(Chris Rossi) Hey Tommy, how’s thing going?

(CR) Still braving the cold waters of North Carolina?

(Tommy Harrington) Yes, we’re still skiing. We’ve had a very mild fall so we’ve been skiing fairly comfortably, but mostly just on weekends since the time changed.

(CR) How long is your season up there?

(TH) I usually ski from March through November, but I can be persuaded to ski December through February too.

(CR) What is the current water temp?

(TH) It was 60 degrees when we skied Nov. 23.

(CR) Wetsuits still or stepping up with the dry suit?

(TH) So far, just a long-sleeve neoprene top and regular shorts.

(CR) Just so everyone gets to know you, can you tell us where you’re from, how old are you, when did you start skiing, and how long have you been driving tournaments?

(TH) I live in Sanford, N.C., am 60 and started tournament skiing in 1976. I’ve been driving in tournaments since 1977. I learned to ski when I was 29 or 30 but didn’t ski in tournaments until I was 33.

(CR) So, can you tell everyone what it’s like to drive a world record?

(TH) It’s a special feeling, but I don’t let my emotions show it. It’s very rewarding to know you’ve been a part of an achievement of that magnitude, especially when you know how much it means to the skier. That’s the important thing – the skier. It’s almost like you form a special bond with that skier.

(CR) When did Jeff set the world record behind you?

(TH) Labor Day weekend, 1997, at Trophy Lakes in Charleston.

(CR) Wasn’t it still hand driving back then?

(TH) Yes. That was the last world slalom record achieved with manual driving.

(CR) Do you miss it? Hand driving that is.

(TH) Not really. There was a lot more work involved than most people realize. I spent a lot of long Fridays at tournaments pulling practice to get the feel of every skier and to learn how each boat was going to respond. Speed control takes care of that. The boats are set up.
It’s a lot easier to get into driving now. Drivers today can fast-track up the ladder a lot quicker than they used to because they don’t have to spend those long hours paying dues pulling practice. In that way, speed control has improved our sport and our drivers. We have a much larger pool of quality drivers than we did without it. In fact, the driving pool is overstocked, but that’s a good problem to have. Now we need more judges.

(CR) Most of the great drivers I’ve talked to say that they feel much more limited, as if being handicapped by having to drive with Perfect Pass. What is your take on this?

(TH) It does take a lot of the skill out of my hands, but I always stress the point that what the driver does outside the course is just as important – maybe even more important – than what he does in the course. The lineup with the pregates is crucial, and that starts even from the pull-up, when you don’t want to go wide open around a turn island or anything like that. Still, I think the sport overall is better with speed control.

(CR) Would I ski better behind you hand driving (pretend it’s 1996, bpp, before Perfect Pass) or now with Perfect Pass, or about the same?

(TH) You’d ski better behind me manual driving, and I say that because the world record has stayed the same since Jeff set it in 1997 with manual driving. If speed control was that much better, Jeff’s record would have already fallen. But I’m so glad we’ve gone to speed control. It’s getting better with every new chip and it’s very close now. The first couple of years with speed control, the skiers seemed to be stuck on 2 at 41. Perfect Pass has gotten so much better and skiers have adapted.

(CR) Do you still hand drive some, or is that a thing that you’ve let go of?

(TH) That’s in the past. I don’t do any manual driving anymore.

(CR) What has been your favorite moment being a pro driver?

(TH) There have been a lot. The world records with Jeff and Andy Mapple stand out and so do the pro tour records with Andy and Natalie Hamrick. I’ve also pulled several skiers when they ran 39 for the first time, like Drew Ross, Kris LaPoint and Mike Morgan. That was an emotional thing for some of those guys and it was for me too.
The pro tour at Charleston this year was another highlight for me because of the total performances for the whole tournament. Those were some of the most windy conditions you’ll see, yet 12 consecutive skiers ran 39 and more women ran 38 than at any other tournament ever. Those are things some people say will never be seen again. I think my driving had to be pretty consistent in those conditions.
The 2002 Charleston tour stop was special too, because Eric Horton from Perfect Pass rode in the boat with me and checked times after every segment and every pass. That’s when Andy ran 41 and broke the pro tour record, and I’m glad Eric was in the boat checking times and seeing that it was straight up.

(CR) What did it feel like and why do that moment stick in your head?

(TH) A world record will always stick in your head, for the reasons I mentioned above. And to pull the first 41 off pass, with manual driving, when Jeff broke the record – that’s something that will never be done again.

(CR) Is it as much of a rush when a skier pb’s (Personal Best) or sets a record behind you as when you ski a pb in a tournament?

(TH) Sometimes, depending on the situation, but I still get pumped up when I ski well. But again, I try not to show it.

(CR) Do you have an idea of what each skier is going to be like once you’ve driven for them a few times? Like when Jamie Beauchesne skis behind you, do you approach it differently than when Jeff Rodgers is back there?

(TH) I don’t approach them differently, but I do know what to expect. It’s like a baseball pitcher. I pitched in high school. You learn the hitters. In the same way, I learn the skiers.

(CR) Do you find it easier once you get to know a skier to give them a good ride?

(TH) Maybe a little bit, but I don’t get many surprises. I think the most important thing is to know each skier’s entry gate. Jamie Beauschesne has that new gate style and his quick pullout can pull the boat off center if you’re not ready for it. Once you get pulled out so far, you can’t get the boat back where you want it. Wade Cox has a hard pull-out for the gates too.

(CR) Do you have a few skiers that you know off the top of your head that are challenging to drive? Why?

(TH) Wade Cox is one. He pulls harder than anyone in the course. You have to increase the speed control more for him than for anyone else. Brett Thurley also used to be hard to pull. He had a strong pull the whole way, even outside the course, like he was never free of the boat.

(CR) You can rip up the slalom course too huh?

(TH) Sometimes it rips me up.

(CR) What is your personal best in a tournament?

(TH) 2 at 38 off.

(CR) How many sets per week do you ski?

(TH) In tournament season, I try to ski every day, one set a day. It’s hard because once tournaments start, I’m gone every weekend and those three-day weekends take away from training. So I try to go at it pretty hard in March and April to build up for May through October when I can’t practice as much as I’d like.

(CR) Do you find it hard to drive at the top level in a tournament and then get out of the boat and go put it on the line yourself?

(TH) It’s really the other way around. The key is to be able to drive well consistently after I ski. You might see drivers who get in the boat right after they’ve skied, and they might not be too happy with the way they just skied. That sometimes takes away from their focus on the skiers and on driving. My challenge is to be able to flip that switch in my head – to turn off any highs or lows I might be feeling about the way I just skied and to turn my total attention to driving.

To answer your question the way you put it, driving can definitely take away from my skiing. If I’ve been in the boat for several hours, it’s not easy to decompress from that mental focus and be fresh physically and mentally for my ski set.

(CR) I think it’s really impressive that you can do that.

(TH) It’s a lot like training in the spring for skiing. I also have to build my endurance for tournament weekends, for 12-hour days with little rest. That’s a challenge in itself.

(CR) What do you do when you are not skiing? Any hobbies?

(TH) I’ve been running for years, and in the past three years I’ve also gotten into biking. This will be my third winter of competing in duathlons -- running and biking. I also did a mini-triathlon last spring. That’s something I hope to do more of when the time comes to walk away from skiing. I also work out in the gym.

(CR) Do you have any funny stories you can share with us that you’ve experienced over your skiing or driving career that you can share with us?

(TH) A lot of funny stuff can happen in the boat, but that’s not always a good thing. Rather than talk about funny stories, I’ll just say I have a good idea when I step in the boat how that set is going to go, just from seeing the boat crew. I’ve been in the boat with just about every judge, and I know how they’re going to react in certain situations. I will say that I think it’s important that every tournament driver and judge should also be a tournament skier. They should know from experience what the skier goes through. Ruth Johnson is one who got back into skiing and I’m so glad she did. I think she enjoys judging more now that she’s skiing again.

(CR) What is your favorite CD, or the cd that is in your cd player right now?

(TH) I like Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Yanni.

(CR) Thanks for taking a few minutes to this great interview. Have a great winter and I look forward to skiing with you this season!

(TH) No problem. I don’t usually open up this much but I admire you as a skier and a person so I’m glad to do it. Thanks for your interest, and congratulations on a strong last season. I think you were the most improved skier I saw in 2003 because of all the 39s you ran throughout the season.