SKI RACING

[schiada1976]

Who were awesome mens novice skiers?

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Like in a certain decade or era or all time?

Brent Griffen was a novice during my time in the sport. He was good then and still doing Catalina and maybe still some of the circles today.

 

[racektm]

Like in a certain decade or era or all time?

Brent Griffen was a novice during my time in the sport. He was good then and still doing Catalina and maybe still some of the circles today.

He is still skiing, I pulled him a couple of weeks ago at Havasu Springs in the 60 and over class, he won the race,

 

[HBCraig]

I only know one expert raver that is legit. I coached him for years
Mason Goldsmith

 

[skiracr]

Not too many novice skiers right now but a lot of young up and comers. Mason is about as legit as they come. Awesome family and he is a great skier, especially in the rough water. He's skiing Men's open this year and doing phenomenal. We have his younger brother Gage on the 222 team and he is doing great as well. Other notables are Ty Chesier and Jason Davison. Both running behind F2 outboards. Another young stud is Ryder Tovat. Maybe 16 and giving Gage great competition. Very pleased and impressed with the younger skiers keeping the sport going and excelling at it.

 

[schiada1976]

What about Ed Crippen. What ever happened to the Crippen family?

 

[LB247XS]

What about Ed Crippen. What ever happened to the Crippen family?

I talk to Kevin Crippen all the time. I skied with and against Eddie back in the day in Novice and 25/29 mens class.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Kenny, of Spring Family Motor Sports, once got special recognition at the Catalina Men's Ski Race. Not for winning. But, for getting back up, continuing and finishing the race after numerous falls in very rough conditions. That's just Kenny.

 

[SKIA36]

Martie Wells...was 3rd in the Catalina Ski Race as a Novice!

 

[Wheeler]

Martie Wells...won the Catalina Ski Race as a Novice!

 

[Ragged Edge]

Martie Wells...won the Catalina Ski Race as a Novice!

Uhhh, no. Martie was third overall, reset the record and won the Men's Novice class in 1989, then won the overall in Men's Open in 1990. They changed the Novice rules after that 1989 race.

 

[schiada1976]

I talk to Kevin Crippen all the time. I skied with and against Eddie back in the day in Novice and 25/29 mens class.

I talk to Kevin Crippen all the time. I skied with and against Eddie back in the day in Novice and 25/29 mens class.

Mike Young says hi LB247XS.

I talk to Kevin Crippen all the time. I skied with and against Eddie back in the day in Novice and 25/29 mens class.

 

[schiada1976]

Like in a certain decade or era or all time?

Brent Griffen was a novice during my time in the sport. He was good then and still doing Catalina and maybe still some of the circles today.

Top five all time

 

[mash on it]

1990 ish, Lake Mead, Horsepower cove? I seen a dozen boats or more with big horsepower and v-drives.
Ski race weekend. Amazed at the detail of these hotrods. Seen my first twin turbo boat too. Several of them actually. And the course was something like 7/5/3(?) mile legs. At WFO. Ironmen racers. What a great weekend.

The Coffee Cup Cafe, Boulder, Nv., has all kinds of ski racing memorabilia adorning the walls.
Always good food.

Dan'l

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

1990 ish, Lake Mead, Horsepower cove? I seen a dozen boats or more with big horsepower and v-drives.
Ski race weekend. Amazed at the detail of these hotrods. Seen my first twin turbo boat too. Several of them actually. And the course was something like 7/5/3(?) mile legs. At WFO. Ironmen racers. What a great weekend.

The Coffee Cup Cafe, Boulder, Nv., has all kinds of ski racing memorabilia adorning the walls.
Always good food.

Dan'l

Mead hosted the 50/75 races both when they were real distance races ( around an island and back was 25 miles) and beach front 2 miles timed courses.

Back when it was as distance, you could ski 25 miles on Saturday for the mini marathon then ski 50 miles for the women’s marathon (which also included boat classes which didn’t require a female skier), and then do the men’s marathon on Sunday for 75 miles for a total of 150 miles in one weekend.

That was hardcore because you had to make the distance to finish.

The timed beach course wasn’t the same because you could go as slow as you wanted, get lapped by the leader as much as they were able and quit after the time was reached, skiing far less than the actual distance ( unless you were the leader).

I preferred the distance course. Was more challenging but also more fun.

 

[Boat211]

Mead hosted the 50/75 races both when they were real distance races ( around an island and back was 25 miles) and beach front 2 miles timed courses.

Back when it was as distance, you could ski 25 miles on Saturday for the mini marathon then ski 50 miles for the women’s marathon (which also included boat classes which didn’t require a female skier), and then do the men’s marathon on Sunday for 75 miles for a total of 150 miles in one weekend.

That was hardcore because you had to make the distance to finish.

The timed beach course wasn’t the same because you could go as slow as you wanted, get lapped by the leader as much as they were able and quit after the time was reached, skiing far less than the actual distance ( unless you were the leader).

I preferred the distance course. Was more challenging but also more fun.

The beach course was ROUGH!!!! I liked the 50/75 course. On that 3rd lap it felt like you were not making any headway on the way back. The beach just looked the same for what felt like forever.

 

[skifaster]

One time on the long course, right before the last turn by the marina on the last lap the prop shaft broke on my Dad's boat. If the mileage was correct, I basically skied roughly 73 miles, my Dad spent several hundred dollars in race fuel, got no points for the day, and then got to go back out and ski 50 miles on Sunday on dead legs. Wouldn't trade those days for anything though.

 

[golakers]

One time on the long course, right before the last turn by the marina on the last lap the prop shaft broke on my Dad's boat. If the mileage was correct, I basically skied roughly 73 miles, my Dad spent several hundred dollars in race fuel, got no points for the day, and then got to go back out and ski 50 miles on Sunday on dead legs. Wouldn't trade those days for anything though.

Great times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HighVoltage329]

Back in the late '70 early '80 I skied novice in Nor-Cal with 9 to 12 skiers every race, won high point that year. At Pacific Coast Championships we had to run heats due to the amount of skiers, was able to win that also.
Great times but the class and open skiers were the real deal. Novice skiers were not aloud to ski at Nationals in those years.

 

[lbhsbz]

I'd say these guys would make the list...they slow to 80mph in the tight corners...lol

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

I'd say these guys would make the list...they slow to 80mph in the tight corners...lol

The observer needs binoculars. What are they running now, 300-400ft lines?

 

[rivermobster]

@obnoxious001

 

[lbhsbz]

The observer needs binoculars. What are they running now, 300-400ft lines?

I don’t think it matters at this level in the game. I’m not ready to ride in a boat on that river going that fast…I’m certainly not hanging onto a rope behind one.

These guys are a special kind of nuts.

 

[schiada1976]

He is still skiing, I pulled him a couple of weeks ago at Havasu Springs in the 60 and over class, he won the race,
[/QUOTE

Martie Wells...won the Catalina Ski Race as a Novice!

I saw your Schiada 24 on Lake Mead. Awesome

 

[schiada1976]

Mason was a animal on the ski and the football field.

 

[schiada1976]

Ski racers now don't know what real competition is.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Ski racers now don't know what real competition is.

True. I remember the Nationals in San Diego where every race had heats and it was like 10 boats per heat. And where circles and marathons were rarely ran on the same weekend and each event was nearly always at a different venue.

Last time I was at a race at the Springs there’s hardly enough people that everyone doesn’t trophy in some way. The races are almost always now at the same places, and the weekend is a combined circles/marathons.

If the outboards hadn’t shown up and basically rescued the sport (and kept the boat costs down), it may have gone extinct already.

 

[schiada1976]

True. I remember the Nationals in San Diego where every race had heats and it was like 10 boats per heat. And where circles and marathons were rarely ran on the same weekend and each event was nearly always at a different venue.

Last time I was at a race at the Springs there’s hardly enough people that everyone doesn’t trophy in some way. The races are almost always now at the same places, and the weekend is a combined circles/marathons.

If the outboards hadn’t shown up and basically rescued the sport (and kept the boat costs down), it may have gone extinct already.

Outboards are keeping the sport alive true. When I see a twin engine and twin drive 21 ski race boat no wonder ski racing is dying.

 

[RiverDave]

Outboards are keeping the sport alive true. When I see a twin engine and twin drive 21 ski race boat no wonder ski racing is dying.

Why is it so popular all over the world but not here?

 

[boat527]

Why is it so popular all over the world but not here?

That's like asking, " what happened to Portland"..

Hardly anyone skis anymore..

Club sports, soccer etc

Wake boarding and wake surfing.

COST obviously.. but have you seen the price a tower boat?

 

[Mcob25rg]

At 134mph, the water is like concrete if you fall. I met a guy that lost use of his arm raci to Catalina

 

[dezrtracer]

True. I remember the Nationals in San Diego where every race had heats and it was like 10 boats per heat. And where circles and marathons were rarely ran on the same weekend and each event was nearly always at a different venue.

Last time I was at a race at the Springs there’s hardly enough people that everyone doesn’t trophy in some way. The races are almost always now at the same places, and the weekend is a combined circles/marathons.

If the outboards hadn’t shown up and basically rescued the sport (and kept the boat costs down), it may have gone extinct already.

Sad to hear that turn out are low at the ski races . Even thought my dad started in the 50's before I was born, like you I also remember playing on the beach where ever Dad raced in the 60's , 70's and 80's there was lots of races at different lakes too , seemed like we were always traveling somewhere. Sure had a good time growing in Region 2 with Team Karon in those days .

 

[Taboma]

Mead hosted the 50/75 races both when they were real distance races ( around an island and back was 25 miles) and beach front 2 miles timed courses.

Back when it was as distance, you could ski 25 miles on Saturday for the mini marathon then ski 50 miles for the women’s marathon (which also included boat classes which didn’t require a female skier), and then do the men’s marathon on Sunday for 75 miles for a total of 150 miles in one weekend.

That was hardcore because you had to make the distance to finish.

The timed beach course wasn’t the same because you could go as slow as you wanted, get lapped by the leader as much as they were able and quit after the time was reached, skiing far less than the actual distance ( unless you were the leader).

I preferred the distance course. Was more challenging but also more fun.

Back in 1956 when my dad was ski racing and I was a young lad content with playing along the shore, the 75 miler was continuous from the beach (Boulder ?) to Overton and back through the narrows.
They won the 75 miler on Saturday in a 17' Higgins, barely beating Mrs. Purcell in a sprint to the finish line, she was driving the 19' Racing Chris Craft my dad and his partner had recently sold her. Her dentist husband content to watch from the shore.
During the wide open dash to finish, they'd flattened a cam lobe on their hopped up small block chevy. Made some calls to buddy in LA, and by late Saturday night they had a new camshaft and they worked most all night replacing that and the defective lifter in order to be ready to race on Sunday.
I recall watching the 50 miler on Sunday from a large cabin cruiser moored in the center of the large oval course not far off the beach. Skier's binding had torn off early in the race, leaving him basically just standing on his ski, ended up a DNF.
That's the only time I can recall us being in Mead for the races, otherwise it was Lake Arrowhead or the annual Catalina Ski Race.

There's a flash back from 67 years ago, but to point, the Lake Mead Ski Races have a very long history.
I recall that in 56' Vegas was nothing. We were staying at the Flamingo, but driving around Vegas revealed a desert wasteland and I mostly recall using these alcohol wipes (Similar to the ones we use at BBQ restaurants today) and we'd hang them out the window of our non-ac cars, they'd get very cold then we'd put them on our necks and faces.
I also recall that trip was my first ever plane flight, flying from LA to Vegas in a TWA "Connie"