really pissed at me" hmmm, and the response from Cale..."No comment" smart response, cale smart response.

Hey Look a bear!

Super Cars...WOOT!!

So it appears that if you are willing to drop a million bucks on a car it will go really fast...



WOW yep that is really fast.

Jun 26, 2009

Cheat'en on the tweet'en Jump

jump event scores

T. Miranda 208
Casey Mommer 195
John Mommer not very far according to casey
F. Miranda 195
Scot Ellis 207
Zack Worden 204
Jimmy Siemers 204 (all speed no kick according to casey)
Kole Magnowski big single (distance?)
Tom Asher 205
Damian Sharmen 203
Mark Lane 177
Kyle Eade 208

It is really tough to follow all the twitter'ing to get an idea of whats going on. but its better then nothing!

That up to the minute, ill post the rest later.

cheat'en of the tweet'en Part 1 slalom

Ok im going to try and get an idea of the scores from today from the tweetering (or whatever the f it is called) here is what I come up with.



Slalom ski mag 2@39

Thomas moore 3@39

Jason Mclintock 2@39

Tom Brantley 2.5@39

Terry Winter 3@39

Ty Openlander 3@39

Jason Seels 1.5@38

Ace (is this Alexi Zharansek?) 1.5@39

Billy Susi 4.5@38

Marcus Brown 1.5@39

Chris Rossi 4.25@39

Jeff rogers 4@39

Cale Burdick 3@39

Jon Travers 1@41

Nick Parsons 1.5@41

Aaron Larkin 2@39

Thomas Degasperi 1.5@41

Jamie Buechene 1.25@41

Jodi Fisher 3@39

Will Asher 3@41

Chris Parish 5@41



Looks like parish is in the lead after round one with a wicked 5@41. followed by Will Asher, the Parsons, Degasperi, Jamie and Jon Travers, all ran the 39 off line. WOW solid stuff

Twits from a field in auto land

Along with tadd you can follow:
Wade Williams (ProSkiCoach) Twitter: twitter.com/proskicoach
Casey Mommer (rampkiller) Twitter: twitter.com/rampkiller
Marcus Brown (Marcus_Brown_) Twitter: twitter.com/Marcus_Brown_
The man the myth the legend Tadd Twitter: twitter.com/taddh2oz will be in town for tomorrow. Looks like he just flew in and man are his arms tired....



/joke fail

Link dump like you mean it!

So to get my mind off the complete and utter nonesense that seems to pass for news these days (i.e. front page of every paper is the death of a has been pop star...um... there is a war, our economy is in tatters and our governement is not being run by ODBF like it should be.)

Oh wait, no I completly forgot about the really important news PEREZ HILTON GOT PUNCHED and then cried about it. Link here with all the proper mocking that the pretentious loud mouth deserves. (thank you will.i.am. well played...but um...could you spell your name like a normal person please!)

Ok back to the link dump...yep I said it...

U.S. under 13 waterski team selected. Insert completly inappropriate MJ joke here... ugh

NO WAY! Their theme is a Japanesse Game show? That rules! seriously, that is great, have you ever watched those things? freaking sweet

Looks like the LA state law makers actually worked with waterskiers when making their new boat operating laws. I especially like the it mentions Trick skiing by name.

Beaver lake in N.C. is hosting a July 4th tourny. he he he he I said Beaver...hehe

Mastercraft Pro Wakeboard tourny hits up knoxville

Kinda interesting article from ESPN Fishing, interview with an old dude who has been selling outboards since '41.

Tribute to Farrah Fawcet. Very NSFW I did not put it together and it has absolutly nothing to do with skiing. But you know what? I dont care.

Jun 25, 2009

JUMP ON THE BLOG WAGON!

Looks like Karl Deloof and the boys out in the boonies of auto country have jumped on the blog wagon! I love it!!

So now you can follow Tadd for the up to the minute haps on the....

WAIT...

BREAKING NEWS

Michael Jackson is dead. wow.

ok back to what i was talking about

oh yea, tourny updates on Tadds twitter and then check out Karls blog for some sweet pics and all the haps.

update: maybe he is just in a coma...check back to the CRB for all your breaking news updates.*

*if you really do that your an idiot

Jun 24, 2009

Global Marine invitational

So it looks like there will be no webcast this weekend for the MI pro tour stop. Which is to bad, but with all the money issues out there right now i guess we understand. But it looks like our boy Tadd has jumped on the Twitter bandwagon and joined the "tweeting" masses. wow that just sounds funny...What are we a bunch of freaking birds?



hmm, this is what the google image search tells me a "tweet" looks like. So appearently millions of people have jumped on some fireman. wow that guy gets around!

on that note, add http://twitter.com/taddh2oz to follow all the action from a field in the middle of Michigan.

Jun 23, 2009

CRB Old School Jump Challange


This Picture is awsome. I love that he is just wearing a pair of shorts, a baseball hat and a pair of wooden jumpers. These old guys were hard core. And now to get into our sport you have to buy a $60k boat, a $2200 pair of skis, another $1k for the jump suit, sling, helmet, gloves, rope, ky jelly, jump camaras, and so on.
So I have an idea that is pretty much a complete rip off of Hortons old school slalom group (all wooden ski league) but I am making it a challange. An old school jumping contest! bust out an old kicker of a ramp greesed with Vasaline, strap on some old wooden jumpers, grab a pair of jean shorts (you really should not be wearing these for anyother reason anyways) and get out and hit the ramp. I have a pair of wooden jumpers from the late 40s on my porch right now, a sad reminder of how much I fail at winter projects, and I will send them to the first person to send in a vid of a reproduction of this pic. I will pay the shipping and everything. And as The Rowboat Abides seems to have forgotten to give the Green BoatHouse award away this year, I guess this will make up for that.
So that is my challange.
Rules:
1) Must be wooden skis
2) No gear besides jean shorts (or a swim suit if you really hate your nuts) and being sensible you can wear a helmet (sissy!)
3) Dont die
4) greased ramp is not needed. use the ky for something more fun!*
5) Send in a video to us at creakyrowboat@gmail.com
Award:
A really old wooden jumper that is in pretty good shape.
I have no legal background, but basiclly if you maim yourself or die I and the CRB global empire are not liable. This is just for fun.
*ass joke

Gifted

The long awaited review is coming tonight...I swear!

I think...

oh and I watched it about 4 times at work and it rules. that is my review and that is why the Rowboat Abides will be writting the review.

Jun 22, 2009

The 32 Accounts

So the name for this video sucks ass but, it has some good shots and the editing looks good....




Jun 18, 2009

Teaching the media and link dump

This is a little old but its pretty cool to see skiing get on the news however it happens.



Link Dump? sure why not!

competing for their 4th consecutive show ski national title. Mad City

Danielle Shorten sets new U17 British jump record and apperently is planining on going pro or one of 800 other jobs.

Pro Wakeboard tour hits up a plesant town in Wisconsin

Boat sales are not doing so hot recently but that is good news for those in the market for a new boat in the North Carolina area.

Ever wondered how a ski racing ski was made? no? yea me either.

Wakeboard tourny on Lake Milton. no clue where that is but if you want to know just look it up! what am I your slave?

Jun 16, 2009

Mirror Lakes Pro Tour Stop


Some sick sking at the second Mastercraft Pro tour stop in Catawba, NC. Eleven passes through 39 into 41 in the semi finals and finals. It was some of the best skiing that many of the judges say they have seen in awhile. Yet, we are the CRB so we are going to find somthing wrong with it. What we found wrong was somthing that is seriously hurting our sport as it is. There was like 20 people there all weekend, I believe there were actually more pro skiers than there were spectators. A major problem was the fact that the site was in bumblefuck North Carolina. There was no publicity for the event so no one new about it. There were local skiers who found out about it Sunday while they were at a gas station and saw some pros...seriously?!?! I understand that there is no money in skiing but ouch man. Moving on to the skiing. Fun fact: the property of mirror lake was Dale Earnheart Jrs, he should have skied.



The "crowd"


What the crowd could have been



As said earlier the skiing was amazing. One guy who came out with avengence was Ty Openlander, he brought himself to Sunday, not bad for a guy who has been out of the scene for two years. The girls and boys battled it out hard. The morning started off with the girls:

It began with Whitney McClintock facing off against Rhoni Barton Bischoff, Whitney dominated by 6 buoys with a pass of 3 at 39. Karen Truelove (yes the woman who just had a child like 3 months ago is competing in a pro tournament) beat Nicole Arthur with 5 at 38 to Nicole's 4 at 38. The very pretty Karina Nowlan defeat Hana Edeback with a full pass at 35 to Hana's 3 1/2. The final female matchup of the morning was April Coble taking on the other Edeback sister, Josephine with 2 at 39 to Josephine's 3 at 38. Setting up the semi-finals to be McClintok v. Truelove and Nowlan v. Coble. Then the boys came out to play.

Well here is how the semis came down. First up was Will Asher and Jamie, Will skied 1 1/2 and 41 and Jamie won it with 3 at 41. Next Ty washed out around 4 ball at 39 giving him a score of 3 1/2 at 39 leading him to fall to Parish who got 2 at 41. Facing Thomas Degaspri, Jon Travers wins with 1 1/2 at 41 to Thomas' 1/2 at 41. The final faceup of the morning was was Marcus Brown (the predator) against Chris Rossi. Rossi defeated the predator with 3 at 39 while the predator knocked down 2. This left JB to face the tower and Jon Travers to battle it out with Chris Rossi.


Before the boys could finish the girls battled out the title. Other than an annoying jackass in a canoe trying to take pictures....

Hey wait that is the editor of slalom ski mag...Todd Ristwhateverthefuck.

Whitney fell to Karen by 2 buoys with Karen taking a whole pass at 38. That put Karen on the dock (and Freddy on the shoreline) to see who she would battle it out with in the Finals. The next round between Karina and April required some big time skiing which saw April washing out around 1 ball at 39 while Karina catches 3 buoys at 39 taking her to the next round. Now that is a huge score, and Karina has to ski right away against Karen...without a break. Once again the ladies take it to 39, and Karina ups her huge score of the last round with 4 at 39 to beat Karen who gets 1/2 at 39. Making the first tour stop look alot like last year with Karina rocking the hizzzhouse.

Time for the biggins to hit the water. The first round of the male semis started with a epic battle of Chris the Tower Parish vs. Jamie Beauchesne. These are going to take it in to 41 and they take it hard. JB throws down 2 1/2 at 41 and call Parish to go big or go home. Parish replies with "I am the TOWER BITCH!" and comes back to the wakes for 3 at 41. Next up the young guy JT against Rossi. JT slips out around 4 at 39, after a temper tantrum in the water Rossi runs 39 to take on Parish. These boys go deep yet again and Rossi throws down 2 at 41 to be answered with a 1/2 a buoy by the Tower to win with 2 1/2 at 41. It was a very emotional win the the big guy and we at the CRB are glad to see him back up there. Personally I think if he keeps skiing that way some major damage will be done this year.

In Summaray: Mastercraft Pro Tour Stop in Catawba, NC= kick ass skiing, shitty crowd. Hopefully the turnout out in Grand Rapids, MI will be better!

Wakeboarding is officially a sport

in the Ukraine...

At a meeting of the Ukraine Ministry of Family, youth and sports decided to recognize 3 new sports; wakeboarding, poker and sports dance...

um, really poker is a sport? oh yea I forgot ESPN shows it so it must be a sport, just like ball room dancing is in the olympics so it must be a sport. oh wait...DANCING WITH THE STARS IS ON. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG...

/bitch slap

whoo thanks for that.


As the press service of the Ministry of Ukraine Wakeboarding developed in 18 regions, and the Ukrainian Federation of Water Sports on the highest level conducting national and international competitions, has carried out activities aimed at the development of the material technical base, improving the skills of trainers and judges. Since 2008, the Ukrainian Federation of Water Sports is a member of the World Wakeboarding Association. From 21 to 23 August at the Water Club cableway “extreme thirst” in Kiev will take place at World Cup Park Wakeboarding “Ukrainian Wake Park Open”. Participants are expected from Europe, Australia, Asia and America, said the League.
So I'm not really sure what that all means, but good for the Ukraine, I am going to bet that we will see a super hero/villian come from the Chernobyl affected area that will make an impact on the wakeboard world just like the Belorussians Natalia and Alexi have in waterskiing. I mean, there has to be some sort of good that comes from the nuclear wasteland that is Belerus and Western Ukraine. Gotta love soviet engenering!

I learned some other fun stuff from that website as well: Like how "Kobi Bryant: I like in a dream" , at first I thought that was a translation error, then I looked at the fact that he went straight from high school to the NBA where the IQ level required is just high enough that you will remember to breath.


But wait...America is the dream land, it is a dream that everyone in the world aspires to reach!



........damn it!

la la la la la Everybody wants to iF U CeeK aME la la la

wow, really? If you really hate us all that much that you continue to come out with this completely mind numbing crap why dont you just mail each and every one of us a gun with one round in it? please? it would get it over for us all with so much less pain! please for the love of god!

Jun 11, 2009

Gifted

The CRB Head Quarters has just opened the daily sacks of mail* from adoring fans and found our new copy of Gifted. Which Freaking Rules!

*first letter in weeks, begged mail man to keep us company.

An actual review of the vid will be coming later, as I am currently at an actual job that pays actual money, unlike the CRB has paid me with $42 of monopoly money, a used $10 gift card Long John Silvers and a wicked case of crabs. Ungratful bitch...




I will tell you though that Brad and the cats over at ski-hd know what they are doing!

Jun 10, 2009

Steve Locke has more tact then I do

So I went on a bit of an angry rant in my last post, but seeing people attack those that are trying to better our sport is crazy irritating. Steve Locke on the other hand has a bit more tact than I do. Of course a gorrila loose in a kindergarten class probably has more tact then I do...

Want a little bit of Sad Commentary? Here goes. My brother and his wife live in a small city in Northern Indiana that is surrounded by farm fields. My sister-in-law works as a cashier in a grocery store and regularly walks home from work after her shift. She is very petite and an attractive woman. About a month ago she was walking home when she was attacked from behind by several young teenaged boys and left in a pile alongside the road. Apparently a part of the initiation to be in a local gang was to beat up a 50-year-old woman. It was very brave of those boys. And, a very anonymous act for they quickly left without leaving a trace of their identity. They still have not been caught, but have left behind a now very less confident woman. Quite sad.

Move forward to last week, and I found an analogous situation, but in a different sort of way. In looking over skifly.com, I saw a thread that dealt with the recently concluded Junior U.S. Open Water Ski Championships at Lago Santa Fe in Santa Fe, Texas. Someone had taken the tack to attack the organizers of the Junior U.S. Open and beat up on AWSA to boot. The post that was critical was anonymously posted by a person who was operating without the benefit of all of the facts, but was quite comfortable in throwing several unwarranted grenades.

Okay, I recognize that sort of post is somewhat frequent on Internet message boards. The unfortunate dynamic is that some people anonymously post things to either be mean spirited or to get a rise and sit back and watch the action. While that may be great fun, it is certainly counter-productive to progress, and can be hurtful to folks actually doing good work to advance the sport.

From all reports I received, the organizers of the Junior U.S. Open did magnificent work, and we are quite grateful for the work they did for that event and for the many other events they produce each year.

We also are grateful for the officials who served at the Junior U.S. Open. They were an excellent group and they paid their own way to the event to provide top-shelf officiating for the participating athletes. Now, that is some real devotion and dedication in the purest sense.


and now for something completly different

Jun 9, 2009

Do polish ski boats have screen doors?

That does not work as well as some of the other Polish jokes out there...but whatever, its the CRB and your reading a blog written by the ODBF, and it makes about as much sense as the phun over on the ski flies where I guess its a good idea to attack anyone that goes thru the trouble to put on a tournament. Cuz that will help our sport.

Host: You have entered the CRB Lake Chat Room

Lake owner: I think I will host a tournament

Random #1: FIRST!

Random #2: Saying first is GHAY with a capitol hey boy friend!

Lake owner: what? ok whatever, I think I will invest hundreds of hours of my own time and ask many others to come and help out so we can promote this great sport.

Ski Fly on the wall: Lyman got screwed!

City Slicker II: Jimmy cracked corn and I dont care

IN THE KNOW: CreakyRow Boat is in bed with Jim Grew and USAWS, thats the only reason the CRB is getting to host this tournament.

Lake Owner: What the hell are you talking about? This is my tournament and I can host it if I want.

Ski Dad is fat: There better not be any mosquitos and I better not have to drive thru any ghetto and if my kid loses I will kick your ass.

Random #3: I saw this on the Calvin and Hobbes show.

Random #4: PHAG

Lake Owner: Saw what... Calvin and Hobbes was a comic stri...oh screw it. I think Ill have it be a 2 round three event...

RTGFGR: My tournament would be way better if I would put one on

D Baggary: First

Lake Owner: OH FOR CHRISTS SAKE I QUIT


This is about where we are headed if we continue to attack the Lori Kruegars of the world, anyone willing to put their time and resources on the line to help out our sport is king shit in my book. The rest of you whiney little sissies need to put up or shut up.

While listening to Freddy talk as Tony Lightfoot interviewed him in the water gave me this nice warm feeling about how waterskiers are a big family and we are out to support each other. We dont need no stinking bail out, we can hack it on our own. People keep complaining about how waterskiing is on life support and how its a dead sport and then they attack and attack. Well you know what is killing it? YOU FUCKING WHINERS ARE! How about you get out your ski and go adjust the fin to the 1/1,000,000,000 of an inch and leave the planning to the grown ups.

This sport has alot of potential and has the ability to get back to where it once was and well beyond. We have a leader in Steve Locke that can see that, we have pros that see that, we have tireless promoters like John Horton, Tony Lightfoot and Tadd Schriber that can see that, why is it so hard to support your own sport? If you dont like what is going on at the top, then do something about it, there are elections, go and vote!



That right there is why we do this sport, because its fun and we get to hang out with friends and meet fun people. Take a look at the Night Jam this last weekend or what Tadd and crew put together last year and try to help this guys out.

As the great Rodney King said "can't we all just get along?"

LA Night Jam FTW

LA Night Jam began with some sky divers and got better from there!

One of the things that we have tried to do with the CRB over the course of its little existence here in the tubes is to try and offer solutions to problems when we bitch about something. It doesn't always happen, but, that's the goal.

Nothing is worse then listening to talk radio, or idiot political pundits, or people at a bar, or wherever/whatever, that all they do is complain about things. That is something that is really easy, to pick at the nits, but, to actually offer a solution takes something else. Its not always easy. For example, you complain about the baseball all-star team, that player X shouldn't be on the team, or Player Y should be. Well, who do you replace that person with, or whom do you take off the team for the other player?

Its not so easy when you have that decision to make.

One of the issues that face the sport of waterskiing is translating the actual skiing into a package that is digestible by people watching. Say what you will, but, record capable tournaments or anything else there is out there, is worthless if no one watches.

Its sort of the tree in the woods falling down and only a deaf/mute dog is there to hear it, but, the dogs gets nabbed by aliens.

Long story short, people need to see and hear this sport to actually keep that connection to what it is that we do.

Years ago, seeing some pictures and reading a story in a magazine was good enough.

Shoot, remember when ESPN had hot summer nights about 15 some years ago? We actually got to see our best skiers on TV. We actually had some tangible connection with the people that actualy make our sport tick, that push things forward.

Then all of a sudden...nothing.

No more TV, the magazine world was pretty dull. Waterski Magazine is way better now, there was a trick-skier on the cover the other month! Thats progress!

Our sport is more then a niche, nothing, lame-o sport...then again, its not quite big enough, or with enough heavy sponsorship dollars behind it to get it on "real" TV, like, Versus or ESPN or something, sure its occasionally on something like ION or other fringe stations, but, nothing to really draw you. We don't really have that singular traction aspect to really gain leverage on people.

Occasionally there is some wake-boarding on TV, but, normally it appears as part of a large event, the X-Games, the Dew Tour, etc. Which is awesome, it gets the waterskiers from that discipline on the water and gives their sponsors some big-love.

The reason for this, or one of them anyways, is the simple fact that waterskiing is a difficult sport to package together. You can't really televise it live in a traditional format. Two-straight days of skiing and trying to keep scores together and with attention spans and whatever else?? Its not going to happen. I love to ski and love being at tournaments and I get bored and wander off and do other things...notably find a beer tent or cooler somewhere. Waterskiing, traditionally, is a boring ass sport to watch unless you have a dog in the fight.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

So, its easy to complain about this right? But, what the hell do you to in a way of a solution?

Thats the tough thing, there have been some pretty cool ideas recently, things like the Big-Dawg style event, the rise of web-casting, night-events, and more.

What this all adds up to is this, whoever initially decided to do a night jump, the initial one was in London right?

Well, we have never been to one until now, and here is what we think about what we experienced that night in Zachary.

That is the future of our sport.

The LA Night Jump was the coolest, most kick-ass, waterski event we have ever been to, and we have been to a lot of various events, but, nothing came close to what transpired.

From when we arrived in the Trans-Am at around 5 PM, to whenever our D.D took the keys, there was never a lack of things to do, look at, drink, see, do.

Hopefully you saw the web-cast of where there in person, because I am not going to re-cap, but, it actively held our interest for the entire time, from the barefoot demonstrations, to the pyro-chick, to the skydivers, to the beer, to the jumpers, to the actual skiers, to Tadd and Tony on the mic, to the night-time aspect.

The night-time aspect is crucial to this as well.

LA Night Jam

Here is why, waterskiing as a sport in scale is pretty large. There is alot of set-up time, alot of real estate, alot of freaking stuff to distract you...that tree, the bird, that girl in the boat, that guy in the boat, the fish in the water, the sun, etc etc. But, at night-time, with a spotlight on the skier and darkness all around, your attention is focused, your vision is narrowed.

If you have ever seen a show-ski team perform at night, you will understand what we are saying, its to much to take in with such a large back-drop of an entire lake, the sky, etc. Any sporting event we ever go to is limited or focused on its playing field.

Waterskiing really doesn't have that.

Night Events do.

Everything is focused on the skier, and what is on the water. All the ancillary stuff surrounding the lake, the boat, the skier, are all blanketed in a heavy fog of black. Thats your backdrop now!



Its like being at a play. Its hard to watch a play in a park, because you can see the whole damn park. See one at night, and you focus on the stage.

None of all this matters if the logistics of the event are botched.

That was not a problem. The people in charge of the event, Amy Bing and the Bennetts, should freaking bottle whatever it was that they did and sell that shit to everyone else who ever runs a waterski tournament/event. It was that good. You never saw anyone freaking out about what was going on, there wasn't any dead time, Tadd and Tony ruled, there was food galore, the weather was awesome (suppose that is out of their control), parking was easy, the place was beautiful, and in the end, for this specific waterskiier and fan it totally re-invigorated my own excitement and love for our sport.

Going back to our original point, if you can't offer a solution to something you are going to bitch about, well, shut your mouth. The LA Night Jam is, in fact, the solution.

Hopefully other organizers and whomever can utilize this template and really go out and build.

Furthermore! haha, you thought you would be done with this after the first 1,100 words. You thought wrong, we are going CRB Long-Form

We would be remiss if we didn't mention some of the actual skiers in the event. Most of the skiers hung out afterward, mingled with people, and generally were rad. There was some fun shenanigans going on somewhere that we heard about, but, yeah...that pretty much happens everywhere, no biggie.

But, hey, this is the first time that some of us have seen these people in the flesh, so, seeing dudes like Freddy, Jaret and Ryan in person was something else...its hard to explain, but, you see these guys in video clips or in magazines or whatever all the time, and then to see them in person its kinda shocking.

For the girls, we were excited to see Angeliki Andriopoulou!! Yes, before you ask, Tony Lightfoot did say her name and it was glorious!!

Now, super quick side tangent, we noted that CRB Girl Karina Nowlan in waterski magazine and how the pics didn't do her justice, well, in the same vain, none of the pictures of the girls that competed, June, Alex, Etc, do them justice.

Maybe its seeing the people in person, but, everyone looked more like humans and not gods...its hard to explain, but, anyways, thats what it is. Put it this way, pretty sure that a few of the guys on CRB Staff were pretty smitten.

The competitors were hanging out with people, drinking beers, talking shop and spreading the love. We actually got to meet a few of them, got to meet Tadd and Tony, watched a drunk dude try and ski around on a pair of jumpers and completely wipe-out crossing the wakes, all in all it was awesome.

Here we go, here is the final round-up of my whole entire point. Ready? I bet I can do it.

Our sport is unique in that the skiers, both the best of the best and the not best of the best, can have at times a equal say in the events and direction of the sport. We, and i use we as a collective of skiers and not the royal we, all contribute to the final outcome of our sport as a whole.

That is why such great advancements, like web-casting and such, can be done because people can band together, either over beers or on ski-fly or wherever, and it seems as if the people who actually compete and enjoy the sport are also the ones who help shape the future.

The winner. *yawn* what else is new?

Freddy, when he was interviewed either in the water or on stage, was pretty emotional or passionate, about supporting the community of our sport, noting that there wasn't a Chevy or whatever as a title sponsor, but, yet, in these economic times that there was probably at least 20 or 30 companies that stepped up and gave money to both advertise for themselves and also support something they believe in.

And THAT, I think, is the crux of the whole thing, this event, the LA Night Jump brought everyone together as a microcosm of what we all can do as waterski community, what we can do to push this sport forward.

So, beyond just how excellent the event was on its own merits, it also seems to have provided the template future growth, and that is why the LA Night Jam was so memorable.

Jun 8, 2009

Why??!??!!!11!?

I mean really, why would you do this sport?



lets see, whats fun?

waterskiing? Check!
Boats? Check!
Big Engines? Check!
Going 110 MPH Check!
Putting all of those things into one? FUCK AND NO!

Are you all out of your damn minds? Its like what people say when you drive crazy fast on country roads, what if you hit a deer? well, I dont know, what if you hit a log or scraps of wood...



Leading Australian water-skier Mark Weaver has been seriously injured after crashing during the Queensland Ski Racing championships.

Weaver hit debris and came off his skis about 180kmh during the event, being held along the Clarence River near the NSW border.

RACQ CareFlight Rescue Crewman Ryan Purchase said Weaver had spinal and hand fractures and was being flown to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane for treatment.

He is expected to miss the world championships in Belgium next month



oh, yea, thats what happens... Gotcha

but wait...what about the car... loaded with garbage...high speed...hmmmm



nope, not good.

LA Night Jam interview

Amy,

your glasses are bigger then you are.

ODBF



update: ok, so I put the wrong video up before. whatever!

Jun 3, 2009

We be Jammin

Just a few days left until the LA Night Jam. And no I will not bable fish this one so it looks like I can speak French or Russian or Swahili or whatever the hell language that was. Damn Not Americans and their not American languages.







This one looks like its going to be just as good if not better then last years and...well...last years kicked ass so this one should too.

And now for something completly different


Hey look over there! Bear Fucker

Its to Dang Cold!

Enjoy this weather you hot piece of ass! Dispatch from the CRB weather desk Guess what???  ITS COLDER THEN A WELL DIGGERS ASS OUT THERE KIDS...