Author: Waterski Pro Tour

Mati Gonzalez wins the 2024 Swiss Pro Tricks

Swiss Pro Tricks Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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Swiss Pro Tricks Recap

Mati Gonzalez wins the 2024 Swiss Pro Tricks

Men’s trick podium at the 2024 Swiss Pro Tricks (image: @waterskiprotour)

Waterski Pro Tour

The Waterski Pro Tour returned for its fourth season with a trick event in which the female ‘old guard’ underlined, capitalized and circled their dominance while a new generation took flight in the men’s. After a wait of just under 7 months between Tour events, the Swiss Pro Tricks was just the barnstorming opener we were looking for.

In the mens tricks, Pato Font, the undoubted dominant force with 11 pro titles, let his crown slip just a touch to allow a pair of 16 year olds onto the podium above him. Jake Abelson started well and improved in each round, culminating in a finals performance of 12,230 that is not only his best ever but a pending USA record. However, 1st place went to Mati Gonzalez as he paired his trademark toes with a huge hand pass that incorporated some exceptional ski line tricks. His 12,440 tied his best as he broke the 12k barrier for the third but certainly most important time in his career. He joins Font, Joel Poland (disappointed with an oh-so-close final run), Dorien Llewellyn and Adam Pickos as only the fifth pro event winner amongst the currently competing pack. Font, clearly devastated after a fall on his toe run that he put down to an uncharacteristic lapse on focus, still managed to finish third with 11,610.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

Men's slalom podium from the 2023 Travers Grand Prix

2023 Travers Grand Prix Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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Travers Grand Prix Recap

Men's slalom podium from the 2023 Travers Grand Prix

Men’s slalom podium at the 2023 Travers Grand Prix (image: @waterskiprotour)

Waterski Pro Tour

We could have seen it coming. Last year’s Travers Grand Prix saw absurdly high scores across the board – including a few first evers – so it was no surprise perhaps that this year’s was no different.

Here are the headlines the weekend as we see them: the highest ever scoring round of slalom waterskiing in history (men’s qualifying round 2), highest ever cut to make an 8 skier final (men’s), the highest ever scoring podium (men’s), tied most 10.75m passes run in a single round (women’s final, tied with Malibu Open 2021).

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

Men's Jump podium at the 2023 Malibu Open

2023 Malibu Open Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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Malibu Open Recap

Men's Jump podium at the 2023 Malibu Open

Men’s Jump podium at the 2023 Malibu Open (image: @waterskiprotour)

Waterski Pro Tour

It is extremely rare to see the best ever competitive performance in a sport. It is infinitely rarer to see two go down in consecutive days and at the same venue. And yet that is what we saw at the Malibu Open as these records fell in women’s slalom and men’s overall. Indeed, the event served up some of the biggest scores of the season across the board, with another milestone in women’s jump.

Firstly, women’s slalom. There might have been a fear that the unusually small field would result in lackluster competition but the women present all skied to a very high standard through qualifying.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

Freddy Krueger and Ryan Dodd water ski jumping

2023 MasterCraft Pro Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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MasterCraft Pro Recap

Freddy Krueger and Ryan Dodd water ski jumping

Freddy Krueger water ski jumping at Ski Fluid.

Waterski Pro Tour

In how many professional sports is it possible to point at a 48 year old that is still competitive? Or even competing.

If there is such a list it would be a very short one. But at the top of it would be jump waterskiing. Why at the top? Well, because Freddy Krueger, our 48 year old, isn’t simply competing, is not only competitive but always, always at the very pointy end. This weekend, like so very many weekends before, he won. And his win at the MasterCraft Pro was not just another win. It was his crowning moment as the 2023 Waterski Pro Tour Jump Champion.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

Mens Podium CA Pro Am

2023 California Pro Am Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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California Pro Am Recap

Mens Podium CA Pro Am

Men’s jump podium from the 2023 California Pro Am.

Waterski Pro Tour

For the first 19 years of its existence the California Pro-Am, the longest running stop on the Tour, was a slalom tournament.

Over the years the event showcased slalom skiing in all its forms: pro men’s, pro women’s, senior men’s (under the banner of the now defunct “Big Dawg” series) and even, for a year or two, a ‘Legends’ division at the interim speed of 35mph. Happily however, for last years 20th edition of the California Pro-Am the door was opened to a new discipline of waterskiing: jump. And thank goodness: this year the jumping had a strong argument for eclipsing the long-standing slalom event.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

The 2023 Calgary Cup Pro Slalom winners

2023 Calgary Cup Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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Calgary Cup Recap

The 2023 Calgary Cup Pro Slalom winners

The 2023 Calgary Cup Pro Slalom winners (image: Johnny Hayward)

Waterski Pro Tour

Professional slalom skiing returned to Canada for the first time in 6 years and to the city of Calgary in nearly a decade as the Calgary Cup joined Waterski Pro Tour this past weekend.

A three week break brought the Tour back to North America after a lightning trip around Europe across June and July. The slalom event, held alongside a World Water Skiers overall tournament, brought few surprises at the top of the podium but perhaps some when examining the build up.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

Jaimee Bull is the defending champion from 2022.

2023 Kaiafas Battle Pro Am Preview | Waterski Pro Tour

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Kaiafas Battle Pro Am Preview

Jaimee Bull is the defending champion from 2022.

Jaimee Bull is the defending champion from 2022.

Waterski Pro Tour

The Waterski Pro Tour carries on this weekend in Kaiafas, Greece. The Kaiafas Battle Pro Am on July 8th and 9th will feature twenty-nine of the world’s greatest slalom skiers as they push into the halfway point of the season.

On the women’s side, nine skiers are signed up to compete. Our top competitors will be Jaimee Bull and Allie Nicholson. Bull is coming off of a win at the Malibu Open where she set a season best score of 1.50@41off (10.25m). This season, she has been skiing very well scoring into 39off (10.75m) at every tour stop. Nicholson will be looking for her first tournament win of the year. So far, her best performance also came from the Malibu Open where she placed 3rd with a score of 4@39off (10.75m).

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

Freddie Winter at the 2023 Monaco Slalom Cup.

2023 Monaco Slalom Cup Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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Monaco Slalom Cup Recap

Freddie Winter at the 2023 Monaco Slalom Cup.

Freddie Winter at the 2023 Monaco Slalom Cup.

Waterski Pro Tour

The Waterski Pro Tour started its European leg last week with the Monaco Slalom Cup. Freddie Winter confirmed his European homecoming with his first win of the season at the Monaco Slalom Cup with a winning score of 4.50@41off (10.25m) in a runoff! Whitney McClintock-Rini beat all of her competition with a score of 2@41off (10.25m)!

The Monaco Slalom Cup started with twenty-two men and fourteen women from all over the world competing in the preliminary rounds. The men’s field was incredibly competitive with a cutoff score of 3@41off (10.25m) and many skiers having both of their preliminary scores taken into account when deciding the top 8 skiers of the day. To qualify for the women’s final, skiers had to beat a score of at least 4@38off (11.25m) with a solid first round score.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

LA Night Jam women's podium

2023 LA Night Jam Recap | Waterski Pro Tour

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2023 LA Night Jam Recap

LA Night Jam women's podium

LA Night Jam women’s podium.

Waterski Pro Tour

This past weekend Jay Bennett and his Tri-Lakes ski crew hosted the premier waterski jumping event of the year in Zachary, Louisiana. Throughout the weekend, there were slalomers, freestyle jumpers, and of course our Waterski Pro Tour tournament the LA Night Jam presented by Tides Medical.

After three rounds of distance jumping, the winners of the tour stop were Jack Critchley who leaped 222ft (67.8m) in the men’s finals and Hanna Straltsova who jumped 175ft (53.4m) in the women’s finals.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.

Freddy Krueger and Ryan Dodd water ski jumping

The Case for Jumping | Waterski Pro Tour

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The Case for Jumping

Freddy Krueger and Ryan Dodd water ski jumping

Freddy Krueger and Ryan Dodd water ski jumping at Ski Fluid.

By Joey Gilroy

Waterski Pro Tour

June 8, 2023

What does it feel like to fly? Billions of people on Earth will never know the feeling of rocketing into the air, and being disconnected from everything, even if it’s just for a moment. However, many waterskiers have been able to seize the opportunity to know what it is like to fly, even if for just a moment. Is it scary? Yes. Is it dangerous at times? Yes. Is it difficult to get into? Yes. So why do it? Because waterski jumping is the greatest feeling in the world. Whether you are going 25ft over the ramp and into the water, or uncorking a 300ft leap through the air, jump is truly the best thing that can be done on waterskis.

Full article at Waterski Pro Tour.