13 Aug 2007
I'm having a blast skimming across the surface of the water when my speed abruptly drops from 30 km/h to zero. The rope has gone slack. Meanwhile, my board is sinking into the lake. I know what's going to happen next.
The cable-ski bracket rounds the corner of the track, the rope goes taut, and the submerged kneeboard is instantly capsized. Since I'm strapped to it, so am I.
While sitting in the rescue boat, I watch exactly the same thing happen to Lyn. Still, we made it 150 metres, or about five times as far as I can wakeboard. Launch after launch, I'd pitch forward, digging in the front of the board for a spectacular crash, or lean too far back and drop my backside into the water. Lyn even managed to come off sideways at one point, though she also scored the distance record (and longest swim back).
After each taking a dive within metres of the ramp, we finally quit and selected the kneeboard for our last lap. Quitters never win, winners never quit, but people who never win and never quit are idiots.