Interview with Greg Badal

Greg Badal

TELL US WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO THIS WINTER:

 Well, I’ve been down in Mexico at Ski Paradise doing some skiing and training; what a terrific place Gordon has there. In addition to going down to Acapulco, we have had some terrific powder days snow skiing.  So it’s been a great winter.  We also spent time getting our oldest son off to college; we emphasized the importance of getting a good education.   

REGARDING SNOW SKIING, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO?

I don’t get to do a lot of snow skiing, but there is definitely some crossover. Controlling your balance and weighting the ski, or skies both into and out of the turns is key. 

I’VE HEARD ALL POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT YOUR PRO AM TOURNAMENT, TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE PRO AM:

We wanted to try to increase visibility of water skiing and bring families together.  Some families come and compete as families, and some come and spectate as families.  In any case, we wanted to try to give everyone an opportunity to be involved, last year we created a new division, that was received extremely well, THE LEGENDS division. Andy, Bob, Chris LaPoint, Lucky and some of the past pros and legends of our sport participated, it was great.  Everyone loved it and our plans are to expand the Legends Division. 

Photos courtesy of USA Water Ski

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFLECTING BACK ON 2007, YOU WERE THE BIG DAWG CHAMPION. THAT’S A PRETTY BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT AS WE HAD ALL THE GUYS IN ONE POND, AND ONE DIVISION; AS I REMEMBER YOU WENT OUT AGAINST CHAD SCOTT IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND, TELL US WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD.   

I’ve skied against Chad many times in the Nationals, and I knew it was going to be tough. Chad is a strong competitor, and pretty consistent.  I knew I had to be focused, and try not to make any big mistakes. We had some adverse conditions, wind that day, and that might have favored me.   Having skied against Scott before, I knew what I had to do.

  WHO DO YOU SEE AS THE TOUGHEST COMPETITION FOR 2010?   

 Dave Miller, Ben Favret, Scott Larson, Chad Scott will be in there but there are lots of good guys, and anything can happen. 

 WILL WE SEE YOU AT ANY BIG DAWG QUALIFIERS THIS YEAR? 

Hopefully, I had wanted to go to Texas, however, there’s a conflict with that date, in that we have a tournament at my lake scheduled the same weekend. My plan is to go to the next qualifier in August in Colorado, then the finals in Orlando.