Move the feet back, and the hips...

move forward. Go figure. My decision back in winter to heed the gospel according to Freddy Kreuger and move my jump binding holes almost two inches back has completely changed my body position. Check out the before and after shots.

Before: 2K5 regionals



After: this morning at Eagle Lake, my first time over the ramp this year




When I saw the picture, I was shocked, and a little excited. Last year, I was jumping high 120s (with the occasional low 130s in practice) with a ridiculously ineffecient position in the air. If I just get back even with last season, I should be near the EP range.

Clint took his first crack at the ramp this morning as well. He was admittedly rusty, but all in all not bad. Some photos.







The rest of us are not planning to ski in a tournament until early June, Leah is feeling more pressure than anyone else in our ski club. She qualified for NCWSA all-stars (the lone Hawkeye skier to qualify) two weeks from this weekend at Dream Lake Estates in Huxley, IA (also site of the Iowa state champoinship tourney). She wants to be taking consistent 3/4 cuts by then, and jumping in to the 80-90+ foot range, like she was at the end of the summer. While getting ready for all-stars, she is transitioning to using a jump sling. She's caught between the short and long term. We are not letting her go over without a sling again after all-stars.

Here's a shot (OK, 2 shots) of her progress





She hit the side curtain on a single wake ealy last month, and is having trouble getting late enough to get a tight line through the air on a single wake. If she brings it down, that will probably keep the arms from going up and in.

Speaking of time pressured jumping. Christy is leaving for a summer abroad in a week or two, and needs to relearn how to ride out a jump after a nasty foot injury last summer. We're giving her some confidence by taking her over the side of the ramp. She's almost ready to go off the top.





I don't think she'll be heading to Spain with a monkey on her back.

Rick is slowly returning to form. I hope he finally gets into 35 off in a tournament this season. He does it in practice, more often than myself. He's come close to runnig 35 in practice several times. This should be the year he does it. Today, he was sticking with 22 off.





Once he gets off of the tail of the ski, he'll be hitting stride.

Time to pull the boat out...
But first, here's a shot of Eagle Lake, as viewed from the 3-event dock (we share the lake with a show team) in all it's glass-clam, unspoiled splendor.



A sight like that just gets my blood pumping .