GUT GATE: 7 STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL GATE

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Pregate Setup

1. Stand Tall and Balanced, weight centered between balls of feet

2. “Stacked” position

3. Ski attitude flat - notice forward water break

Pullout

1. Starts early and aggressive. Energy needs to be created behind the boat

2. Can’t still be pulling when you are up past 45 degrees

3. Handle is low with elbows tight to hips

4. First move is forward, not back

5. Lean with body toward zero ball, loading left shoulder and rotating away from boat

6. Feel load on bevel under front foot

7. Handle low and elbows close to hips

8. Don’t try to turn ski, lead with the body and let ski build angle

Transition

1. Off the pull and onto a flat ski by about 45 degrees

2. Almost all pressure in left hand and shoulder

3. Body in line with ski and stacked

4. Pressure is still forward and leaning toward zero ball

5. Let boat stand you up SLOWLY

6. Handle rotates to vertical during transition

7. Do not jump to inside edge

8. Stay on flat ski, don’t let it roll out

Glide

1. This is where we get timing with the boat

2. Must wait until we are falling back on the boat

3. Left arm controls line tension

4. Move forward if you need to slow down, not back

5. Stand tall and square with ski, weight balanced over balls of feet

6. Handle is low, close to body, and vertical

Turn-in

1. Slow move into a stacked position, culminating at centerline

2. Body stays tall and stacked through entire move

3. Never move back and away from boat

4. First move is handle comes up toward pylon

5. Chest and body follows handle toward pylon

6. Do not turn ski

7. Body leads ski

8. Ski SLOWLY builds angle as line tension builds

9. Super progressive, build angle very slowly

Gate Approach

1. Starting to get load from boat at about 45 degrees

2. Rope tension increases but ski angle and load is progressive

3. Body is stacked and ahead of ski like sprinter accelerating

4. Ski path should feel like 45 degrees, not 90

5. Never try to put the ski between you and boat

6. Ski angle is built slowly and progressively, with the maximum at centerline

Takeoff through Center Line

1. Ski is finally between you and boat at CL, and has reached max angle

2. With enough speed the ski will start to unweight - must allow it to do so

3. Rope load is still increasing

4. Never try to take extra angle through centerline, the less angle the better

5. Transition happens slowly as boat stands you up

6. Ski stays on handle path - better connection