IWWF

Venues for next two waterski world championships announced

Italy and Australia Announced as Hosts for the 2025 & 2027 World Championships | IWWF

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Italy and Australia Announced as Hosts for the 2025 & 2027 IWWF World Open Waterski Championships

Venues for next two waterski world championships announced

Image: IWWF

IWWF

The International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) is delighted to announce that Italy and Australia have been selected as the hosts for the 2025 and 2027 IWWF World Open Waterski Championships, respectively.

Both countries had initially submitted bids to host the 2025 edition, but after careful consideration and discussions, Australia opted to reschedule its bid for the prestigious event until 2027.  

Italy will host the 2025 IWWF World Open Waterski Championships from 3rd to 7th September at the Parco Nautico del Sesia in Recetto. This will be the fifth time that Italy has hosted the World Championships, reaffirming its strong ties to the sport and its reputation as a world-class destination for waterski competitions. The Parco Nautico del Sesia is renowned for its state-of-the-art facilities and stunning natural surroundings, making it an ideal venue for this prestigious event.

Parco Nautico del Sesia in Recetto, Italy

Australia will take the spotlight in 2027, hosting the IWWF World Open Waterski Championships from 16th to 22nd February 2027 at the Max Kirwan Ski Park, Mulwala in New South Wales. This will mark only the second time Australia has hosted the event, with the last occasion being in 1965 at Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast.  The decision to defer to Italy for 2025 highlights Australia’s commitment to fostering international cooperation within the waterskiing community, and the 2027 event promises to be a spectacular showcase of the sport.

Max Kirwin Ski Park in Mulwala, Australia

“We are incredibly fortunate to have both Italy and Australia as hosts for our upcoming IWWF World Open Championships,” said José Antonio Pérez Priego, President of the IWWF. “Australia’s gracious gesture to focus on delivering an exceptional event in 2027 is a true reflection of the unity and sportsmanship that defines our global waterskiing family. We look forward to two outstanding championships in these two remarkable countries.”

As the IWWF continues to promote and advance waterskiing on the global stage, the 2025 and 2027 IWWF World Open Waterski Championships are poised to be landmark events. With Italy’s deep waterskiing heritage and Australia’s return to hosting after more than six decades, these championships will not only celebrate the sport but also the spirit of international cooperation and respect that underpins the IWWF

Seth Stisher wins gold at Worlds

U.S. Team, Athletes Strike Gold At IWWF 35+ World Championships | USA Water Ski

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U.S. Team, athletes strike gold at IWWF 35+ World Waterski Championships

Seth Stisher wins gold at Worlds

Image: @skihusband

By Scott N. Atkinson

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports

The U.S. 35+ Water Ski World Championships Team won the gold medal and 37 U.S. water ski athletes combined to earn 44 individual medals, including 19 gold medals, in respective events at the 7th IWWF 35+ World Waterski Championships, Sept. 4-8, at BOTASKI in Sesena, Toledo, Spain.

The United States tallied 13,355.67 points in winning the gold medal. Australia earned the silver (10,939.86 points) and France the bronze (10,778.28 points). Athletes and teams from 27 countries competed in the five-day event as the world team title and world individual titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall were at stake.

Jake Abelson jumps during the finals @predatorbay during the U17 world waterski championships in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Family Affair: Second Generation Talent Dominates Under-17 World Championships

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Family Affair: Second Generation Talent Dominates Under-17 World Championships

Jake Abelson jumps during the finals @predatorbay during the U17 world waterski championships in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

By Jack Burden

Turn back the clock three decades: Kyle Eade and Steffen Wild are regulars on the professional jump circuit. Russel and Jane Gay are among the best trickers in the world. Mariana Ramirez and Richard Abelson are promising juniors rising through the ranks. Now, fast forward to today, all of these world-class skiers traveled to Canada for the Under-17 World Championships, but now in very different roles.

11 of the 24 individual medals at the recently completed World Titles were taken home by these four families. Additionally, they set three world championship tournament records and, arguably, secured the team title as well, with four out of the six spots on the victorious U.S. Team filled by just two families.

Other second-generation talents included Fletcher and Daisy Green, both advancing to the trick finals; Marie-Lou Duverger, who finished fourth in girls’ overall; Samson Clunie, who narrowly missed the jump finals; and Cameron Davis, who placed fifth in girls’ overall and was part of the gold medal-winning Team USA.

The on-water action was incredible. The finals started with the Eade brothers, Jaeden and Damien, tying for the gold before having to settle things in a runoff. Training partners since day one, has there ever been a more fitting resolution to a sibling rivalry? Meanwhile, girls’ slalom was a tense battle between two South American contenders, with Peru’s Christiana De Osma narrowly edging out Chile’s Trinidad Espinal in the final.

The girls’ jump final was an incredible battle between Australia’s Kristy Appleton and Denmark’s Maise Jacobsen. Appleton threw everything she had at the ramp in one of the bravest performances of the event, willing herself further on her final attempt, which resulted in a spectacular crash upon landing. It took Jacobsen until her third and final jump and a new personal best, but ultimately, the Dane pulled ahead. Give these two fierce competitors some time to adjust to the faster boat speed and higher ramp height, and they could be the next big thing in professional jumping.

The boys’ jump final was relatively sedate after the crash reel that was the preliminary round, but it was Jake Abelson who stole the show second off the dock with a 53.3-meter (175-foot) jump to cement his overall title and set the mark for the rest of the field to chase. Tim Wild, the top seed and favorite after the withdrawal of the injured Tristan Duplan-Fribourg, tried valiantly but ultimately came up half a meter (two feet) short of Abelson’s mark.

While girls’ trick was somewhat of a foregone conclusion, with young Alexia Abelson head and shoulders above the rest of the field, boys’ tricks was a titanic struggle between the two highest-scoring trick skiers of all time, Matias Gonzalez and Jake Abelson. Both had set Under-17 World Championship records in the preliminary round and knew it would take even more in the final. The defending champion, Gonzalez, showcased his ruthless efficiency to set a score of 12,410 for Abelson to chase. A third gold medal was not to be for the American, who, despite two stand-up passes, narrowly lost his last hand trick to time and finished just behind Gonzalez.

While jump is historically the headline event to close out a World Championships, boys’ tricks was a fitting finish, coming right down to the wire. If the current crop of junior world champions is anything to go by, the future of the sport is very bright indeed.

Ahumada Esqui Nautico

Argentina to Host 2026 Under-17 World Championships | IWWF

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Argentina to Host 2026 IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships

Ahumada Esqui Nautico

Image: @ahumada_esqui_nautico

IWWF

The Argentinian Waterski & Wakeboard Federation has been awarded the bid to host the next IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships in 2026 at Lago Ahumada Esquí Náutico in San Jose in Córdoba from 30th March to 5th April 2026.

The “Club Ahumada Waterski,” founded 10 years ago in Villa Dolores, has been a pillar in promoting water sports. For 8 years, the training has taken place at “Lago La Viña” in the Trasla- sierra Valley. Recently, the club built a high-performance private lake between San José and Villa Dolores, designed for skiing both day and night thanks to its advanced lighting. This lake, unique in the province of Córdoba, meets all the technical and safety requirements necessary for high-level competitions.

Read the full press release from IWWF

2024 IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships

2024 Under-17 World Championships Kick Off This Week | IWWF

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2024 IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships Kick Off Today

2024 IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships

Image: IWWF

IWWF

The 2024 IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships officially commences today at Predator Bay in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

This prestigious event gathers over 100 of the world’s finest junior waterskiers from 21 countries, all vying for the coveted World Titles in various disciplines.

The Championships, running from August 1st to 4th, promise thrilling displays of talent and skill as young athletes push the boundaries of waterskiing excellence. Admission is free and spectators can look forward to an array of exhilarating performances, including slalom, tricks, and jump events, all set against the stunning backdrop of Predator Bay.

Adding to the excitement, the event will be live-streamed, allowing fans worldwide to experience the action in real time. The live stream will cover every moment of the competition, ensuring that waterski enthusiasts around the globe don’t miss a single turn, trick or jump.

Towing the competitors will be the World-Record setting Ski Nautique, renowned for its superior performance and reliability.

To read the full media release and for more information about the event, the schedule, and to access the live stream, please visit the following link:

Please click here to read the full media release on IWWF’s website.

Wakeboarding and Water Skiing

The 10 Sports That Should Be Considered for Future Olympics | Sports Illustrated

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The 10 Sports That Should Be Considered for Inclusion in Future Olympics

Wakeboarding and Water Skiing

Let’s examine some possibilities for Brisbane 2032 and beyond (image: @sportsillustrated)

By Patrick Andres

Sports Illustrated

There is a lot to criticize about the Olympics, but generally speaking, it’s hard to argue with the Games’s taste in new sports in recent years. Rugby sevens, added in 2016, has been a hit. Golf’s stock has only risen. Skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing—all have added to the Olympics’ cornucopia of offerings.

In 2028, five new sports will join the fold: baseball and softball (which aren’t new but aren’t being contested in Paris), cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash. Those additions are part of a drive by the International Olympic Committee to add sports to the Olympics that will appeal to the locale in which the Games are held.

This begs the question: which sports could be next?

Read full article at Sports Illustrated.

The IWWF runs biennial waterski world championships

Pan American Championships

October 7 – October 13

The IWWF runs biennial waterski world championships

This October 7-13, Bogotá, Columbia will be the stage for the 2024 IWWF Pan American Water Ski Championships.

Events: Slalom, Trick, Jump, Overall, & Teams

Schedule:

  • TBD
LIVE SCORES
EVENT WEBSITE

Read More

Crowds flocked out in droves to watch the 2024 Latin American Waterski Championships Easter Spectacle: Crowds Flock to the Latin American Water Ski Championships Events like this year's championships prove that water skiing can be exciting and engaging for a wide audience at any level.
Whitney Mcclintock Rini of Canada competes in waterski women's open tricks final at the Lima Pan American Games Quiz: Most Pan Am Games Titles of All Time Only eight skiers have managed to win more than one gold medal in the event that is held every four years.
Whitney McClintock is off to her 5th Pan Am Games. McClintock Living Her Dream on and off the Water Ahead of Pan Am Games | Cambridge Today The water ski star is packing up her three-year-old son and heading to Santiago, Chile for another shot at gold.
The Orakei Basin in Auckland

2025 IWWF World University Water Ski Championships To Be Held in New Zealand

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2025 IWWF World University Waterski Championships to be held in New Zealand

The Orakei Basin in Auckland

Aerial view of Orakei basin, near Auckland, New Zealand (image: Bruce W. Hayward)

IWWF

The IWWF Executive Board has approved a bid from New Zealand Waterski Association to host the 2025 IWWF World University Waterski Championships at the Auckland Water Ski Club (AWSC). The Championships, which will include the three traditional events of slalom, tricks and jump, will be held February 26 through March 2, 2025 at the Orakei Basin in Auckland. The dates have been selected to align with New Zealand’s peak summer period and pre- Moomba Masters.

“The site is unique and located inside a dormant volcanic crater on the side of the Hauraki Gulf and Auckland Harbour. It is within sight of the SkyTower in the centre of Auckland. While the site is saltwater based, it has hosted several great skiers and events over the years including the New Zealand Nationals every 5 years. It skis well with historical slalom scores into 10.25 metres and jumps over 65 metres.”

This will be the first IWWF World Titled traditional waterski event hosted by New Zealand and the first since our separation from the FISU World University Championships program. It will be towed exclusively by the World Record-Setting Ski Nautique.

The IWWF World University Waterski Championships is a team event comprised of skiers between the ages of 17 and 28 who are full time students in good standing at an accredited university.

The event itself has a very rich tradition with many of the world’s top skiers competing over the years. Beginning in 1996 with the first IWSF World University Trophy Tournament, in Milledgeville, Georgia, USA and a second IWSF World University Trophy Tournament in 1998 in Cleveland, Tennessee, the IWSF went on to sanction the 1st World University Waterski Championships in Tianjin, China, in 2002. The Tianjin event, probably the largest amateur waterski event in history with tens of thousands in attendance, was broadcast live on China’s National TV Network, which at the time had a total viewership of 600,000,000.

In 2002, The IWSF (Now IWWF) partnered with the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and FISU sanctioned events in Balakovo, Russia (2004), Tianjin, China (2008), Santiago, Chile (2012) and Akita, Japan (2016). Events were also scheduled for Dnipro, Ukraine in 2020 and Minsk, Belarus in 2022. Both were canceled, the first by COVID-19 pandemic, the second due to the war. Ukraine was rescheduled to 2024 but had to be canceled once again due to the war.

2025 marks the beginning of a new era as the World University Championships returns to the IWWF. The next event, hopefully, will take place in 2026 and will include two or more sport disciplines, conducted under the umbrella of the “IWWF University Worlds.”

 

IWWF Reverses ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes

IWWF Reverses Ban: Russian and Belarusian Athletes Cleared for International Competitions

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IWWF Reverses Ban: Russian and Belarusian Athletes Cleared for International Competitions

IWWF Reverses ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes

Image: @iwwfed

By Jack Burden

In a significant shift of policy, the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) announced today that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to compete at all IWWF sanctioned events, including World Championships and Confederation Titled Events. This decision marks a significant departure from the stringent ban imposed on these athletes amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Initially, in March 2022, the IWWF adopted a firm stance, resolving to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from all sanctioned events while refraining from endorsing any events in Russia or Belarus. Despite calls from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutral participants under specific conditions, the IWWF maintained its position throughout the following year.

While the federation slightly relaxed its restrictions in August 2023, allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to register and compete under the IWWF flag in certain events, they remained barred from the 2023 World Championships and all other titled events. Notably, athletes like Russia’s Igor Morozov and the Belarusian team, which had placed fifth in 2021, were unable to participate in the World Championships.

However, despite the appearance of a stringent stance, the IWWF’s ban proved largely ineffective. Following the initial announcement in Spring 2022, Belarus’ top skiers, Aliaksandra Danishueskaya and Hanna Straltsova, swiftly switched their federation from Belarus to the USA to circumvent the restrictions. Despite the IWWF’s revision of its Rules of Eligibility in October 2022, which imposed a 12-month period of ineligibility for athletes switching federations, Danishueskaya and Straltsova continued to compete and even secured world titles under the USA Water Ski banner.

Furthermore, a glaring oversight occurred when Morozov’s scores from the 2022 Louisiana Night Jam were included in the IWWF’s official scorebook and world ranking list, despite him being listed as a Russian competitor. Although Morozov participated in the event under the AWSA Class C sanction, which falls outside IWWF jurisdiction, his scores should never been recorded in the IWWF scorebook.

The IWWF’s role in navigating geopolitical tensions while upholding the integrity of competitions has been fraught with challenges. An example of the complexities involved arose when the federation initially posted an announcement allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, with the backdrop of a Ukrainian flag and referring to the war as a “conflict.” The post sparked backlash from past and current Ukrainian athletes, prompting the IWWF to issue a revised statement.

Ultimately, the exclusion of athletes from any country should not be taken lightly. It is essential to acknowledge that Russian and Belarusian athletes are also caught up in events beyond their control. While it may be our responsibility in the waterskiing community to play a small part in applying pressure on the administrations in these countries, we deceive ourselves if we believe that waterskiing has any substantial impact on the outcome of this tragic war. Perhaps the best course of action is to provide athletes with opportunities to compete on the international stage while avoiding entanglement in political disputes.