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WATERSKI MagazineBen Favret: I think the key thing is to be patient. Judge where you are and hesitate for a second before getting into a lean. Another thing is to bring your elbows in, and as the rope tightens up, let your arms out. Then you can get into a leaning position where you can make up ground. The last thing you want to do is panic. Just put yourself in a position where you can get back in the game. The course is run behind the boat, not in the turns. A little bit of slack doesn't take you out of the ballgame.
Drew Ross: The key is to first take a step back. The key to avoiding slack is to continue your outward direction prior to your turn. But if you get slack be patient; keep the handle tight to the midsection of the body. You want to try to finish the turn quickly to get the slack taken up. But the best thing is to take preventive measures in the first place. Take the correct approach to the turn.
Jennifer Leachman: You have to drop the handle as low as you can so the pull will be from your waist. If you pull up, all the pull will come through your arms and shoulders. I quickly drop the handle down really low so when you do get the hit, it doesn't break you in half. You grit your teeth and hang on.
Lucky Lowe: I think I get a glimpse of the slack out of the corner of my eye, and when I start to see that I stand more upright. As I see the rope getting tight, I try to sit down and let my arms out slightly as my rope gets tight. I just wait until I get the hit, then go about my business.
Mark Crone: Why are you asking me? I never get any slack. What I do is probably not the ideal thing. Andy Mapple does what's right – he takes the hit in his legs. He maintains his attack angle on his ski. He keeps his ski pointing at the wake, which keeps him from sliding down course. Everyone else does it closer to the way I do it. I let the ski come toward the boat so I don't fall or get yanked out the front. I take the hit, then get the ski and my body back into position. To me the most important thing is not to get pulled out the front – don't let your arms get away from you. I sacrifice the ski angle to maintain body position, then I correct my ski angle. This all happens in an instant. You've got to be patient. You can't take the approach that you've got to hang in there with a big turn. Think in terms of a couple buoys down the course.
Carl Roberge: Try to get your arms in to take up as much slack as possible. Bring your arms in and don't try to get any more angle than you've already established. You don't want to make the situation worse. I think you're better off going down course than making a bad situation worse. Make up the time behind the boat.
