Hey World!

This past weekend I was in Orlando, Florida for the Orlando Extreme Watersports Fest. The event featured Men’s Slalom and Jump, Wakeboard. This event was put on by Casey Mommer and CBS Orlando; the company Casey works for. On Friday the 18th, there was a qualifying round for slalom and jump on Lake Grew at USA Water Ski Headquarters / Fluid Ski & Sport.  There were 17 slalomers and 12 jumpers. Top 10 in each event advanced to ski Saturday on Lake Ivanhoe.

Qualifying Round Scores
Slalom
Nate Smith 0.5@43
Adam Sedlmajer 3@41
Chris Parrish 2.5@41
Jon Travers 2@41
Pietari Ronkko 2@41…New Finnish National Record
Aaron Larkin 3.5@39 – reride 2@41
Thomas Degasperi 1@41
Will Asher 0@41 – skied inside 1 ball
Terry Winter 5@39
Brian Detrick 5@39
_________Cut Line_____________
Nick Parsons 4@39
Jason McClintock 4@39
Daniel Odvarko 4@39
Julien Beaufils 3@39
Joel Howley 1.5@39
Jason Seels 1@39
Brando Caruso 3@38

Jump
Ryan Dodd 220
Freddie Krueger
Igor Morozov 209
Zach Worden 202
Damien Sharman 201
Stevie Collins 200
Bojon Schipner
Alex Paradis 198
Daniel Efverstrom 193
Tom Asher 192
_________Cut Line_____________
Marc Shaw 188

The Semi Finals was a 4 buoy course on Lake Ivanhoe. I was the first skier out on the lake so I had to try to figure everything out and I think I was a little too tentative out there. Fluid felt really soft and slow on Friday but Lake Ivanhoe’s water temp was a little cooler and the lake was about 20ft deep.

Brian Detrick getting ready at the Orlando Extreme Watersports Fest

Semi Finals Results
Nate Smith 1@43
Chris Parrish 3@41
Will Asher 3@41
Thomas Degasperi 2@41
Aaron Larkin 2@41
Jon Travers 4@39 – took a big hit out the gates
_________Cut Line_____________
Adam Sedlmajer 3.5@39
Pietari Ronkko 3@39
Terry Winter 3@39
Brian Detrick 2@39

Ryan Dodd

Tom Asher was first out in jump and booted a 214ft jump. Unfortunately the 2 skiers after him, Daniel Efverstrom and Alex Paradis went out the front on their 3rd and 2nd jump.

Ryan Dodd 224
Freddie Krueger 217
Tom Asher 214
Damien 212
Bojan Schipner 212
Zach Worden 207
Igor Morozov 204
Daniel Efverstrom 198
Stevie Collins 196
Alex Paradis 145

As the Finals started, it started to get a little darker as each skier went out. By the time Nate (top seed) hit the water, it was dark.

Finals
Nate Smith 2@41
Aaron Larkin 2@41
Jon Travers 2@41
Chris Parrish 1.5@41
Will Asher 1.5@41
Thomas Degasperi 1.5@41

Nate, Aaron and Jon had a run off for the top 2 to get in to the head to head super final. It was dark and I have no clue how the skiers or driver, Les, could see anything. Slalom wasn’t suppose to go that late so they did not have lights set up for slalom. Aaron went first and ran 2@41, Jon ran 1.5@39 and Nate ran 2@39.

Boats ready to go out for the head to head super final

Super Final Head to Head
Aaron chose to go first so Nate had to beat Aaron’s score. They started at 38. They both ran 38. Aaron came back and ran 2.5@39 and Nate ran 39 to win the event. It was impressive skiing by both skiers because I don’t know how they could see anything.

Men’s Slalom
1. Nate Smith
2. Aaron Larkin
3. Jon Travers

Even with the lights for jump, it was extremely dark out there. In the end, top seed Dodd edged out Freddie by a tenth of a meter to take the win.

Jump Finals
Ryan Dodd 206 62.7m
Freddie Krueger 205 62.6m
Damien Sharman 202
Tom Asher 200
Bojan Schipner 199
Zach Worden 190

Jump Podium

Men’s Jump
1. Ryan Dodd
2. Freddy Krueger
3. Damien Sharman

Photo Credit: 102jamzorlando.cbsradio.com, Breanne Dodd, Brian Detrick, Matt Page, Taylor Woolsey and Jack Travers.

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