“Dolphin Surfing in the Sea of Cortez with the crew from Pro-Windsurf La Ventana. This was definitely one of the TOP 3 afternoons of my LIFE!!!”
Not many people in the world can tackle the giant waves off the coast of California on a surfboard, but how about tackling them on a set of water skis?
That’s exactly what pro surfer, skier and snowboarder Chuck Patterson accomplished in what is believed to be a first, water skiing freestyle.
“I had a lot of faith in it,” Patterson told ” Good Morning America” today of his success in navigating waves as high as 30 feet off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif., while just on skis  … More
Chuck Patterson Big Wave Skier amongst other things. New Year’s Eve Day 2012 @ “Jaws”, Peah’i, On Maui’s North Shore. 15-18 ft HWS / 30-40 ft faces. Big wave chargers flew in from all over to bask in the great conditions.
Is there one perfect line to run through the slalom course, one turning radius that places the skier on the ultimate path of least resistance to the next buoy? After watching hours of snow-ski racing this winter, I am inclined to think there may be. In competitive snow-ski racing there are four disciplines — slalom, giant slalom, super G and downhill — each with its own unique set of course layout characteristics. Thus the athletes specializing in each discipline have adopted a particular turning style to navigate their course on the fastest, most efficient line possible. In contrast, competitive water skiers have only one set of dimensions to perfect. Every course is set to exacting specifications, yet there are many different possible paths and many different effective turning styles used to navigate it. So what is the most effective turning style on the water? What is the best line to run? With the help of certified professional snow-ski instructor and world-champion water-ski coach Brent Larsen, we analyze the turning techniques used in various snow-ski disciplines and apply them to the demands of the water-ski slalom course  … More