First Female S-Bends?

I'm confused.

http://www.thewakeplace.com/?p=619

Wasn't Raimi Merritt the first female rider to land this trick behind a boat? Was it not legit?
How were the two s-bends different? (other than Dallas lands it in competition)

http://www.thewakeplace.com/?p=312

I thought the same thing.

Dallas first female to land it in a comp, is probably what they mean.

"So not only did she land it on the regular tower, but she is the first to ever land one in competition for the girls"

I think they make it very clear that these are seperate events.

(Message edited by stoked_32 on July 14, 2009)

Does "regular tower' mean Raimi's was on an extension to the tower or that other tower-sling thing Shapiro is using?

I was a little confused too, they did say Dallas was the first to land it behind a "regular boat tower." I thought Raimi did it behind the boat as well?

maybe Raimi did it behind one of those extension towers, the ones that go even higher then the regular tower. Thats the only thing I can think of

^yep i also think thats what they mean.

if thats true it was never mentioned when they posted the vid of raimi doing the sbend. Although it might make sense since we havent seem raimi attempt an sbend during a comp run

Assuming that Raimi received some 'help' from the boat tower extension (or some other 'tower sling' technology), would you still credit her the first legitimate female s-bend?

I feel like it would be similar to landing a new trick one wake, or on the cable, or any other learning tool. Either way, it takes some balls to throw it in the first place. Props to both ladies.

Do the extended towers really help that much? I've never seen one in real life...

"would you still credit her the first legitimate female s-bend?"

My opinion would be no, but like others here, I've never seen an extender in person and full credit to Raimi for hitting a trick that I couldn't begin to attempt.

so its not legit unless you land it low pull with a stretchy rope.

.....with your arm through the handle.

Raimi still did the S-bend even if something helped her take it bigger. The "regular tower" thing is a stretch. It sounds silly even saying it.

Landing it in a comp is huge. Less time, rough water, rushing it, props to Dallas too.

I like dallas' S-bend btw.. Like how she doesn't rush it and finish too early. Slow style....sick!

Raimi looks like she can take hers to blind!

lol, no dj... but I guess one could make the argument that I could probably land an s-bend if my line was attached to a helicopter. It's a matter of at what point do you consider technology interfering with the core aspects of the sport, for the generation that we live in. I think most people would agree that any trick landed behind a standard wakeboat, ballast, tower, and non-stretch line is legit; but before those inventions, we probably would have thought otherwise.