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WATERSKI MagazineYou've probably heard this before: “The speed you have at the gates is the speed you'll have through the rest of the course.”
If you're having problems with speed through the gates, have your partner keep an eye out for the most common mistake of all – turning for the gates on the tail of the ski. Leaning back on the tail will slow you down, but will also take away your angle into the one-ball (Photo 1).
To correct this problem, you need to concentrate on slowing the ski by pushing the front of the ski into the water. Bend your knees and ankles and push your weight forward (Photo 2). Don't push on the front of the ski by leaning forward with the upper body. This will increase angle through the entire pull by getting the ski turned at the beginning lean through the gates. – Mike Champion finished 12th in slalom on the 1996 Cafi de Colombia Pro Tour.
