By Jack Burden

GRANBURY, Texas (AP) — Just one week after Canadian water skier Neilly Ross set a pending world record, Erika Lang has reclaimed her status as the world’s highest-scoring women’s tricks skier, achieving an impressive 11,450 points at the Timber Cove Record Tournament in Granbury, Texas.

Lang’s score surpasses the current record of 11,360 and edges past Ross’ pending 11,380-point run, potentially restoring the American’s position at the top of the sport. This comeback follows a remarkable week of intense competition and record-breaking, with Lang adapting her strategy after observing Ross’ innovative hand sequence.

Lang’s world record run

“11,450 points!! So excited to have set a pending World Record at the Timber Cove Record Tournament,” Lang shared after her performance. Her response highlights the fierce, fast-paced competition in women’s tricks skiing, where top athletes continually push the boundaries at each tournament.

Ross, 22, had made headlines just days earlier by setting the pending record in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her 11,380-point score was celebrated for its technical precision, featuring an innovative hand run that split her six flips into a series of wake spins and ski line tricks.

Lang, who also competed at the Okeeheelee tournament in pursuit of a world record, seems to have replicated Ross’ record-breaking run, learning and perfecting the sequence in the few days between the two events.

If ratified, Ross’ record would end Lang’s eight-year streak as record-holder, marking a potential passing of the torch in women’s tricks. However, Lang’s recent achievement could keep her at the forefront of the sport.

The escalating rivalry between Lang and Ross brings renewed excitement to the sport, with each record-setting performance intensifying the competition. Both scores are currently pending review from the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation.