By Jack Burden

The best water skier in the world is back where it all began.

Reigning world record holder in Men’s Overall, 2024 WWS Overall Tour champion, and 2024 Waterski Pro Tour jump champion, Joel Poland will return to the iconic Moomba Masters in downtown Melbourne from March 8-10. It’s been five years since Poland last carved up the Yarra River, and his return makes an already electric event even more explosive.

Poland last competed at Moomba in 2020, where he finished third in men’s tricks. It was a fitting result for an athlete whose professional career first gained traction at this very event. From 2018 to 2020, the Brit made three consecutive Moomba appearances, cutting his teeth on the notoriously unpredictable Yarra—a river that can make or break the best in the world.

But then, an unwanted break. Visa complications kept Poland out of Australia, forcing him to miss the last three editions of the world’s longest-running professional water ski tournament. Frustrating? Absolutely. But Poland never lost sight of the Moomba Masters. A self-proclaimed superfan of the event, he has bided his time, waiting for his chance to return.

This time, he comes back a different skier. More titles, more records, more experience. His preparation? A northern hemisphere winter spent training in Chile at Lago Valle Maipo with the Gonzalez family. While it’s still early in the season, Poland is expected to be a serious contender in all three events—slalom, trick, and jump.

The Moomba Masters is already the most exciting event on the water ski calendar. With Poland back in the mix, it just got even better.