The moments that defined the 2024 water ski season – and the stories behind them.

Year in Review: We Countdown the Most Memorable Moments of 2024

Year in review: We countdown the most memorable moments of the 2024 water ski season

The moments that defined the 2024 water ski season – and the stories behind them.

December 31, 2024

Water skiing in 2024 was a symphony of breakthroughs, rivalries, and legends. It was a year where the boundaries of the sport were not just nudged but obliterated. From historic records tumbling to teenagers staking their claim among seasoned veterans, the season delivered a relentless procession of stories that reminded us why we love this sport. Whether it was iconic figures bowing out, future stars rising to the occasion, or tense moments that left fans speechless, the year had it all.

Throughout 2024, skiers showcased their talents across two professional tours, the Waterski Pro Tour and WWS Overall Tour, legacy events like the Moomba and U.S. Masters, and the Under-17 World Championships. At its heart, 2024 was about evolution—on the water and in the stories surrounding it. As we count down the top ten moments, we reflect on a year that redefined what’s possible in water skiing and set the stage for an even brighter future.

Neilly Ross sets a pending world trick record at 11,430

Image: @neillyross

10. Fall of Records

The women’s trick world record turned into a game of musical chairs this fall as Neilly Ross and Erika Lang traded the title in a jaw-dropping display of skill and rivalry. It all began on October 26, when Ross posted an 11,380-point run at the Okeeheelee 3-Event Record Tournament in West Palm Beach, Florida, surpassing Lang’s standing record. But just a week later, Lang fired back with an 11,450-point run at the Timber Cove Record Tournament in Texas—the highest score ever tricked by a woman.

Then, on November 9, Ross delivered a double counterpunch at the Autumn Record on Lake Ledbetter, tricking 11,430 points in both rounds and submitting two pending world records. The back-and-forth battle captivated the water ski world as the scores awaited review by the IWWF. Ultimately, Lang’s record was denied, and Ross officially claimed the world record for the first time. As of now, her latest scores remain under review.

Regardless of official ratification, the razor-thin margins and high stakes of this duel solidified Ross and Lang as two of the sport’s fiercest competitors, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in elite trick skiing.

Perhaps most intriguing was Lang’s response. After competing at the October Okeeheelee tournament, she appears to have replicated Ross’s record-breaking sequence in a matter of days, perfecting it before her Timber Cove run.

Jaimee Bull cross trains through winter on snow

Image: @abbydells

9. Water is Just Melted Snow, Right?

The 10th anniversary of the Swiss Pro Slalom delivered a fitting start to the 2024 Waterski Pro Tour, and amidst the action, Jaimee Bull delivered one of the most astonishing performances in recent memory. Hosted at Florida’s iconic Swiss Waterski Resort, the event featured a stacked lineup of veterans and rising stars battling through two preliminary rounds and a high-stakes final—all packed into a single day. By sunset, the water had witnessed more than just skiing; it had seen history.

Heading into the women’s event, Regina Jaquess—the nine-time champion and reigning Queen of Swiss—seemed an unstoppable force. She’d never lost here, and few would bet against her claiming a 10th crown. But Jaquess fell short of McClintock-Rini’s lead of 5@10.75m (39.5′ off). Then came Bull, who had spent the winter on snow and only returned to water skiing weeks earlier. Defying expectations she ran 1@10.25m (41′ off) to claim victory, snapping Jaquess’ undefeated streak at the Swiss Pro and leaving the water ski world in awe.

Reigning men’s world champion Freddie Winter summed it up best: “It takes me a month and a half to feel like I can even stand on a slalom ski. Jaimee’s gone out and run 39 maybe in her second or third week of training. It’s exceptional. She looks outrageously good.” Bull’s understated response reflected her shock as much as her grit: “I haven’t been on the water that long, and skiing three sets in one day is a lot. [But] the rhythm was really good, and everything felt smooth.”

By year’s end, Bull’s early-season magic proved prophetic, as she claimed her fourth consecutive Waterski Pro Tour season championship. It all began with a Swiss Pro Slalom victory that was as unlikely as it was unforgettable.

The Eade brothers at the U17 world waterski championships in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

8. Sibling Rivalry Hits New Heights

Sibling rivalry often adds an emotional edge to sports, but few moments have captured it quite like 2024’s Under-17 World Championships in Canada. The final showdown between Jaeden and Damien Eade, two second-generation water skiing prodigies, delivered an unforgettable spectacle of skill, resilience, and brotherly competition. The Eade brothers, top seeds heading into the event, tied for the gold medal in the slalom event, forcing a dramatic runoff.

Jaeden, the elder, had broken an almost decade-old championship record in the preliminary round with 4 buoys at 10.75 meters (39.5’ off). Damien, nursing an arm injury, was a pass back but fought his way to tie with his brother in the final at 2 buoys on the same line length. In the runoff, Jaeden showcased his composure, running a clean 11.25 meters and repeating his earlier record-setting score from the preliminary round. Damien, chasing the highest score in the history of the tournament for victory, managed 3 buoys at 10.75m – falling just short. The embrace that followed between the brothers was a picture perfect moment, a reflection of years of shared training and mutual support.

For Jaeden, the win was about strategy as much as skill. “I just had to play it safe,” he explained, describing his decision to lay up in the finals and force the runoff. Damien, meanwhile, emphasized gratitude: “Just being at Junior Worlds was an awesome experience.” Their father, Kyle Eade, a former professional jumper, summed it up: “It’s a storybook ending for us.”

Image: @hoskis

7. Syndicate Sweeps Skiing’s Busiest Week

Four countries, four tournaments, 10 days, and $150,000 in prize money—this was no ordinary week in waterskiing. It was a whirlwind European tour that tested the endurance, skill, and grit of the world’s best slalom and trick skiers. Starting under the Moroccan sun in Marrakech and winding through the Alps, the French Riviera, and central Spain, the schedule was as relentless as the competition.

In men’s slalom one name stood tallest by the end: Will Asher. The 42-year-old veteran rolled back the years with three consecutive wins in Marrakech, Fungliss, and Monaco, cementing his place atop the 2024 Waterski Pro Tour standings. Asher not only won but did so in style, conquering the daunting 10.25m (41’ off) line length twice in the process.

Team Syndicate dominated the conversation throughout the week, claiming over 50% of slalom podiums and all seven slalom titles. Jaimee Bull continued her reign, pulling ahead on the Pro Tour leaderboard with another masterful performance. Rob Hazelwood and Allie Nicholson added individual wins to the team’s haul, while Frenchmen Sacha Descuns showcased brilliance on home waters.

Strong all season, Team Syndicate would go on to pick up their second consecutive Brand Leaderboard title on the Waterski Pro Tour. Their response was a mix of pride and gratitude: “What a year it’s been. We couldn’t be more proud of our team—on the water, in the factory, and in the back offices in Seattle. This trophy wouldn’t be possible without everyone working together and driving the team to be better every day.”

Joel Poland wins the 2024 WWS Travers Cup

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

6. Three Perfect Rounds

Joel Poland isn’t just rewriting the record books—he’s tearing them apart and starting anew. The 25-year-old Englishman delivered a fortnight of water skiing that bordered on perfection, beating the world overall record in three consecutive rounds. The latter two done in professional competition at the WWS Travers Cup, cementing a third consecutive season championship on the WWS Overall Tour.

This isn’t an isolated hot streak. Poland has been on a relentless tear since last year, when he ended a two-year drought to break the world overall record at the final stop of the 2023 WWS Overall Tour. That moment seemed to unlock a new level of dominance. Since then, he smashed the record again at the Malibu Open, again in the spring at Fluid, and—astoundingly—exceeded it in three consecutive rounds this September. Records aren’t supposed to fall this easily, let alone in bunches. It’s a staggering level of consistency in a sport where perfection is fleeting.

Spare a thought for his competitors, who find themselves skiing in the shadow of history. Louis Duplan-Fribourg, Dorien Llewellyn, and Martin Kolman all delivered exceptional performances at the Travers Cup—indeed, the entire podium surpassed Jaret Llewellyn’s legendary “unbreakable” record that held from 2002 to 2017. The competition was breathtaking, with highlights like a pending under-17 world record from Jake Abelson and a new French national jump record from Duplan-Fribourg. But none of it could hold a candle to Poland, who put up elite-level scores in slalom, tricks, and jump across all rounds.

“I’m pretty happy—three [overall records] in a row now,” Poland said, in his typical understated way. Look away at your peril—he’s not done yet.

Image: @tiaremirandaphotography

5. The Teen Revolution in Trick Skiing

The rise of youth in men’s trick skiing was nothing short of astonishing. Heading into the season, names like Patricio Font and Joel Poland were expected to dominate. Yet, the story quickly shifted to teenagers Matias Gonzalez, Martin Labra, and the prodigious Jake Abelson.

After Font’s early-season triumph at the Moomba Masters, skiers 18 and under claimed every remaining professional trick title. Most remarkable was Abelson, who, in just two weeks, went from never breaking 12,000 points to smashing the world record—twice. This wasn’t just incremental progress; it was seismic, with his combined improvements eclipsing nearly two decades of prior growth in the sport.

The year also marked the highest level of tricking depth ever recorded, with over half of all 12,500+ scores coming in 2024. Abelson’s inspiration came from a variety of sources: the speed and efficiency of Font’s hand pass, the boundary-pushing tricks of Joel Poland, and the blistering pace of Gonzalez and Labra’s toe tricking, to name a few. Far from occurring overnight, the sudden rise in trick scores is the product of “the collective knowledge” of generations of skiers and coaches who have laid the blueprint.

“To consistently trick over 12k, the most important thing for me was to focus on speed,” shared Gonzalez. Labra echoed the sentiment, attributing their collective success to their shared childhood rivalry. “I think we helped each other to be better… we started pushing ourselves to a better level,” he said. The next generation has arrived, and the path to 13,000 points is now firmly in sight.

Regina Jaquess slaloms at the King of Darkness

Image: @waterskiprotour

4. Queen of Darkness

The final weeks of the 2024 professional water skiing season were a relentless showcase of high-stakes tournaments across Florida, but none captured the imagination quite like the MasterCraft King of Darkness (KoD). A festival-like night event, bringing together incredible skiing and an enthusiastic crowd that harkened back to the sport’s glory days. But it wasn’t just the atmosphere that made KoD special—it was the level of competition, particularly in women’s slalom, where the bar was raised to unprecedented heights.

In a dazzling display of skill and composure, all four semifinalists—Regina Jaquess, Whitney McClintock Rini, Jaimee Bull, and Allie Nicholson—successfully navigated the notoriously demanding 10.75-meter (39.5’ off) pass in the head-to-head matchups. It wasn’t just a one-off either; the feat repeated in the finals, making KoD the first event in history to see such consistency at this level under head-to-head pressure.

The semifinals were thrillers. McClintock Rini ran 10.75 meters, likely thinking she had sealed her finals spot, only to watch Nicholson match her, forcing a 10.25m (41’ off) showdown. McClintock Rini held her nerve to edge Nicholson in a tense finish. In the other semi, it was déjà vu for Jaquess and Bull, whose rivalry delivered again. Bull pushed Jaquess to the limit, but the veteran pulled out her signature magic at 10.25 meters to secure her finals berth.

The final was a fitting climax to a night of exceptional skiing. Both Jaquess and McClintock Rini ran 10.75 meters again under the fading lights, setting up another dramatic battle at 10.25. McClintock Rini threw down a challenging score of 2 buoys, but Jaquess, in vintage form, responded with an audacious attempt at 3-buoy, complete with a spectacular cartwheel crash as she exited her ski. The crowd erupted as Jaquess claimed the title and delivered an electrifying reminder of why fan engagement matters so much.

“That was awesome,” Jaquess said, beaming as the crowd roared its approval. “it’s great to have all the fans and spectators on shore, it’s a special treat.”

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

3. McCormick Breaks the Glass Ceiling

If there was a theme for the 2024 men’s slalom season, it was unpredictability. For years, the pro circuit was dominated by a quartet of skiers. But this season, the door was flung open, and fresh faces stormed through. Among them, Cole McCormick’s initial breakthrough at the Masters stood tallest.

Robin Lake, a venue dripping in history and difficulty, played host to McCormick’s maiden professional victory. The tournament was a battle of attrition, with former champions like Smith and Winter faltering at the 10.75 line to miss the final. It came down to McCormick, the 28-year-old Canadian American in his first Masters final, needing to surpass Asher’s five buoys to claim the title.

What followed was raw grit. McCormick scratched his way to five and a half buoys, his ski ejecting him spectacularly into the water but sealing the win. His victory not only ended a four-year drought of new slalom champions but also set off a cascade of first-time winners, with Hazelwood, Vaughn, Mechler, Cornale, and Caruso all adding their names to the annals of the sport before the season’s end.

Reflecting on his triumph, McCormick said, “Words just can’t even describe what this means to me. To accomplish something that you dream about as a kid, to finally deliver a win… just feels unbelievable.” It was a win years in the making, but the timing felt perfect.

Joel Poland wins jump at the 2024 WWS Canada Cup

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

2. The Jump-Off that Defined a Season

When Freddy Krueger, the GOAT of water ski jumping, and Joel Poland, the sport’s newest star, meet in a tournament final, magic happens. Saskatoon’s marquee event delivered in spades as these two titans brought the house down.

Poland, second-to-last off the dock, needed a monster jump to surpass Martin Kolman and seize the overall victory. His third and final attempt was pure adrenaline, and when the crowd’s gasp subsided, he had done just enough to edge ahead of Kolman and take the lead in the jump event in one fell swoop. Enter Krueger, who thrives on moments like these. His last jump tied Poland’s leading mark, forcing a rare jump-off.

Krueger opted to go out first after winning the toss and opened with the longest leap of the day, adding an extra foot to his regular competition best. “It’s getting challenging, we’ve got shadows on the ramp now, playing with the visuals a little bit, but this kids got talent coming out his ears,” Krueger remarked as Poland prepared for his turn.

Poland’s response was dramatic. After slipping out on his first attempt, he delivered an all-or-nothing second jump, punctuated by a mid-air fist pump. The crowd held its breath, and when the measurements were revealed, Poland had edged Krueger by 30 centimeters (tying once again in feet).

“I was maybe too confident throwing the fist,” Poland admitted afterward, “but man, that felt good.” Their neck-and-neck battle defined the season, featuring several nail-biting finishes as they traded titles, with Poland ultimately clinching his first Waterski Pro Tour championship.

Jacinta Carroll Retires from Professional Water Skiing After 10th Consecutive Moomba Masters Victory

Image: @jacintacarroll

1. Rabbit Bows Out

Jacinta Carroll capped her storied career with one final, breathtaking triumph—a tenth consecutive Moomba Masters jump title, achieved just 100 days after giving birth to her daughter Amelia. It was the ultimate swan song, a farewell fitting for a legend who has redefined what’s possible in women’s jumping.

The path to her final victory was anything but smooth. With just two weeks of on-water training over the past year, Carroll returned to the ramp powered by sheer determination and a rigorously managed recovery. Her third jump sealed the title, and as she stepped back onshore, the emotions poured out. “I started my professional career here in 2011 when I won my first Moomba Masters, so it was only fitting that I come back this year for my last professional jump event,” she said, her voice quivering.

For over a decade, Carroll was an unstoppable force. She rewrote the record books with 42 consecutive elite wins, seven consecutive U.S. Masters titles, five world championships, and the magic 200 foot milestone ticked off.

As Rabbit waved goodbye to the roaring Moomba crowd, there was a collective sense of loss and gratitude. Her retirement marks the end of an era, but her contributions have undoubtedly elevated women’s water skiing to new heights, inspiring future generations of athletes.

Honorable Mentions

The unbreakable tie between Degasperi and Caruso at the European Championships, marking T-Gas’ 11th consecutive victory.
Winter’s season-ending dock collision at the Monaco Pro Slalom.
Vaughn’s maiden professional victory, achieved after nearly two decades on the circuit.
The Abelson siblings’ dominance at the Under-17 World Championships, leading Team USA to a decisive victory.
TWBC’s rollout of the “helmet cam” at the MasterCraft Pro.

Dano the Mano rocking a four buckle coast guard approved vest

“Wear the Vest or Wear the Blame”: Dano the Mano Calls Out Trick Skiing’s “Reckless” Culture

News

“Wear the Vest or Wear the Blame”: Dano the Mano Calls Out Trick Skiing’s “Reckless” Culture

Image: @darian_michaela @dare_photography

By Jack Burden

December 15, 2024

It’s not just a four-buckle vest—it’s a statement. And for Danny Amir, known to the watersports world as Dano the Mano, it’s a matter of life and death.

On a recent episode of the Grab Matters podcast, Amir didn’t just stir the pot; he kicked it over, launching a full-throated takedown of trick skiing’s culture of vestless riding. With a blend of passion and pragmatism, Amir made his position clear: wear a life vest, or prepare to shoulder the blame when tragedy strikes.

The tipping point? A moment burned into Amir’s memory since 2000. Corey Kraut—pioneer of West Coast spins, master of off-axis tricks, and member of the DoubleUp wakeboard team—went for a casual 180 with a grab during a documentary shoot and never surfaced. Kraut, who reportedly only rode without a life vest during photo ops, had the kind of physique that popped on camera. Amir still sees it. “Riding without a vest looks awesome,” he says. “Your abs glisten, you look rad. But then some 10-year-old copies you, and what happens if they don’t come back up?”

To Amir, the argument for mobility—common among trick skiers—is laughable. “If I can land a 540 in a four-buckle vest at 42 years old, fat and out of shape, then why can’t you?” he asks, his voice dripping with incredulity. “You think your sport is so big it can’t adapt? Mary Morgan Howell is out here doing KGBs in a Coast Guard-approved vest. No excuses.”

But it’s not just about individual skiers—it’s about the culture. Trick skiing, Amir argues, has allowed a reckless tradition to fester. Riders cling to a vestless aesthetic, ignoring the risks. For Amir, the solution is simple: leaders like Joel Poland, one of the sport’s biggest stars, need to step up. “Joel wears the vest, Joel makes it cool. You want to grow your sport? Sell a thousand trick ski vests. Market it, profit from it, and save lives.”

Amir doesn’t stop there. He calls out the trick skiing rulebook, which doesn’t require a vest, and the complacency of event organizers. He shares a chilling anecdote about spotting downed riders during competitions, eyes locked on the waterline in case someone doesn’t resurface. “Drowning is real,” he warns. “Nobody thinks about it until it happens.”

The frustration in Amir’s voice isn’t just about safety—it’s about leadership. He’s tired of the excuses, tired of seeing an industry he loves ignore a problem he believes is inevitable. “It’s gonna happen,” he says. “And when it does, everyone’s gonna blame the rulebook. But they’ll have blood on their hands.”

Some might call Amir dramatic, but his message is clear: if trick skiing doesn’t change, it’s courting disaster. His solution? A cultural shift, led by athletes willing to make safety look cool. Until then, Amir isn’t backing down. On his lake, his events, and his terms, there’s only one rule: wear the vest—or don’t bother showing up.

The Year Slalom Became a Coin Toss: Inside Water Skiing’s Wild 2024

Articles

The year slalom became a coin toss: Inside water skiing’s wild 2024

Image: @thomasgustafson

By Jack Burden

December 8, 2024

If 2024 goes down in the annals of waterski history, it will likely be remembered as the year when everything that was supposed to be stable turned upside down. Down was up, men’s slalom was a coin toss, and the podium was filled with new faces—high schoolers, middle-aged men, you name it. Yet, as chaotic as the men’s field was, the women’s side was almost eerily predictable. In fact, it may have been the least surprising year since the condensed 2020 season, with fewer fresh faces than an IWWF board meeting.

The men’s side, though? That’s where things got interesting. Nine different men claimed their first professional victories this season—an all-time record. Nine! That’s not just unprecedented; it’s a complete game-changer. From seasoned pros finally putting it all together to newcomers who seemed like they’d been training in secret since birth, the sport had never seen such a diverse group of first-time winners. Sure, Nate’s decision to get a “real job” and Freddie’s little misunderstanding with a dock opened a few doors in slalom, but still—this is a sign of the sport’s growing depth. New blood has arrived, and they’re coming for the top spots.

Let’s take a look at the nine who made history:

Pol Duplan-Fribourg wins Moomba Masters Night Jump

Image: @poldf

1. Pol Duplan-Fribourg – Moomba Night Jump

Brash. Arrogant. French. Pol Duplan-Fribourg is like the second coming of Aussie folk hero Timothy Bradstreet, and not just because of his impressive bodybuilder physique. This year, the 21-year-old Frenchman made his debut at the Moomba Masters—his first-ever professional jump event. Yes, you read that right. His first. And in true Duplan-Fribourg style, he went full throttle, falling short in the daylight final to the experienced Ryan Dodd and Jack Critchley but turning up the heat when the lights came on, taking down Dodd in a one-jump shootout to clinch the win.

It was a pivotal moment: he became the youngest jumper to win a pro event since 2017. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the immense talent of the Duplan-Fribourg family. His older brother Louis holds the world overall crown, while his younger brother Tristan was leading the charge in junior jumping before the Robin Lake ramp literally cut him in half. Unfortunately, Pol’s season was also cut short by injury—a herniated disc and a fractured ankle sidelined him by late spring.

But that Moomba win? It set the tone for what would become the year of the first-time champion.

Matias Gonzalez wins the 2024 Swiss Pro Tricks

Image: @tiaremirandaphotography

2. Matias Gonzalez – Swiss Pro Tricks

If you’re looking for the polar opposite of the muscled, stocky trick skiers who dominate the sport, look no further than Matias Gonzalez. Small, rakish, and soft-spoken, he somehow manages to look younger than his already juvenile 16 years. He’s a featherweight in a field of heavyweights—more Manny Pacquiao than Mike Tyson. Coming into the first event of the Waterski Pro Tour as the Under-17 World Record Holder, Gonzalez wasn’t exactly a dark horse, but in a field that included world champion Pato Font (who was eyeing records before the final even started), few expected him to clinch the win.

But that’s exactly what he did. In the final, Gonzalez scored 12,440, matching his personal best and junior world record to claim his first professional victory. The rest of the season saw him finish on the podium at every trick event, culminating in the Waterski Pro Tour season championship.

The lineup for the Swiss Pro Tricks final was striking, with 25-year-old Joel Poland standing out like a sore thumb among a group mostly too young to order a drink—a clear reminder that Trix are for kids. Gonzalez proved the point.

Martin Labra wins tricks at the 2024 US Masters

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

3. Martin Labra – U.S. Masters

The build-up to the men’s tricks at the Masters was all about the big names—Abelson’s new world record, Joel Poland’s insane form, and Pato Font’s imminent comeback. But quietly, another teenage Chilean phenom was working his way into the conversation: Martin Labra. After grinding relentlessly through the Chilean summer, Labra—already the most decorated skier in Under-17 World Championship history—stepped onto the professional circuit with a vengeance.

He’s the poster child for ‘nurture over nature.’ The stepson of a professional jumper, Labra was raised across Pan-American ski schools with access to the world’s best coaches. A perfect blend of brawn and finesse, he looks equally at home muscling through a scrappy ski-line sequence as he does executing complex toe tricks with speed and precision. Labra stormed the Masters’ tricks event, securing the win with a standout performance in a final where several seasoned competitors faltered.

And he didn’t stop there. Labra followed up with another victory at the Botaski ProAm. In the coming years, he’s set to become a serious force in tricks and overall. Don’t be surprised if he starts cropping up on even more podiums.

Colle McCormick wins slalom at the 2024 U.S. Masters

Image: @cooleo16 (via anonymous beach photographer)

4. Cole McCormick – U.S. Masters

Forget the last name. Forget the Hall of Fame parents. Forget the legacy. Strip it all away, and what do you get? Cole McCormick, 28, a software engineer who looks more at home on a Discord server than on a slalom course. Hell, he even toe-tricked in college.

But here’s the twist: you’d be wrong.

The McCormick of 2024 is a late-blooming slalom maestro. Shredded, laser-focused, and a true student of the sport. This Memorial Day weekend, he made history as the first second-generation winner of the prestigious Masters title, following in the footsteps of his multiple Masters-winning parents, Susi and Ricky McCormick.

His win didn’t come easy. Conditions were tough, but McCormick was the only skier to run the 10.75m (39.5’) pass in the preliminary round. As the top seed, he secured five-and-a-half buoys in the final to clinch the win. And even after a high-speed faceplant out of six, that grin didn’t leave his face.

McCormick’s victory ended nearly four years of dominance by Nate Smith, Freddie Winter, Will Asher, and Thomas Degasperi in men’s slalom. And just like that, the floodgates opened for what was to come.

Image: @waterskibroadcasting_

5. Robert Hazelwood – Lake 38 ProAm

Before Robert Hazelwood was the YouTube vlogger we all secretly watch when we should be working, he was just a kid from Northern England with the unenviable task of trying to keep Joel Poland humble. Whether he succeeded? Well, that’s up for debate.

Snubbed by the Masters, Hazelwood came out swinging the next weekend at the Lake 38 ProAm. At 24, he had been lurking in the shadows for years—always there, always a threat, but never quite crossing the line. Until now. This time, he was all business. In a final that could’ve been an intense poker match—coming down to a three-way runoff with McCormick and Winter—it was Hazelwood who kept his cool and showed the most skill. His win was a moment he’d dreamed of since he was old enough to tie his own ski boots.

Hazelwood’s victory seemed to signal a changing of the guard. He became the youngest men’s slalom champion since 2019, and suddenly, the balance of power in the sport didn’t seem so solid.

Perennially inconsistent, however, Hazelwood’s form yo-yoed between triumph and missing finals throughout the rest of the season. He found the top step again at the Botaski ProAm, but with plenty left to work on, don’t be surprised if Hazelwood’s climb up the standings is a bit of a rollercoaster.

Corey Vaughn wins the 2024 Oxfordshire ProAm

Image: @waterski_photography

6. Corey Vaughn – Oxfordshire ProAm

Among the fresh-faced talents and rising stars stood Corey Vaughn, the veteran journeyman. For over a decade, he has been a fixture on the professional circuit—solid and dependable but never quite a threat. Until now. At 38, Vaughn finally broke through at the Oxfordshire ProAm, becoming the oldest skier to claim his first professional slalom title.

Yes, this is the same Vaughn who once donned a cape and cap as “Buoy Wonder,” only to mellow into the barefoot philosopher affectionately known as “Mr. Peace, Love, and Waterskiing.” For years, we’ve watched him grind it out on the pro circuit, collecting more life lessons than titles.

But under the Oxfordshire lights, Vaughn rose to the occasion in challenging nighttime conditions. A career of near-misses, sweat-soaked toil, and unwavering belief finally bore fruit. At 38 years and 9 months, he reminded the world that persistence can be the ultimate trump card.

Far from a one-off triumph, Vaughn backed it up throughout the season. Finishing fourth on the Pro Tour, he delivered the season of his life, even running the elusive 10.25m pass—one of only three skiers to achieve it this year.

Dane Mechler wins his first pro title at the Mastercraft Pro

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

7. Dane Mechler – MasterCraft Pro

Dane Mechler’s victory at the MasterCraft Pro felt like the culmination of a long, hard-fought journey. For years, Mechler had been the “nearly man” of pro slalom—always consistent, always in the mix, but never quite able to claim the top step. This time, the story ended differently.

His season had been anything but smooth. A broken foot, courtesy of an ill-fated leap through a CorrectCraft hoop and the challenges of balancing family responsibilities could have derailed him. Yet, when it mattered most, Mechler delivered. Skiing early in the final, he laid down a 4.5 at 10.25m—a score that stood tall against a stacked field, including favorites Nate Smith and Will Asher.

The celebration that followed was a moment to savor. With his picture-perfect family cheering from the sidelines, it was a victory that felt as personal as it was professional.

For Mechler, this wasn’t just another tournament; it was the tournament. A skier often labeled “the best never to win” finally got his moment, and the emotions at the finish said it all—relief, pride, and the satisfaction of proving that perseverance pays off.

Image: @robhazelwoodcreative

8. Lucas Cornale – Travers Grand Prix

Lucas Cornale is 19. Let that sink in. Nineteen. And in 2024, the Queenslander smashed his way into the history books as the youngest male to win a pro slalom event this century. Just two days after blowing out his birthday candles, Cornale lit up the Travers Grand Prix, claiming his first pro title.

In a sport often mired in safe, predictable skiing, Cornale is pure adrenaline. He doesn’t seem to know—or care—what an S-turn is. While others might have played it cautiously for a full five, Cornale went for broke, gunning to run the 10.25m (41′ off) pass. His 4.5 held up, delivering not just a win but a statement: fearless beats conservative.

And this wasn’t a one-off. Earlier in the season, Cornale had already turned heads with standout performances at Moomba and the Lake 38 ProAm. His Travers triumph wasn’t luck; it was inevitable.

With a mix of audacity and raw skill that makes veterans sweat, Cornale isn’t just a rising star—he’s the future. Get used to his name. This is only the beginning.

Image: Waterski Pro Tour

9. Brando Caruso – Miami Pro

I’ve got mixed feelings about Italians. Part of me leans toward distrust—after all, history reminds us which side they fought on. But if I’m honest, it’s probably jealousy. No nation exudes cool quite like Italy, the land of the Corleones, Ferrari, and Sophia Loren. When I think Italian, I picture the tall, dark, cigarette-smoking guy who effortlessly steals your girl.

No slalom skier embodies that aura of effortless cool better than Brando Caruso. He’s the anti-hero of water skiing, unapologetically marching to his own beat. Feigned courtesy isn’t his style—he’s the guy throwing a death glare while reluctantly posing on the lower steps of a podium. Smooth, elegant, and unmistakably Italian, his skiing is a perfect reflection of who he is.

In the season’s finale, with the biggest cash prize up for grabs, Caruso took down a stacked field—Smith, Asher, Travers, and the rest of slalom royalty. This wasn’t just another win; it was a mic drop moment in a season that saw a record-breaking 10 different winners in men’s slalom.

His triumph was the perfect conclusion to a season full of surprises. It was a showcase of timing, perseverance, and talent, and for Caruso, it was a breakthrough that felt both satisfying and long overdue. Some moments in life are worth the wait—and this was one of them.

2024 was a year that flipped the script on everything we thought we knew about pro waterskiing. It was chaos, unpredictability, and opportunity all wrapped into one, especially in the men’s field, where a record number of first-time winners emerged. Old names faded, and new ones stepped up with the audacity to take it all. From teenagers defying expectations to veteran journeymen finally getting their due, the sport showed that it’s more open than ever to fresh faces. Meanwhile, the women’s field remained more stable, but even that seemed like the calm before the storm. This season didn’t just change the standings; it changed the very tone of the sport. We’ve entered an era where anything is possible, and it’s only going to get more interesting from here. Strap in—2025 might just be the year we see everything we thought was impossible, come true.

King of Darkness Take A Bow: Jump Finale Shows What Water Skiing Can Be

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King of Darkness take A bow: Jump finale shows what water skiing can be

Image: King of Darkness

By Jack Burden

October 27, 2024

The final stages of the 2024 season have featured a marathon sprint of professional tournaments, all located in Florida, the epicenter of world water skiing. Six tournaments over seven weeks at some of the world’s best sites showcasing incredible performances, with both new and familiar winners and season-long storylines coming to a thrilling resolution. But one thing has been noticeably absent: crowds.

That is, until the recently concluded MasterCraft King of Darkness (KoD), a night jump event with a festival atmosphere that harkens back to the days when water skiing was in the public eye and professional water skiing was a viable career for more than a dominant few.

This isn’t to say there was anything lacking in the events that preceded KoD. The Waterski Pro Tour events at Fluid and Travers featured excellent TWBC broadcasts and captivated waterski fans, especially with two first-time winners in the slalom event. The Travers Grand Prix is a unique and hugely popular event for both pro and amateur participants. Likewise, the WWS Overall Tour finale showcased the highest level of overall skiing our sport has ever seen, and the recap videos, although not widely viewed, have reintroduced a format with potential to engage the casual viewer.

But call me old-fashioned—nothing beats the energy of an in-person crowd. There’s a reason so many skiers name the Moomba Masters as their favorite event, and why the U.S. Masters has such an enduring legacy: the enthusiastic, knowledgeable on-site audience.

Professional water skiing at its core is a show, and KoD exemplified this with perfect choreography. There was no downtime, with adorable juniors, barefooters, show skiers, and even some Joel Poland theatrics keeping the energy high from start to finish.

The level of skiing at KoD will likely be what sticks in water ski fans’ minds: the highest slalom cut of all time, a women’s head-to-head with a 100% success rate at 10.75m (39.5’), and personal bests from Hanna Straltsova, Luca Rauchenwald, and Poland in jump. But to the casual spectator, it’s the competition itself that draws attention.

For perhaps the first time in 2024, women’s jump was a close battle, with Straltsova needing her final jump to surpass a resurgent Brittany Wharton. The men’s jump was equally intense, with Taylor Garcia and Luca Rauchenwald nearly forcing a second runoff of 2024 for their maiden pro wins, before Poland reasserted his dominance. Meanwhile, Freddy Krueger missed the podium for the first time in Waterski Pro Tour history, and even Dorien Llewellyn’s impressive 67m (220’) jump was only enough for fifth under the lights.

Credit is due to the organizers, who put extraordinary effort—and investment—into attracting such a fantastic crowd. Free attractions, a live band, food trucks, and a beer garden enticed the local community, and the event was prominently featured in local media throughout the lead-up. Once again, KoD was well attended.

This stands in stark contrast to the preceding four events, which were attended by few outside the competitors themselves. Live webcasts attracted several hundred more dedicated waterski fans, but it’s hard to imagine these events broadening the fan base like KoD did this weekend. Countless families and young children were exposed to the sport, perhaps inspired to give water skiing a try themselves.

It’s beautiful, suspenseful, uplifting—water skiing at its finest. And the sport needs more of it. King of Darkness, take a bow.

Giannina Bonnemann Mechler celebrates after winning the WWS Austrian Open

Cancellations Highlight Ongoing Issues in Women’s Professional Water Skiing

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WWS Overall Tour: Cancellations Highlight Ongoing Issues in Women’s Professional Water Skiing

Giannina Bonnemann Mechler, 2023 WWS Overall Tour champion, will not be competing in 2024 as she and her husband Dane expect their first child in August (image: @world.water.skiers)

By Jack Burden

July 21, 2024

Last September, the world’s best female overall skiers, past and present, gathered in Central Florida for the WWS Overall Tour final. Regina Jaquess, widely considered the GOAT of women’s slalom and overall, competed alongside Hanna Straltsova, who would go on to win dual World Championship golds a month later, and Giannina Bonnemann Mechler, who had swept the previous three tour stops. In a fiercely contested final with less than 60 overall points separating the top three (roughly three buoys in slalom), Bonnemann Mechler emerged victorious, going undefeated on the Tour. Sadly, we will not witness the women battle it out again in 2024.

Despite months of planning and communication with the athletes, World Water Skiers has made the difficult decision to cancel the women’s event due to an insufficient number of entries across the four-stop Tour in 2024. “Just really disappointed,” shared Tour organizer Jaret Llewellyn. “We continue to get great support from the men, but, unfortunately, the state of the sport makes being a professional athlete unattainable [for most].”

Instead, the Tour will move forward in 2024 as a male-only competition, where a core group of six of the best overall skiers in the world will travel to three countries alongside a rotating cast of local challengers. The cancellation of the women’s event is a significant blow and speaks to larger issues around participation and gender equity in the sport.

Water skiing, much like other professional sports, has made significant strides toward achieving gender equity in recent years. This year, an impressive 13 out of 15 slalom events and all five professional trick events offered equal prize money for men and women. This commitment to equality has resulted in the largest total prize purse for women’s slalom in the past 20 years, potentially the highest ever recorded.

Despite these positive developments, there remains a notable disparity in participation rates between male and female athletes in professional competition. Across the first nine professional slalom tournaments of 2024, all of which featured equal prize money, male participants have outnumbered female participants by almost two to one.

Professional events rely on athlete participation, whether directly through entry fees, or in the case of the WWS Overall Tour, to justify their value proposition to sponsors. If the women’s side of the field is consistently light, more tournament organizers might follow suit, jeopardizing the recent gains in gender equity.

So how do we increase female participation at professional events? The ‘host it and they will come’ strategy appears to be failing.

A simple answer could be that pay equity in professional water skiing is still a relatively new development. It may take time for this change to encourage more female athletes to pursue water skiing at the highest level. The visibility of equal prize money could gradually attract more women to stay in the sport past the junior ranks as they see professional water skiing as a viable career option.

Unfortunately, the reality is that despite the recent proliferation of professional events and the growth in prize money, the sport can still only support a very limited pool of truly ‘professional’ athletes, defined as individuals who can sustain themselves primarily off prize money and sponsorship.

Beyond prize money, other financial factors come into play. Industry support and sponsorship opportunities skew heavily male. Boat manufacturers sponsor over 40% more male water skiers than female, and among major ski manufacturers, the ratio of ‘team’ skiers is four-to-one male. These disparities illustrate the challenges faced by female athletes wanting to join the professional circuit.

The larger challenge may have to do with female participation across all levels of the sport. Amateur tournament participation is heavily male-dominated, although most of this is driven by the senior divisions. Women make up approximately 40% of tournament participants under 30, which is significantly better than many sports, particularly outdoor sports, which are notoriously seen as ‘boys’ clubs.’

This is encouraging, but there is clearly room for improvement. Water skiing is championed as a family sport and, at its best, is a beautiful way to bring mothers, sons, fathers, and daughters together on the water. But to meet this goal, we must foster a culture that encourages female participation.

Some of this is circular too. Having visible role models and mentors on the professional circuit can inspire more young girls to pursue water skiing. Successful female athletes can play a crucial role in mentoring and motivating the next generation.

Sadly, there will be no platform for the world’s best female overall skiers in 2024. A confluence of injuries, work commitments, major life events, scheduling conflicts, and financial pressures have coincided to deprive us of showcasing these important role models. Without greater support for women’s skiing across all levels of the sport, this could be the start of a worrying trend. Hopefully, it turns out to be just a speed bump on the road to success.

America Has an Overall Problem and it’s Costing them World Championships

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America has an overall problem and it’s costing them World Championships

Jimmy Siemers was the last American to win a World Championships medal in men’s overall, that was in 2005 (image: @jimmy_siemers)

By Jack Burden

July 4, 2024

Anyone tuning into the Pan American Games last October witnessed one of the most farcical scenes in the history of our sport when American slalom specialist Nate Smith took to the water in the trick event, scoring only side slides. The reason behind this spectacle was the Games’ selection criteria, mandating each country to send both a male and female overall competitor. Rather than taking a chance on emerging talents like Jake Abelson or Blaze Grubbs, the U.S. selection committee opted for Smith to attempt beginner tricks and pass a jump live on television. The decision was just the latest in a long history of neglect for the overall event in the U.S.

Since Jimmy Siemers’ last World Championships in 2009, the U.S. has not selected a single male overall skier to compete at the World Championships. Freddy Krueger is the only other male to represent the U.S. in overall this century. No American male competed in overall, even as an independent, for a decade between 2011 and 2021.

Relying on specialists on the men’s side has proven costly for the U.S. Team over the last three decades. After an undefeated streak through the first 40 years of the World Championships, the U.S. Team has won only 7 out of 17 since 1991. Men’s overall has been a crucial factor, with only four victories occurring without Siemers on the team.

For a nation that produced three-event water skiing legends like Duvall, Roberge, and Suyderhoud, the disappearance of overall skiers raises questions. Mastering all three events is incredibly difficult, is this just a pipeline issue? Unlikely. Since 2010, the U.S. has had 10 different skiers ranked within the top 20 for men’s overall performances, no other country had more during this period. Four of these skiers have been within the top 10, with only Australia and Great Britain having more, with five each.

However, a closer look at U.S. Team selection reveals consistent neglect of emerging overall talent. In 2011, without Siemers for the first time in a decade, the U.S. overlooked Storm Selsor, who finished the previous season as the 5th ranked overall skier in the world. Instead, they selected a team of three single-event specialists, including a 15-year-old Erika Lang. Had they included Selsor, who skied as an independent and placed 8th in overall, they would have finished within striking distance of Belarus, the winners, rather than the distant third they achieved.

The issue seems to be a lack of support and encouragement for young talent. Zack Worden, simultaneously ranked in the top 3 for men’s jump and top 10 for men’s overall as a teenager, never made a U.S. Team and effectively retired from overall at 19 to focus on jump. The list of such talents denied the opportunity to represent the USA is extensive, including Mike McCormick, Scott Smith, Ryan Fitts, Dylan Schaffer, and Nick Lang.

While the U.S. has shown more support on the women’s side, selecting three overall skiers for the most recent World Championships, the absence of Regina Jaquess, arguably the greatest skier of all time, leaves a void. Beyond Jaquess, the U.S. has won only three women’s overall medals this century, and just one since 2003. With Jaquess approaching 40, supporting young talents like Brooke Baldwin, Kennedy Hansen, and Anna Gay becomes critical for the future.

The most challenging discipline in water skiing requires encouragement and support to thrive. While the U.S. may lack the government funding of some other federations, it can still nurture young athletes, providing them with the recognition and opportunities to represent their country. Without overall talent, America will continue to fall behind countries like Canada and France on the world stage. One thing is certain: putting a novice on the water to trick and jump on a major platform for the sport does no good for anyone.

Tristan Duplan-Fribourg Water Ski Jump Crash

Clementine Lucine Raises Alarm Over Safety at Junior Masters Jump Event

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Clementine Lucine raises alarm over safety at Junior Masters jump event

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

By Jack Burden

June 10, 2024

The 2024 Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament was marked by a series of alarming crashes during the Junior Men’s jump event, prompting former world record holder and world champion Clementine Lucine to voice serious concerns about the competition’s safety.

“Every year, incidents occur that seem to disturb no one, leaving me perplexed and, frankly, terrified at the thought of getting my own children on jumpers and maybe sending them to jump there one day,” shared the 18-time Masters competitor.

The event started on a troubling note when Japan’s Jo Nakamura, the first competitor, flirted with the right corner before imploding on the ramp. A few skiers later, German Tim Wild also clipped the corner and ended up sailing upside down through the air. Despite these dramatic crashes, both Nakamura and Wild managed to recover and post competitive scores.

The tumultuous round continued with French favorite Tristan Duplan-Fribourg, who was in a tight battle with Jake Abelson for the overall crown. Duplan-Fribourg found himself under pressure after a pass on jump number one. On his second attempt, the young Frenchman failed to get his right ski onto the ramp, flying straight out the back, with his dislodged ski landing not far behind him.

Back against the wall, Duplan-Fribourg had little choice but to take his third and final attempt to salvage his tournament with a spot in the jump final. Significantly backing off from his first two approaches, the young Frenchman looked out of position as he hit the ramp, collapsing into yet another backward somersault off the ramp.

Lucine argues that such incidents have become all too common at the US Masters. “Particularly at the junior level, it’s rare to find young athletes who haven’t experienced a crash.”

Searching for reasons, Lucine speculates, “Could it be the speed, load, and pressure at the bottom of the ramp at the Masters that is overwhelming, more than at other places? The ramp? The driver? Are the boats used at the Masters more powerful than those at other events? Is it the prestige of the event that weighs heavily on the minds of young jumpers? Or is there no specific reason?”

Lucine questions whether “adequate measures are being taken to ensure the safety of our youth,” suggesting that athletes could be “examined much more thoroughly after a first crash to prevent a potentially fatal second one.”

Like many sports, water skiing faces the challenge of safeguarding athletes who are often eager to return to action after a collision or suspected concussion. The IWWF introduced concussion protocols several years ago, but these are not always consistently followed or adhered to.

Ultimately, Lucine argues that “Yes, the Masters is THE most prestigious event we have.” But “prestige and safety must go hand in hand for success.”

“This year, we narrowly avoided a tragedy, and it seems to be a recurring issue for the past 25 years,” she concluded.

Let’s go take up some space on that masters start list

Slalom Invites Finalized: Are the Best Skiers Truly Represented at the Masters?

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Slalom invites finalized: Are the best skiers truly represented at the Masters?

Image: @pato.font

By Jack Burden

May 18, 2024

What makes the best skier in the world? Is it talent, skill, and record-setting scores? Or is it the ability to perform under pressure, to excel regardless of the lake or conditions, and to beat the rest of the field when it counts?

If you were fortunate enough to be on the banks of Sunset Lakes yesterday, you were treated to an exhilarating day of slalom as many of the world’s best skiers vied for qualification into the 2024 Masters Waterski and Wakeboard Tournament.

By the end of the day, the Canadian duo of Stephen Neveu and Cole McCormick had punched their tickets. However, an eight-way tie for the last spot forced another intense runoff. It was the European contingent of Sacha Descuns and Adam Sedlmajer that led the pack, each securing 3@10.25m (41’ off). In a second runoff, former world overall champion Sedlmajer emerged victorious to clinch the final spot.

The Masters has long billed itself as the world’s “most prestigious watersports tournament,” where “only the world’s most elite athletes compete.” However, this image is hard to reconcile with a men’s slalom field selected based on a single score at one of two amateur tournaments held this month.

In men’s slalom, only four of the top 10 finishers on the 2023 Waterski Pro Tour standings qualified for the 2024 Masters. The rest of the field, while undoubtedly talented, placed 11th, 13th, 14th, and 19th last year. Collectively, they have finished on two professional slalom podiums in the last 12 months, both courtesy of Joel Poland, and have placed in the top eight at less than half of the events they’ve entered.

Meanwhile, four men who placed in the top seven on the Waterski Pro Tour last year were not invited to the Masters. Between them, they have 11 professional slalom podiums in the last 12 months, including one victory, and have finished in the top eight at over 75% of the events they’ve entered.

In the current competitive landscape, we see logjams at 3@10.25m almost every weekend. The skier who makes it past three on any given weekend is a lottery, but over a long enough period, the cream rises to the top.

That’s why a season-long measure of consistency and performance is the most accurate way to determine the best athlete in water skiing. The Waterski Pro Tour offers this, with 12 professional slalom events in 2023. Who could argue that their year-end standings aren’t a fair reflection of the current elite?

This isn’t to take away from those who did qualify through the two ‘LCQ’ events; they had to beat the best in the world to earn their spots and at times battled challenging conditions to do so. However, it’s tough to say the current qualification criteria is truly “an acknowledgment of achievement for reaching the pinnacle in a given watersports discipline,” claims from the Masters website notwithstanding.

Qualified Men

Slalom	Qualification
Freddie Winter	1st at Worlds, Moomba, & Botas ProAm
Nate Smith	1st at Masters & CA ProAm
Charlie Ross	5@10.25 (LCQ #1)
Joel Poland	4@10.25 (LCQ #1) – Runoff
Will Asher	4@10.25 (LCQ #1) – Runoff
Cole McCormick	4@10.25 (LCQ #2)
Stephen Neveu	4@10.25 (LCQ #2)
Adam Sedlmajer	3@10.25 (LCQ #2) – Runoff

Qualified Women

Slalom	Tricks
Jaimee Bull	1st at Worlds & Botas ProAm
Regina Jaquess	1st at Masters, Moomba, & CA ProAm
Whitney McClintock Rini	1@10.25 (LCQ #1)
Allie Nicholson	4.5@10.75 (LCQ #1)
Neilly Ross	2@10.75 (LCQ #1) – Runoff
Venessa Vieke	3@10.75 (LCQ #2)
Paige Rini	2@10.75 (LCQ #2)
Luisa Jaramillio	2@10.75 (LCQ #2)

Why It’s Time to Rethink the Masters’ Florida-Centric Qualification Criteria

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Why it’s time to rethink the U.S. Masters’ Florida-centric qualification criteria

The Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament, presented by GM Marine (image: masterswaterski.com)

By Jack Burden

May 5, 2024

For over six decades, the Masters Waterski and Wakeboard Tournament has built one of the most enduring brands in our sport. Hosted annually at Robin Lake in Callaway Gardens, Georgia, this event has been a proving ground for many of our sport’s greatest athletes. The Pavilion, built for the inaugural Masters in 1959 is iconic. The Master’s even has its own song.

However, as the saying goes, it takes decades to build a reputation and only moments to jeopardize it. The Masters was primarily a U.S. domestic competition until it turned professional in 1985. Less than 15% of titles were claimed by non-Americans in the amateur era, compared to 55% since it turned professional. Despite maintaining one of the largest prize purses in the sport, the current qualification criteria raise concerns about potentially limiting the event to a local derby once again.

The current criteria, introduced during the height of the pandemic in 2021, was a sensible response to the lack of events, both elite and amateur, in the prior year. Since the elite ranking list was effectively defunct and there had been limited opportunities to post scores to the performance based ranking list, the Master’s organizers decided to hold a series of qualifying tournaments to determine invitees. However, as we move into 2024, the continuation of this system, with only minimal adjustments, could be hindering the event’s potential.

For the upcoming 2024 Masters, reserved spots for the defending Masters champion, current world champion, and winners of three other Nautique-sponsored events are in place. However, these slots often represent only one or two individuals. The majority of invitations will be determined through two ‘Last Chance Qualifier’ (LCQ) tournaments in Florida. While having a true last chance qualifier adds excitement, allocating most invitations through amateur events in Central Florida in the month leading up to the Masters seems arbitrary and potentially exclusive.

This approach raises questions about the accessibility of the Masters for international athletes, particularly those from the Southern Hemisphere. Imagine the burden on a skier from this region, leaving their home during comfortable skiing weather, incurring expenses for accommodation and training in Florida, all for the off chance of qualifying. This situation would be akin to the Moomba Masters requiring entrants to travel to Australia in early February for two tournaments in New South Wales (a neighboring state) for the opportunity to compete on the Yarra. The expenses and risks involved would deter many.

This isn’t just an unnecessary burden for Southern Hemisphere skiers. Conditions are comfortably skiable through much of Southern Europe and North America in May. Even domestically, it seems unfair that a skier in a different part of the country is forced to spend the better part of a month in Florida, incurring significant personal expenses, to qualify for the Masters. The situation is even more challenging for juniors, who must sacrifice school time for a chance at qualification.

While there might not be a perfect solution, protecting spots for defending champions and winners of major tournaments is a good start. For slalom, considering the Waterski Pro Tour standings could be a viable option, perhaps leaving one spot open for an LCQ. The challenge for trick and, to some extent, jump is that there are far fewer professional events. Despite valid concerns with the IWWF performance-based ranking lists, they could offer an opportunity for athletes training outside Florida. The amateur performance-based ranking lists seem a logical choice for Junior Masters, an amateur competition.

While many elite athletes currently reside and train in Florida, it doesn’t have to be the exclusive norm. California once rivaled Florida’s dominance, Australia has produced many of the world’s best jumpers, and France countless top trickers. Making residency in Florida a prerequisite for elite competition risks limiting the diversity of our talent pool.

The event, Nautique’s flagship, has lost some of its sheen in recent years. Proactively revising the qualification criteria to embrace diversity and inclusivity could ensure its continued prominence. With its substantial prize purse and multi-event format, paralleled only by Moomba, the Masters will always be a major draw, but evolving with a more inclusive approach can secure its legacy as a global waterskiing spectacle. The same allure that consistently brought in the best skiers in America and further abroad for over 25 years as an amateur event still holds today, although it is perhaps in danger.

Neilly Ross is the most popular water skier in the world right now.

Is All Exposure Good Exposure? Ross Highlights Challenges for Female Athletes

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Is all exposure good exposure? Neilly Ross highlights the challenging path for female athletes

Neilly Ross is arguably the most popular water skier in the world right now. (image: neillyross.com)

By Jack Burden

April 14, 2024

Neilly Ross is really good at water skiing. One of only three women to score over 11,000 points in trick skiing, her resume includes multiple junior world titles, professional victories, and being crowned world trick champion in 2017. In slalom, she tied Allie Nicholson for third place at last year’s World Championships, narrowly missing out on a medal based on preliminary scores.

Yet, she’s not quite as dominant as Erika Lang or Anna Gay, and the majority of her success has come in the trick event, which gets far less exposure than water skiing’s most popular discipline – slalom. However, if you were to open Instagram, you’d probably understand why the 22-year-old Canadian is, by certain metrics, the most popular water skier in the world right now.

Ross has more than 200 thousand followers on Instagram, which is more than the top 20 men’s slalom skiers from the 2023 Waterski Pro Tour combined. Across Instagram and TikTok, her videos have amassed millions of views. Most of the pictures and videos involve water skiing. But Ross, tall and athletically built with model-like features, attracts a large audience with seemingly little interest in her buoy count.

Most of her videos follow a routine formula, starting with Ross in a bikini getting ready for her set, warming up on a foam roller or getting suited up, before showing off her world-class skills on the water.

The comments section of her videos is dominated by older men, largely reminiscing about experiences on the water from decades past. But other comments reveal a darker side to her popularity. “Sexy,” “perfect body,” and graphic speculation about her performance “in bed” appear below one popular video of her slalom skiing.

Ross made headlines at the 2022 Moomba Masters, a tournament she won, but not, sadly, for her on-water achievements. A prominent tabloid drew clicks with the title “Water skier Neilly Ross does flips in a VERY skimpy bikini live on the Today show”

Ross, whose father and uncle were both professional slalom skiers, began skiing at a young age and amassed an impressive list of junior records and titles. Growing up in the water skiing Mecca of Central Florida, she dedicated her childhood to honing her skills in both slalom and tricks. Following in the footsteps of her father, Drew Ross, she proudly represents Team Canada and has contributed to multiple World Championship-winning teams.

She pursued her education at Rollins College, where she clinched back-to-back national titles in 2022 and 2023 and set the NCWSA women’s trick record. While most of her major victories occurred during a golden run from 2017 to 2018 while still in high school, Ross has continued to consistently podium at both professional trick and, more recently, slalom events.

With her increasing online popularity, Ross’s social media presence may soon evolve into a significant income source. Earlier this month, she inked a deal with talent agency Tonbara Management Group, known for their expertise in connecting athletes with top-tier brand partners such as Adidas, Amazon, and Lululemon. Both Ross and the agency’s CEO, Partik Darabont, expressed enthusiasm for their upcoming collaboration.

Ross is not the only female water skier gaining traction online; Kennedy Hansen has seen her following grow nearly sevenfold over the past year after a viral video of her toe tricking garnered over 4 million views on Instagram. However, the comments section suggests that many viewers are more interested in the 20-year-old’s anatomy than her advanced toe-line tricks. One comment, which received over 10 thousand likes, sarcastically declared, “men of culture, we meet again.” Some of the female skiers who attract a wide audience with the bikini warm-up-then-skiing video format are as young as 16 or 17.

Depending on whom you ask, the popularity of Ross and other female water skiers on social media is either a bellwether for growth in the sport or a symptom of a toxic culture. Female athletes face a paradox on their journey to success: while sex appeal can bring publicity, sponsorship, and fame, it can also undermine the athleticism of female athletes and perpetuate the notion that women’s sports are not as serious as men’s.

Beach volleyball has grappled with similar issues for decades. Like water skiing, the standard attire for women in beach volleyball is a two-piece bathing suit, ideal for the heat and sand conditions. However, this attire often attracts significant male attention. Olympic gold medalist April Ross expressed her optimistic view to the Washington Post, stating, “I have always felt that when you draw someone into beach volleyball, regardless of how you do it, they fall in love with the sport.”

Perhaps water skiing, a niche sport, could benefit from this style of exposure? Hundreds of thousands of people regularly watch these water skiing videos online, arguably the largest consistent audience since the Pro Tour aired on ESPN.

Not all of the popularity is solely due to sexualization. Many skiers, both male and female, are gaining immense popularity online with content that appeals to a different audience. Joel Poland routinely garners comparable views to Ross’s content, and Erika Lang is among the most popular female water skiers on social media, despite posting content in much more conservative attire than many of her peers.

Trick skiing, a sport where a single video frame can determine the winner, has always been a labor of love. At its elite level, tricking requires its best and brightest to dedicate countless hours of training for only a few events each year. The prize money and industry sponsorship are nowhere near enough to cover expenses, which is why many elite trickers are teenagers still supported by their parents. For these athletes, newfound online popularity offers a chance to make a living pursuing the sport they love.

Ross is focused on forging a new career path, aiming to bring water skiing to a broader audience. Fame always comes with its costs, and while she may attract some degree of toxicity, we hope that many people who discover the sport through her will stick around for the skiing.

After all, Ross is really good at water skiing. It would be nice to live in a world where that was the headline.