The Aztecs took 6th Place at the 2008 Collegiate Nationals. It was a good experience for a very young team with a lot of raw talent. I would like to stay and dedicate myself to coaching the team this spring and into next fall. I think that we could accomplish a lot. Good job qualifying this year team but how about for next year we come ready to ski hard. Great team bonding! You really showed me what a team is all about. Thank you for letting me be a part.
I write from the couch at the Mission Beach bachelor pad where I will be converting the garage the new SIMR headquarters next week. I’m on my second bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios before Prison Break starts. Wanted to give an update from the Imperial tournament. Last weekend was super fun. It was so great to see everyone in my ski family. The SIMR crew was well represented at the home site for half the team. Some highlights include a 100 miles of bonding pavement out and back with Big Daddy Rush, quality time in the tower talking baseball with the great Phil Adams, and wrestling with Robert on the dock at the night party fully clothed into the freezing cold lake.
My first tournament of the fall, and first tournament since regionals (july), and first time on the water in 75 days, went pretty much as expected. I started the tournament with one round of tricks. Stood up my usual pass scoring 970pts. Next, I elected to do two rounds of jump back to back since I was the only 5.5ft jumper. My furthest jump was 123ft. It’s good to have one in the books for next season. Slalom was an udder mess. I didn’t have a vest, one side of my wing was bent 45 degrees the wrong way. I was actually quite shocked I made it around 5 ball. Well… I wasn’t half as surprised as the boat crew who probably thought I actually knew how to ski.
I haven’t touched my skis since regionals this last summer. In fact I can’t even find my slalom vest. Non-the-less I will be competing in the final 3-event tournament of the year down at my home site of Imperial Lakes. After sitting on the shore at the collegiate regionals this last weekend I am really itching to dust off those jump skis.
Imperial 3 Event
DATES: October 11-12, 2008
LOCATION: Imperial Lakes, El Centro, CA
Those Aztecs hold onto another Nationals bid, qualifying for D2 Nationals for the 6th year in a row. The large Regional Tournament took place this last weekend in Bakersfield, CA where the Aztecs placed 4th out of close to 16 regional waterski programs.
My cousin, Connor Fagent (pronounced Fay Jent), is now skiing for State. He has some natural athletic ability and comes from a very water active family. He should be slashing buoys in no time. We will be traveling to Arizona in two weeks for the NCWSA National Championships hosted by Arizona State University. Congrats State!
My neglect of CCLARKSKI.com is not intentional. I love this site because it allows me to go back and recall good time, evaluate my skiing progress, and keeps my family in the know. I have been busy recently with my new action sports business ventures. I started a surfboard company (that is expanding into more of a lifestyle company) and I have been pursuing my photography, multimedia, and marketing interests as well. Not to mention traveling constantly. I haven’t even had a home for over a year now. Off my most recent return from Central America I am planning on putting in a good three to four months here in San Diego.
I will be making custom surfboards, photographing action water sports, coaching waterskiing, and personally training myself into great physical shape.
