2019 New Years Day Barefoot Challenge

Jay Bear made the 2019 advertising photo:

SKIING
The Lake Norman New Years Day Barefoot Challenge is one of the longest running and unique barefoot tournaments in the world. Held annually at Lake Norman Marina and hosted by the Carolina Show Ski Team, it combines starts, tricks, and endurance skills in one single ride.
‘Footers come from around the country to brave air temperatures usually in the mid to high 40’s and water temperatures in the high 50s. Water conditions are challenging, because the towboat doesn’t wait for the water to calm between skiers. The circle pattern keeps the action close to the spectators, but also adds to the difficulty
Registration is open at https://www.carolinashowski.org/new-years-day-barefoot-challenge/ for those that want to sign up.
Spectators! Free! Grab your hats, gloves and jackets or maybe this year shorts! (hopefully its warmer) and watch our brave participants up close as they barefoot their way to victory!
Concessions will be available!
Would you like to sponsor or want to setup a vendor booth? Reach out to us directly to find out more information!

John did ski very well last year in what I believe I remember correctly too be his first year in the event. I will be in attendance this year, but just as a spectator. I always enjoy attending this event. Great way to usher in the new year.

It sounds like that would be a Ford powered Sanger

I guess it depends on whether he meant the same boat or the same brand but older boat

In the link you'll see what they used in the last championships

link

Either way it's a Sanger doing the towing it seems

NYD Tourney was great. CCF was represented by Greg, associate member Brett Berry, Me, and Donald and Natalie in the stands.

Greg and I had less then stellar performances, but doesnt really matter. Always a good time. Keith St. Onge made an appearance. He had a tough act to follow after Rachel Normand did 3+ laps backwards and Keith ate it just after one lap. He redeemed himself with his secend run, blowing up the record book. Crazy warm day, people were in t-shirts, but water was still mighty chilly. Downside was the warm weather brought out a bunch of yahoo tooners and bass boats that raised havoc with the course. The aforementioned Sanger is a beautiful boat, but I gotta say, I wasnt impressed with the table. Was like skiing down a gravel road. Greg's 85 BFN is far superior.




Here is KSO's second run



I think the old record was 800 and something. Keith did 1102 points.

Is there a trick to getting the pictures to download? I see empty boxes with a lock in the top left corner.
Sounds like a very fun time.

Larry's video blows away all of the photo's that I took. Nice Job Larry.

That Barefoot Sanger had an In mar 440 Magnum Rapture Motor in it. It sounded mean !!!!!! The layout was very simple and the gauges where large and basic. I liked it.

Audio Dude, Frank, and Sue Fossett from Correct Craft Fan where also at the event. CCFAN had at least eight in attendance at the event.

You gotta love this global warming. Many were in shorts and tee shirts.

Brett turned in an impressive performance. Between the driver delivering very hot dock starts, the rough table and rough water, the first several skiers didnt make it to the first turn. Brett was the first to complete a lap, plus he threw in a tumbleturn on the far straightaway. As the fifth skier, he finally busted the tourney open.

Not complaining about the driving, but the starts were hot. My timing was a little off and I pretty much got yanked off the dock. Hard to believe, but I actually recovered from this hot mess of a start and got planing on my butt.





Brett said he was surprised I actually managed to pull it out. He said it looked like I hit the water pretty much curled up in a ball. We both laughed later when another guy hit the water wrapped up in a ball. He too managed to pull it out.

As far as the table, look at my short second run in the video. Greg pointed out how my outside leg was chattering like crazy. All my weight was on my inside leg as I was trying to stay inside the wake on the tight turns. May not have been the best strategery.

Typically, at least in my world, boat medium to fastish idles away from dock. Skier watches the rope and yells "hit it" at his discretion.

In this case, the driver fastish to crazy fast pulled away from the dock. Skier jumps in at his discretion and when he hits the water, the driver throttled up. Caught the first few skiers off guard.

Skiers had choice of 75 or 100, low pull, tower pull or super fly-hi pull.. I opted for 100 ft, Wasnt fussy about height of pull, just took it where it was, which I think was SFH in both cases.

I'm sure the boat was set up fine, but we didnt have the luxury of tuning our own set ups, plus constant hard left rudder probably isnt the best representation of table conditions. It was nice to hear Bill say that Brett agreed with my assessment and that I wasnt the only one that felt that way. Couldnt have been too awful I guess as some of the skiers did multiple laps inside. I know Sangers are the go-to footing boats, but like I said, probably not the best conditions to judge. I'm guessing you've been behind Brad's and may have a different opinion. Also, if this boat pulled the worlds, I am guessing it is probably pretty much state of the art.

I think KSO and Rachel both did their runs outside the wake on the inside of the turn.

Just pulled open a drawer and saw this newspaper article on the event that I had forgotten I stuck in there. Upon closer look, compared to when I first looked at it several weeks ago, I realized they caught me in a great action shot.....that's me on the left of the audience picture with my video camera.