National waterski day

Arms straight, knees towards your chest!

This weekend it wasn't only about the training I had with the national team, but also about all the new people we introduced to our great sport! On Saturday, we had a full day of training, but on Sunday only until 1 pm., because there was a nation wide open day for water-skiing. Everyone could ski at clubs around the Netherlands for only 10 euros and at the club we were skiing at with the Dutch team, kids skied for free on this day! This meant that there were loads of kids that we were able to get onto the water, hopefully they will continue to enjoy it and help grow the sport!

People of all ages were able to ski

First of all on Saturday I had my own training. It was a great day, we were able to ski efficiently and I was able to do 5 sets!! I started off with slalom, which was already much better than last time we skied on this lake with the team. In between, I had been skiing with Anthony, who helped me improve my style and technique a lot within that week. Still I was skeptical, because his water skies amazing, it's called magic lakes for a reason! Furthermore one of the issues I was having here was with the 8 buoy course, due to which I had some trouble with my gate. Still with my new technique, and also confidence after my PB's last weekend, I was able to ski really well. I haven't run a 13 meter pass again here, but my style is so much better and at least I was able to consistently get trough the 14 meter passes again! After not jumping or tricking for the past week, this took a little adjusting again, but I was able to get back quick. I made some great improvements in jump where I try to be more forward and on top of my ski's so that I don't take out all of my speed by putting my ski's in the air vertically. It was very weird at first to not be slowed down instantly, but this is of course much better for the distance, so that's the feeling I have to get used to. In trick I tried to work on a flip, because I want to stick to a deal I made recently, that I will land one this season. I didn't land a flip yet, but I didn't get hurt either, so I'll write that down as a win! Then the last set of the day, I skied purely to take some videos. Everyone had been playing around with cameras and go pros, so I couldn't resist to ski one more time. I had a team mate, Hugo, join me in tricking behind the boat, so he filmed me from the side. I love to see my tricks from this angle, because you can't get much closer!

On Sunday we continued taking some photos and I filmed Hugo's set from behind the boat. I also had the go pro on my back during jump, so I hope that this video turns out awesome! This also forced me to really try to be on my front foot more, so that I wouldn't fall back and land on the go pro, haha! Then after I was done with all my sets, another team mate, Pemm asked if I could also film her tricks, so I did one more set. Again 5 sets, so after 10 sets this weekend, I was pretty tired. However, it wasn't time to stop yet, because it was time to introduce the wonderful world of water-skiing to some new talent. It was worthwhile to turn all those excited, but slightly nervous faces into uncontrollably smiling and whooping! I absolutely love to get new people on the water and to see them succeed. Luckily there was an awesome boat crew, the team coach, Talisa was driving and I got everyone ready and coached them in the boat. Together we got everyone up beside the boat. Most people were able to ski on the short line, and some even got up on the full rope when we thought they were able to handle it. It was great to do together and so rewarding to hear that everyone truely enjoyed it and wanted to come back! Defintely a great 'pass the handle' moment!