Pond Skimming

[highpeaksdrifter]

An end of the season spring ritual for many areas, always a fun time. Have any AZers ever done it or are doing it this spring?

 

[kbroderick]

I made the 6 o'clock news several years ago in an ill-advised attempt to compete in Sunday River's pond skimming contest.

(well, OK, "made the 6 o'clock news" might be a bit strong...I made the footage they used as teasers for a story about the pond skimming, it's not like they made my crash into a graphic for "pond skimming" stories or anything.)

 

[thetrailboss]

Never done it. Probably never will. The Burke Pond Skimming draws several thousand spectators. Seriously. Big deal.

 

[dmc]

I started it here at Hunter...
Never done it though - always too busy that day..

 

[skibum1321]

I've done it at the Bush for 4 years running now. It's become sort of a spring-time ritual for my friends and I. I think it started when we were drunk one night in college and decided that it would be a good idea.

Here is a pic of my friend going down this year: http://www.sugarbush.com/photogalleryimage175.aspx.

I was on the front page of the site the first year that we did it. That was a pretty good fall.

 

[SkiDork]

I've done it twice at KMart

First time - 210's (old K2 5500s)

Stayed in a tuck when I hit the water. Big mistake - instant submersion...


Second time - did it with the snowblades (because shortski was my mentor).

Learned about sitting back as soon as you hit the water... Made it about halfway across, then sunk...

So after those 2 times, I learned: You MUST sit back as soon as you hit the water, with long skis. (or ANY skis for that matter).

Thinking _MAYBE_ I could make it across with the Ships...


BTW - Snowboarders have a much easier time making it across.... It's all about surface area....

 

[skibum1321]

You don't want to sit too far back though - you lose too much speed that way. You need to be just far enough back so your tips stay out of the water.

I'm not one to give technique tips though since I've never made it - we usually try to see who can get the best fall. I use straight old 188cm skis so it's challenging at best.

 

[ga2ski]

I have competed a few times . ... .

 

[kbroderick]

Fat boards or (even better) old school downhill skis are probably the best bet. I remember that the difficulty of crossing the pond successfully varied quite a bit from year to year at Sunday River, usually correlated with where they decided to set it up. The one year they did it at the bottom of the aerial hill (using the landing hill as an inrun), almost everyone made it across and some folks started to get rather creative -- one-ski runs, two people at once, two people at once with only one ski each, etc. That was amusing.

 

[skibum1321]

3 years ago at Sugarbush they did it from the pipe. The beginning started up high and a lot of people made it. So they began to move the starting position further and further down the hill so people would get less speed.

 

[NYDrew]

Luv to skim. I try to do it every season at windham. I missed this year cause I was busy.


ga2ski....were you at windham 3 years ago? I know you live by hunter so it is totally possible, but I feel like i have seen that snorkleing lunatic before.

 

[ga2ski]

Luv to skim. I try to do it every season at windham. I missed this year cause I was busy.


ga2ski....were you at windham 3 years ago? I know you live by hunter so it is totally possible, but I feel like i have seen that snorkleing lunatic before.

Nope never skied in NY. I live in NH and ski mostly at SR.

That picture of me has been around for a while.

 

[SkiDork]

You don't want to sit too far back though - you lose too much speed that way. You need to be just far enough back so your tips stay out of the water.

I'm not one to give technique tips though since I've never made it - we usually try to see who can get the best fall. I use straight old 188cm skis so it's challenging at best.

of course. I'm talking basic water ski position...

 

[NYDrew]

funny i thought you lived by hunter for some reason. and it says NH right on your avatar thingy

 

[andyzee]

3 years ago at Sugarbush they did it from the pipe. The beginning started up high and a lot of people made it. So they began to move the starting position further and further down the hill so people would get less speed.

I taped that one if anyone here was in it

 

[RIDEr]

I'll be at Hunter next week and based on my available costume I'll be in.