By Jack Burden

If 2024 goes down in the annals of waterski history, it will likely be remembered as the year when everything that was supposed to be stable turned upside down. Down was up, men’s slalom was a coin toss, and the podium was filled with new faces—high schoolers, middle-aged men, you name it. Yet, as chaotic as the men’s field was, the women’s side was almost eerily predictable. In fact, it may have been the least surprising year since the condensed 2020 season, with fewer fresh faces than an IWWF board meeting.

The men’s side, though? That’s where things got interesting. Nine different men claimed their first professional victories this season—an all-time record. Nine! That’s not just unprecedented; it’s a complete game-changer. From seasoned pros finally putting it all together to newcomers who seemed like they’d been training in secret since birth, the sport had never seen such a diverse group of first-time winners. Sure, Nate’s decision to get a “real job” and Freddie’s little misunderstanding with a dock opened a few doors in slalom, but still—this is a sign of the sport’s growing depth. New blood has arrived, and they’re coming for the top spots.

Let’s take a look at the nine who made history:

Image: @poldf

1. Pol Duplan-Fribourg – Moomba Night Jump

Brash. Arrogant. French. Pol Duplan-Fribourg is like the second coming of Aussie folk hero Timothy Bradstreet, and not just because of his impressive bodybuilder physique. This year, the 21-year-old Frenchman made his debut at the Moomba Masters—his first-ever professional jump event. Yes, you read that right. His first. And in true Duplan-Fribourg style, he went full throttle, falling short in the daylight final to the experienced Ryan Dodd and Jack Critchley but turning up the heat when the lights came on, taking down Dodd in a one-jump shootout to clinch the win.

It was a pivotal moment: he became the youngest jumper to win a pro event since 2017. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the immense talent of the Duplan-Fribourg family. His older brother Louis holds the world overall crown, while his younger brother Tristan was leading the charge in junior jumping before the Robin Lake ramp literally cut him in half. Unfortunately, Pol’s season was also cut short by injury—a herniated disc and a fractured ankle sidelined him by late spring.

But that Moomba win? It set the tone for what would become the year of the first-time champion.

Image: @tiaremirandaphotography

2. Matias Gonzalez – Swiss Pro Tricks

If you’re looking for the polar opposite of the muscled, stocky trick skiers who dominate the sport, look no further than Matias Gonzalez. Small, rakish, and soft-spoken, he somehow manages to look younger than his already juvenile 16 years. He’s a featherweight in a field of heavyweights—more Manny Pacquiao than Mike Tyson. Coming into the first event of the Waterski Pro Tour as the Under-17 World Record Holder, Gonzalez wasn’t exactly a dark horse, but in a field that included world champion Pato Font (who was eyeing records before the final even started), few expected him to clinch the win.

But that’s exactly what he did. In the final, Gonzalez scored 12,440, matching his personal best and junior world record to claim his first professional victory. The rest of the season saw him finish on the podium at every trick event, culminating in the Waterski Pro Tour season championship.

The lineup for the Swiss Pro Tricks final was striking, with 25-year-old Joel Poland standing out like a sore thumb among a group mostly too young to order a drink—a clear reminder that Trix are for kids. Gonzalez proved the point.

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

3. Martin Labra – U.S. Masters

The build-up to the men’s tricks at the Masters was all about the big names—Abelson’s new world record, Joel Poland’s insane form, and Pato Font’s imminent comeback. But quietly, another teenage Chilean phenom was working his way into the conversation: Martin Labra. After grinding relentlessly through the Chilean summer, Labra—already the most decorated skier in Under-17 World Championship history—stepped onto the professional circuit with a vengeance.

He’s the poster child for ‘nurture over nature.’ The stepson of a professional jumper, Labra was raised across Pan-American ski schools with access to the world’s best coaches. A perfect blend of brawn and finesse, he looks equally at home muscling through a scrappy ski-line sequence as he does executing complex toe tricks with speed and precision. Labra stormed the Masters’ tricks event, securing the win with a standout performance in a final where several seasoned competitors faltered.

And he didn’t stop there. Labra followed up with another victory at the Botaski ProAm. In the coming years, he’s set to become a serious force in tricks and overall. Don’t be surprised if he starts cropping up on even more podiums.

Image: @cooleo16 (via anonymous beach photographer)

4. Cole McCormick – U.S. Masters

Forget the last name. Forget the Hall of Fame parents. Forget the legacy. Strip it all away, and what do you get? Cole McCormick, 28, a software engineer who looks more at home on a Discord server than on a slalom course. Hell, he even toe-tricked in college.

But here’s the twist: you’d be wrong.

The McCormick of 2024 is a late-blooming slalom maestro. Shredded, laser-focused, and a true student of the sport. This Memorial Day weekend, he made history as the first second-generation winner of the prestigious Masters title, following in the footsteps of his multiple Masters-winning parents, Susi and Ricky McCormick.

His win didn’t come easy. Conditions were tough, but McCormick was the only skier to run the 10.75m (39.5’) pass in the preliminary round. As the top seed, he secured five-and-a-half buoys in the final to clinch the win. And even after a high-speed faceplant out of six, that grin didn’t leave his face.

McCormick’s victory ended nearly four years of dominance by Nate Smith, Freddie Winter, Will Asher, and Thomas Degasperi in men’s slalom. And just like that, the floodgates opened for what was to come.

Image: @waterskibroadcasting_

5. Robert Hazelwood – Lake 38 ProAm

Before Robert Hazelwood was the YouTube vlogger we all secretly watch when we should be working, he was just a kid from Northern England with the unenviable task of trying to keep Joel Poland humble. Whether he succeeded? Well, that’s up for debate.

Snubbed by the Masters, Hazelwood came out swinging the next weekend at the Lake 38 ProAm. At 24, he had been lurking in the shadows for years—always there, always a threat, but never quite crossing the line. Until now. This time, he was all business. In a final that could’ve been an intense poker match—coming down to a three-way runoff with McCormick and Winter—it was Hazelwood who kept his cool and showed the most skill. His win was a moment he’d dreamed of since he was old enough to tie his own ski boots.

Hazelwood’s victory seemed to signal a changing of the guard. He became the youngest men’s slalom champion since 2019, and suddenly, the balance of power in the sport didn’t seem so solid.

Perennially inconsistent, however, Hazelwood’s form yo-yoed between triumph and missing finals throughout the rest of the season. He found the top step again at the Botaski ProAm, but with plenty left to work on, don’t be surprised if Hazelwood’s climb up the standings is a bit of a rollercoaster.

Image: @waterski_photography

6. Corey Vaughn – Oxfordshire ProAm

Among the fresh-faced talents and rising stars stood Corey Vaughn, the veteran journeyman. For over a decade, he has been a fixture on the professional circuit—solid and dependable but never quite a threat. Until now. At 38, Vaughn finally broke through at the Oxfordshire ProAm, becoming the oldest skier to claim his first professional slalom title.

Yes, this is the same Vaughn who once donned a cape and cap as “Buoy Wonder,” only to mellow into the barefoot philosopher affectionately known as “Mr. Peace, Love, and Waterskiing.” For years, we’ve watched him grind it out on the pro circuit, collecting more life lessons than titles.

But under the Oxfordshire lights, Vaughn rose to the occasion in challenging nighttime conditions. A career of near-misses, sweat-soaked toil, and unwavering belief finally bore fruit. At 38 years and 9 months, he reminded the world that persistence can be the ultimate trump card.

Far from a one-off triumph, Vaughn backed it up throughout the season. Finishing fourth on the Pro Tour, he delivered the season of his life, even running the elusive 10.25m pass—one of only three skiers to achieve it this year.

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

7. Dane Mechler – MasterCraft Pro

Dane Mechler’s victory at the MasterCraft Pro felt like the culmination of a long, hard-fought journey. For years, Mechler had been the “nearly man” of pro slalom—always consistent, always in the mix, but never quite able to claim the top step. This time, the story ended differently.

His season had been anything but smooth. A broken foot, courtesy of an ill-fated leap through a CorrectCraft hoop and the challenges of balancing family responsibilities could have derailed him. Yet, when it mattered most, Mechler delivered. Skiing early in the final, he laid down a 4.5 at 10.25m—a score that stood tall against a stacked field, including favorites Nate Smith and Will Asher.

The celebration that followed was a moment to savor. With his picture-perfect family cheering from the sidelines, it was a victory that felt as personal as it was professional.

For Mechler, this wasn’t just another tournament; it was the tournament. A skier often labeled “the best never to win” finally got his moment, and the emotions at the finish said it all—relief, pride, and the satisfaction of proving that perseverance pays off.

Image: @robhazelwoodcreative

8. Lucas Cornale – Travers Grand Prix

Lucas Cornale is 19. Let that sink in. Nineteen. And in 2024, the Queenslander smashed his way into the history books as the youngest male to win a pro slalom event this century. Just two days after blowing out his birthday candles, Cornale lit up the Travers Grand Prix, claiming his first pro title.

In a sport often mired in safe, predictable skiing, Cornale is pure adrenaline. He doesn’t seem to know—or care—what an S-turn is. While others might have played it cautiously for a full five, Cornale went for broke, gunning to run the 10.25m (41′ off) pass. His 4.5 held up, delivering not just a win but a statement: fearless beats conservative.

And this wasn’t a one-off. Earlier in the season, Cornale had already turned heads with standout performances at Moomba and the Lake 38 ProAm. His Travers triumph wasn’t luck; it was inevitable.

With a mix of audacity and raw skill that makes veterans sweat, Cornale isn’t just a rising star—he’s the future. Get used to his name. This is only the beginning.

Image: Waterski Pro Tour

9. Brando Caruso – Miami Pro

I’ve got mixed feelings about Italians. Part of me leans toward distrust—after all, history reminds us which side they fought on. But if I’m honest, it’s probably jealousy. No nation exudes cool quite like Italy, the land of the Corleones, Ferrari, and Sophia Loren. When I think Italian, I picture the tall, dark, cigarette-smoking guy who effortlessly steals your girl.

No slalom skier embodies that aura of effortless cool better than Brando Caruso. He’s the anti-hero of water skiing, unapologetically marching to his own beat. Feigned courtesy isn’t his style—he’s the guy throwing a death glare while reluctantly posing on the lower steps of a podium. Smooth, elegant, and unmistakably Italian, his skiing is a perfect reflection of who he is.

In the season’s finale, with the biggest cash prize up for grabs, Caruso took down a stacked field—Smith, Asher, Travers, and the rest of slalom royalty. This wasn’t just another win; it was a mic drop moment in a season that saw a record-breaking 10 different winners in men’s slalom.

His triumph was the perfect conclusion to a season full of surprises. It was a showcase of timing, perseverance, and talent, and for Caruso, it was a breakthrough that felt both satisfying and long overdue. Some moments in life are worth the wait—and this was one of them.

2024 was a year that flipped the script on everything we thought we knew about pro waterskiing. It was chaos, unpredictability, and opportunity all wrapped into one, especially in the men’s field, where a record number of first-time winners emerged. Old names faded, and new ones stepped up with the audacity to take it all. From teenagers defying expectations to veteran journeymen finally getting their due, the sport showed that it’s more open than ever to fresh faces. Meanwhile, the women’s field remained more stable, but even that seemed like the calm before the storm. This season didn’t just change the standings; it changed the very tone of the sport. We’ve entered an era where anything is possible, and it’s only going to get more interesting from here. Strap in—2025 might just be the year we see everything we thought was impossible, come true.