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WATERSKI MagazineThe best feeling in slalom is when you come out of a nice, tight turn and you're locked in place, or “hooked up.” You should be like a stretched rubber band, ready to explode. You're looking into the teeth of a crossing that's either going to be a 60 mph zip or an end-over-end flip. The determining factor has nothing to do with how big your arms and shoulders are. It all hinges on what you created in the turn.
At the finish of the turn, you should let the ski come all the way around before beginning your pull. Keep your body in an arrow-straight lean away from the boat. This will help you maintain a line that goes from the rope to your body. Don't use your arms. They're just an extension of the rope – straight and as close to your inside hip (closest to the boat) as possible. As you lean across the wakes you should feel the pull coming through your back and legs. It's kind of like windsurfing. If you stand straight up with your arms away from your body, you'll go down. This position makes you a little timid and unwilling to attack the wakes. If your handle is away from your body and your butt is sticking out, you're in trouble. The only way you'll rip across the wakes is if you're confident out of the turn. Say to yourself, “I'm going to come out of this turn strong and I'm going to lean hard through the wakes.” Take some falls and get up and do it again.
Blasting across the wakes is part of a natural progression. You've powered through the turn, hooked up and now the explosion behind the boat is effortless. There's nothing to even think about. You just set up and you're gone.
Swedish-born Richard Kjellander won the Collegiate National slalom title in 1994 and is one of the top skiers on the Cafi de Colombia Pro Tour. He's sponsored by KD, MasterLine, Revo and Ski Warm.
