USA Water Ski & Wake Sports

Renowned three-event water skier Alex Lauretano was honored with an Award of Distinction last night during the 2024 USA-WSWS Foundation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Barefooter Elaine Heller-Fatla was the sole inductee into the Hall of Fame at the ceremony held on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven, Florida. Additionally, Joe Knapp, Jason Lee, Dennis Longo, and Dusty Schulz were recipients of the Award of Distinction.

Having grown up on a lake in Connecticut, Alex Lauretano’s love for water skiing started at an early age. But frozen winters made it difficult to train and compete on the world stage. Alex moved to central Florida at the age of 16 to train and finish high school.

Two years later, she was competing on the pro circuit and setting records. Alex is a former Open Women national slalom, tricks, jump and overall champion, Pan American Water Ski Championships overall champion, Collegiate tricks and jump champion, and a past member of the U.S. Elite Water Ski Team. She was the 2015 AWSA Jumper of the Year and recipient of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports’ “That’s Incredible Award.” Her jumping is indeed incredible. She set the Open Women national jump record of 184 feet in 2013 and set a new record three years later at 188 feet that still stands today.

Aside from focusing on her training and career, she reached out in many other ways to advance the sport of water skiing and women in professional sports. She is a member of multiple standing committees for USA Waterski & Wake Sports and has been the Athletes’ Advisory Council chairwoman since 2013.

Alex was a charter member of Girls That Fly, an organization of the top women water ski jumpers in the world formed in 2011. Girls That Fly highlights and promotes worldwide jump events for women and establishes parity for women in areas such as prize money, publicity, and event equality.

Read more about the other award recipients at USA Waterski