Waterski Journal N°14 by Waterski Journal

W A T E R S K I

j o u r n a l

N°14.

Mati Gonzalez on his way to win his first pro event at Swiss Pro Tricks

It's been a while! The Waterski Journal is a bit delayed, but who's really concerned during the off-season, right? We started 2024 with Moomba, Swiss Pro Tricks, and Swiss Pro Slalom tournaments, providing ample material to explore. Let's not overlook the thrilling qualifying events for the US Masters.

If you've been out of the loop, Trick skiing has taken the spotlight. Pato Font set a new World Record, with standout performances from Jake Abelson, who achieved the highest score ever in a trick tournament, coming close to breaking the 13k barrier. However, the spotlight was on the young Chilean sensation Mati Gonzalez, while Martin Labra joined the elite 12k club. See you at the Masters, everyone!

Not to worry, Slalom remains captivating. Regina Jaquess, after a decade of dominance, didn't secure the win at Swiss Pro Slalom this time. Reigning world champion Jaimee Bull showed she's still at the top of her game after a winter training in the Canadian mountains. On the men's side, there was a shake-up with another victory for Will Asher at Swiss, sharing the podium with familiar faces, cousin Robert Hazelwood and Great Britain teammate Joel Poland, who set a new world overall record. Again.

On the gear front, new skis are hitting the market, and we'll explore the latest toys available this season.

Lastly, expect to see many articles by Jack Burden - Return to baseligne. Undoubtedly, this marks the most precise and accomplished journalism in the waterski industry in decades. Covering intriguing topics with solid sourcing and sharp writing, follow Return to baseligne on Instagram for the latest updates and visit their website for in-depth articles.

Let's dive in!

Grégoire Desfond Editor

Cover : Will Asher

Photographer : Jonathan Hayward

Tournament : 2024 US Masters, Georgia USA

Year in review: We countdown the most memorable moments of the 2023 water ski season

By Jack Burden

As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s time to revisit the unforgettable moments from this year’s water ski season. From seemingly impossible comebacks to record-breaking feats, each competition created its own narrative filled with anticipation, intensity, and sheer excitement.

Throughout 2023, skiers showcased their talents across three World Championships— Under-17, Under-21, and Open—two professional tours, the Waterski Pro Tour and WWS Overall Tour, and legacy events like the Moomba and U.S. Masters. The year witnessed record-breaking prize purses, and the quality of streaming for water ski enthusiasts continued to soar. Join us as we count down our selection of the top 10 unforgettable moments from the 2023 season.

10. Water Skiing’s 27 Club

Nate Smith flew to Europe this summer on an incredible run of form. After winning the Fungliss ProAm in France, his unbeaten streak in professional competitions tallied an impressive 27, one of the longest winning streaks in water ski history.

Following the qualifying rounds of the Botaski ProAm in Spain, where he finished with an equal top score of 1 @ 9.75m (43’ off), Smith seemed on track for another victory. He made easy work of his first head-to-head bracket, advancing to the semifinals. However, up against the young and relatively unknown Italian Brando Caruso, Smith faltered at 10.25 meters (41’ off), coming up half a buoy short of Caruso.

Facing defeat graciously, Smith shared, “After 27 wins in a row, I got to spray a competitor above me in the face with champagne. Congrats [Brando Caruso] for knocking me out… and Freddie [Winter] for ultimately taking first.”

9. Nicholson Finds Another Gear

One of the hardest workers on the professional circuit, Allie Nicholson had been threatening to post a big score for some time. As the only skier to attend all 12 Waterski Pro Tour slalom events in 2023, her breakthrough came during the European leg at the Kaiafas Battle ProAm. In a qualifying round, the American became only the 12th woman ever to run 10.75m (39.5’ off) Announcer Matteo Luzzeri remarked, “We were waiting for the next lady to run 39, and here we have her; she just hammered it, super confident. She decided now, today’s my day.” Nicholson was elated with the performance, stating, “I almost didn’t ski; I wasn’t feeling good before I skied, and I’m so glad I did. I’m on cloud nine right now.”

Nicholson’s success continued with a victory at the San Gervasio ProAm the following weekend and multiple more successful attempts at 10.75m, including at the Calgary Cup the following month.

8. Lang Master’s the 11,000 Point Mark

Erika Lang had one of the closest things our sport has seen to a perfect season. In May, she broke her own world record during the Master’s LCQ. Throughout the season, she won three out of four professional events, broke the World Championships record on the way to her second world title, and closed out the season with a Pan American Games gold.

This incredible season was marked by Lang’s consistency, surpassing 11,000 with increasing regularity. The standout moment for Lang was at the U.S. Masters, where she achieved the first-ever score over 11,000 in a professional tournament by a woman. Her winning score, in the challenging conditions of Robin Lake, would have been enough to secure her a podium place in the men’s event.

7. World’s Returns to “Sunset” Lakes

During the final series of the men’s slalom elimination round at the World Championships, the sun dipped lower on the horizon, presenting competitors with a challenging glare. Joel Howley became the first skier to wear sunglasses during his run, with the boat driver handing them to him for each pass into the glare. Others attempted to mitigate the increasingly difficult glare with eye black. In a candid interview, Freddie Winter commented on the conditions, emphasizing that “we’re all trying to survive as opposed to perform.” Further stating “it’s dangerous, it’s scary, and it minimizes our performance.”

Despite the challenging conditions, most of the top skiers successfully advanced to the finals. Notably, two-time former champion Will Asher suffered an early exit at 10.25m (41’ off). The day concluded with an electrifying eight-way runoff for the final two spots, with young Vincenzo Marino attempting a 10.75m (39.5’ off) pass in what might be the coldest start ever after not skiing for three days. In the end, Cole McCormick and Corey Vaughan secured their tickets to the finals.

6. Font Pushes the Envelope

Before Patricio Font broke the world trick record in 2022, it had been the longest-standing record in threeevent waterskiing, remaining unbroken since 2011. Proving that it was far from a one-off performance, Font extended his world record to 12,690 at the Master’s LCQ in May, before pulling out the record run in his victories at the Botaski ProAm, setting a professional tournament record, and in the preliminary round of the World Championships, setting a World Championships record.

This top seed position proved critical, as Louis Duplan-Fribourg, after executing a superb hand pass, seemed poised to achieve another big score. However, an equipment malfunction caused his toe strap to release before his final toe trick, preventing a score that could have totaled 12,580 points. Patricio Font, realizing the opportunity presented by Louis’ misfortune, opted for a less challenging run, omitting his Ski-Line-Seven, and cruised to victory with another huge score of 12,470 points.

With a stated goal of breaking 13,000 points, Font is at the forefront of a new wave of trick skiers redefining the boundaries of the sport. Although his potential record of 12,770 was ultimately downgraded upon IWWF review, we expect more big scores from him in the future.

5. Clutch Performances from the Nightmare

Although still a regular at the top of the podium, Freddy Krueger showed signs of slowing down throughout the season. At the MasterCraft Pro, his second professional win of the season, he very nearly missed the final after failing to qualify on his first two jumps. The 48-year-old veteran then delivered the biggest jump of the tournament on his third and final attempt with 70.7 meters (232 feet).

The following weekend at the Malibu Open, Joel Poland set the pace early with a jump of 69.3 meters (227 feet), which held firm through six skiers and seemed poised to force a jump-off for the title. However, Krueger clinched the championship with an extraordinary 71.0-meter (233 feet) jump on his third and final attempt.

Finally, at the World Championships, Krueger was in serious danger of missing the final, not to mention jeopardizing U.S.A.’s chances in the teams competition, after managing only 56.4 meters (185 feet) from his first two jumps. Yet again, his wealth of experience came to the fore, enabling him to qualify on his third attempt, ultimately going on to finish runner-up in the final and help Team U.S.A. to a world title.

4. Duplan-Fribourg Takes Flight

In a picturesque setting in the south of France, the WWS Overall Tour opened its 2023 season with an extraordinary performance by Louis DuplanFribourg. The Frenchman soared to new heights, setting a national jump record at 68.1 meters (223 feet), igniting the local crowd and taking the lead in the overall competition. Announcer Glen Williams acknowledged Duplan-Fribourg’s achievement, stating, “We’ve talked for a long time about Joel Poland and Dorien Llewellyn, and now there are three names in that category.” Duplan-Fribourg’s performance positioned him among the world’s top overall skiers.

“I was a little stressed after Louis’ big jump; when someone goes out and jumps that far, it’s intimidating,” said Poland in his post-jump interview. In the tightest overall battle of the year, Poland managed to win the event by the razorthin margin of less than 3 overall points— equivalent to a quarter buoy or a side slide.

As the WWS Overall Tour unfolded, the French contender’s newfound jump form combined with his world-class tricking kept him ahead of the rest of the pack, finishing close second to Poland in all four tour stops. The final stop in Florida saw him extending the French national jump record, and shortly after, he clinched his first professional jump placement at the MasterCraft Pro.

His trick performance at the World Championships broke both the French national and World Championships records in the preliminary round. This impressive foundation paved the way for his breakthrough world title, cementing his status not just as a trick skier but as a rising star among the world’s top overall skiers.

3. Sweet Home Malib-Ama

The Malibu Open, with over two decades of history, returned to LymanLand in Alabama for the second consecutive year, delivering nearly nonstop record-breaking excitement First, Regina Jaquess solidified her status as one of the greatest women’s slalomers of all time by setting a new world slalom record of 5 at 10.25 meters (41‘ off) in the preliminary round. Then, Hanna Straltsova became only the third woman ever to jump over 190 feet during the finals, not only claiming victory in the tournament but also securing the season title of the Waterski Pro Tour. Finally, Joel Poland broke his second world overall record in as many weeks, achieving scores of 2@10.25m in slalom, 11,680 in tricks, and 69.3 meters (227 feet) in jump. The latter score very nearly won him the jump event too. In an interview following her record-breaking performance, Jaquess shared her elation and gratitude, saying, “Oh my gosh, I don’t even know what to say, I’m shaking. I think getting out of two this morning unlocked a little bit of mental pressure because it was my best score. I haven’t gotten a three since my ACL [surgery], so thank you, Andrews Sports [Medicine], for getting me back together. This is unbelievable, and to do it at the Malibu Open behind Malibu Boats… I got mental; I should have run it… it felt so amazing.”

For number two, we go all the way back to the very start of the year, to the Under 17 World Championships in Santiago, Chile. This tournament was filled with promising young talents and exhilarating moments on the water. However, the peak of tension unfolded during the boys’ slalom final. Skiing early in the lineup, positioned 3rd and 5th off the dock, respectively, Australian Lucas Cornale and Mexican Nicolas Nelson set an early pace with 3 @ 10.75m (39.5’ off), falling just half a buoy short of the World Championships record. This combined lead persisted through all 12 competitors, necessitating a runoff to determine the winner. Starting at 11.25 meters (38′ off), Nelson skillfully navigated the pass, narrowly missing four ball at 10.75 to match his initial score. As Cornale entered the course for his chance to challenge, announcer Tony Lightfoot noted, “Nicolas Nelson [is] still in the course.” Cornale fell early around buoy two but promptly signaled for a reride by raising his ski in the air. Meanwhile, Nelson, having initially stayed within the buoy line, was slowly making his way to the shore, perhaps overwhelmed by the occasion. After a split decision from the judges, Cornale’s request for a reride was denied. Nevertheless, the Australian team lodged a formal protest citing unsafe skiing conditions, which was ultimately upheld.

Seizing this opportunity, Cornale successfully completed the 11.25-meter pass, matching Nelson’s runoff score of 3 @ 10.75m. Once again, the young men found themselves in a runoff, this time with Cornale starting first. Unfortunately, the Australian fell early at 11.25m, leaving the door open for Nelson, who ultimately claimed the world title by navigating around three buoys. This dramatic double runoff set the stage for an intense start to the year.

Honorable Mentions

Jacinta Carroll’s continued dominance on the Yarra

Three skiers running 10.25m (41′ off) in a single round at the Kaiafas ProAm

Three skiers jumping over 70m (230′) in a single round at the California ProAm

The incredibly tight battle for Waterski Pro Tour season title in women’s slalom

Nate Smith’s close call with the jump ramp at the Traver’s Grand Prix

Dorien Llewellyn’s and Lauren Morgan’s injury comebacks for World Championships medals

1. Poland s New Haircut

It should come as little surprise that our top pick for the number one moment of 2023 involves the hottest commodity in world water skiing right now – Joel Poland. Many moments came to mind for the extraordinarily talented Brit: his first 70-meter (230-foot) jump at the California Pro Am, and his back-to-back world records set live on webcast to close out the professional season—any of these could have easily made this list. However, it was his World Championships effort, ironically one of the only events he didn’t win, that stood out the most.

Poland, who only needed 10,000 points to make the trick final, stood up in his opening toe pass “like clockwork,” as remarked by announcer Glen Williams. Williams added, “I don’t think he has a B run; [he] pretty

SwissProTricks

Pictures by Tiare Miranda

Article - Freddie Winter

The Waterski Pro Tour returned for its fourth season with a trick event in which the female ‘old guard’ underlined, capitalized and circled their dominance while a new generation took flight in the men’s. After a wait of just under 7 months between Tour events, the Swiss Pro Tricks was just the barnstorming opener we were looking for.

In the mens tricks, Pato Font, the undoubted dominant force with 11 pro titles, let his crown slip just a touch to allow a pair of 16 year olds onto the podium above him. Jake Abelson started well and improved in each round, culminating in a finals performance of 12,230 that is not only his best ever but a pending USA record. However, 1st place went to Mati Gonzalez as he paired his trademark toes with a huge hand pass that incorporated some exceptional ski line tricks. His 12,440 tied his best as he broke the 12k barrier for the third but certainly most important time in his career. He joins Font, Joel Poland (disappointed with an oh-so-close final run), Dorien Llewellyn and Adam Pickos as only the fifth pro event winner amongst the currently competing pack. Font, clearly devastated after a fall on his toe run that he put down to an uncharacteristic lapse on focus, still managed to finish third with 11,610.

That Gonzalez and Abelson were able to put together their best runs in the final in front of the eyes of the world at such a young age suggests pro trick skiing is in for a huge next decade or so. Martin Labra, another 16 year old with a 12k+ score but unlucky to fall in the final, will no doubt share in this future. Font, a seasoned veteran of men’s trick skiing at just 21, no doubt has many more moments of history to make despite his disappointment yesterday. He can take consolation from the pending World Record he set in Round 1 of 12,770.

The trio of teenagers emerging to take on the slightly older field in the mens would no doubt have reminded trick ski fans of the same nearly a decade ago in the womens field. In 2015 Anna Gay upset the odds by defeating the seemingly indomitable Erika Lang at the US Open and World Championships back to back at age 15. Two years later Neilly Ross swept all before her at the same age. Since then Lang, Gay and Ross have become an outrageously dominant triumvirate that has taken every pro victory between them to date except one (US Open 2021 - Giannina Bonnemann). Any hope that this dominance would end with the start of a new season on the Tour was extinguished vigorously as they once again finished on the podium together. Ultimately, perhaps, the only real question was the order.

One would think that the outrageously high standard of women’s tricks in the last decade wouldn’t allow for any spell of dominance from one skier. Since the start of last season, however, Erika Lang has found a way, with 5 victories in 6 events and yesterday she won once again, and frankly, with some style. She took 3 of the 4 best scores of the event, including a rare glimpse of 11k in the final. She credited the modification of her toe run prior to last season as the basis of her hot streak but all told she has rarely looked so balanced and in tune with her ski.

Ross will feel disappointed as an unusually off balance landing from a Front Flip 180 midway through her final hand run lost her some time as she salvaged a still incredibly respectable 10,370. Now two years since her last victory in tricks, she looks back to top form and her time will come soon enough. Anna Gay finished third after being disappointed with some heavy judicial cutting on her toe pass. Her slower start to the year after a January wedding will not have a bearing on where she ends up in 2024. From the top, the ages of those on the podium are 28, 22 and 24. Trick ski fans can look forward to many years of these ladies continuing to grow trick skiing going forward also.

Trick skiing has long been the least represented discipline of the three that make up tournament waterskiing. Consistently slalom and jump have had more events and more money at them. Yesterday’s Swiss Pro Tricks, however, showed just how unjust this is; the level of competition is up there with any in competitive towed watersports and the youthful glow is unmatched anywhere. These athletes deserve to be recognised as among the best in the sport and, thankfully, events such as the still fairly new Swiss Pro Tricks give them the place to demonstrate that. Hopefully more events will follow and we can see them do so on a more frequent basis.

FINALISTS

ToYou skier of the day Martin Labra after his 12 110 pts score. Joining the prestigious 12k club.

Erika Lang confirms she is dominated the field after her World Title in October.

NeillyRoss-ErikaLang-AnnaGay JakeAbelson-MatiGonzalez-PatoFont

By Jane Peel

Pictures - Tiare Miranda

The Swiss Pro Slalom is always eagerly anticipated – the first professional contest of the season for most competitors and a chance to test out their early form. But what we experienced at the 10th anniversary edition of the event at Florida’s Swiss Waterski Resort, was something very special and a fitting way to start the 2024 Waterski Pro Tour’s series of slalom competitions.

A stacked field, including veterans and a host of new kids on the block, kept us entertained through two preliminary rounds and finals, all packed into one day. By the end, we had witnessed more than a few shocks, crowned a new champion and seen a glimpse of the future of professional slalom skiing.

Ahead of the women’s event, the smart money was on the world record holder and reigning Queen of Swiss, Regina Jaquess, who had never been beaten here. Who would bet against the 9-time winner taking her 10th title? Another 10 women would try to stop her and, when the American uncharacteristically went down with 3.5@11.25m (38’ off) in the first round, it was a sign that she would not have it all her own way. No such problem in round two, however, and Jaquess secured her spot in the 5-woman final with 1@10.25m (41’ off), the same score as the current World Champion, Jaimee Bull of Canada Other familiar names – Whitney McClintock-Rini (CAN) and Allie Nicholson (USA) – also made it through, along with first-time finalist, Paige Rini (CAN).

In the final, gusting winds did not stop all 5 women making it into 10.75m (39.5’ off) with Nicholson (USA) saving her best until last with 3@10.75m. McClintock-Rini set the bar high with 5 on that line length, leading with two to go. Jaquess had a great start at 10.75m but missed the handle out of buoy 2, managing to hold on with her wrist just long enough to score 2.5. Bull, who has been back on the water for just a few weeks after a winter season on snow, surprised everyone - including herself -by scoring 1@10.25m again to take the victory. So, the podium was Bull, McClintock-Rini, Nicholson; Jaquess’ undefeated streak at Swiss finally coming to an end with 4th place.

The men’s competition was a story of exceptional scores from unexpected quarters, surprisingly low-key performances from some of the sport’s biggest stars and impressive skiing from the contingent of young guns (with 6 of those on the start list aged between 16 and 20). Fourth off the dock with 20 to go, one of those youngsters was 18-year-old Lucas Cornale (AUS). The Junior Moomba Champion, looking cool as a cucumber, laid down the gauntlet with an astonishing 3@10.25m (41’ off), equalling his PB. By the end of the first round, the teenager was in a log-jam of 8 skiers on the same score and tied in second spot behind one of the ‘oldies’, GB’s Will Asher (4@10.25m). By the end of the second round another three skiers were on 3@10.25m.

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(GBR) who had made the podium at every pro event he entered in 2023. With an inferior first round score of 0.5 @ 10.25m, his 3 @10.25m in round two was enough only for 9th place. Other big names to miss out were two-time World Champion, Thomas Degasperi (ITA), Dane Mechler (USA) and Jonathan Travers (USA).

The world record holder and six-time winner at Swiss, Nate Smith (USA), found himself in an unfamiliar position as first on the water in the final. Clearly not yet at his best this early in the season, his 2@10.25m left the door wide open. In the end, the three finalists from Great Britain responded best. The overall world record holder, Joel Poland, scored 3@10.25m. Then his childhood friend and rival, Rob Hazelwood, showed his consistency with his third 3@10.25m of the day. Finally, Hazelwood’s cousin, 41-year-old Will Asher (respectively 17 and 16 years older than Hazelwood and Poland) did just enough to beat his compatriots with 3.5 @ 10.25m to take his second Swiss Pro title. So, it was a GB clean sweep: Asher, Hazelwood (second with a superior back up score), Poland. Well worth a mention is 18-year-old Charlie Ross, the U17 and U21 world record holder from Canada. He finished just off the podium in 4th – and ahead of Nate Smith - with 2@10.25m, having got into that line length in all three rounds.

A notable absence

the 8-man final was the reigning World and Moomba Masters Champion, Freddie Winter

Charlie Ross Ph. Tiare Miranda

MASTERS US MASTERS

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

by Jack Burden

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.

Cole McCormick Ph. by Jonathan Hayward

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.

Dorien Llewellyn Ph. by Jonathan Hayward

WHAT A SHOW!

Pictures by Jonathan Hayward

The US Masters is the kind of trophy you chase for your entire life Some chase a spot in the event just to be able to ski Most of them are obviously chasing a victory And few of them are chasing some records

Cole McCormick is now able to tell he is a US Masters Champion

Regina Jaquess continues to write her legend with another win

Martin Labra is now an Open Champion at US Masters in front of the best field possible

Anna Hunter gets herself another victory on Robin Lake

Joel Poland takes home the flying trophy against the two old-time jumping legends Ryan Dodd and Freddy Krueger

Hannah Straltsova wins another title here and shows that she is now the only one dominating the jumping scene

MASTERS CHAMPIONS

Cole McCormick

Hannah Straltsova

Regina Jaquess

MASTERS CHAMPIONS

Anna Hunter

Joel Poland

Martin Labra MASTERS CHAMPIONS

Louis Duplan-Fribourg at US Masters Ph. Jonathan Hayward

Matt Rini and Joel Poland on dock at Swiss Pro Tricks Ph. Tiare Miranda

Mati Gonzalez at Swiss Pro Tricks Ph. Tiare Miranda

Erika Lang at Swiss Pro Trick Ph. Tiare Miranda

Martin Labra at Swiss Pro Tricks Ph. Tiare Miranda

Anna Hunter at Swiss Pro Tricks Ph. Tiare Miranda

Joel Poland in the crowd at US Masters Ph. Jonathan Hayward

Allie Nicholson at US Masters Ph. Jonathan Hayward

Tim Wild at US Masters Ph. Jonathan Hayward

Stevie Island at Swiss Pro Slalom Ph. Tiare Miranda

McClintock-Rini

J a k e A b e l s o n

Reaching for the Stars

I am telling you for years that trick is rising a little bit more every year. Well, apparently, trickers. decided to make it more interesting than anything battling up above the 12k limite in every rounds of every events! The superstar Pato Font did tie then broke is own world record several times since last year.

Jake Abelson did not wait for him to do it another time. He put himself out there with the highest scored run in the history of the sport during LCQ with 12,970 points... you see me coming... 30 points shy from the 13k mark!

In the last magazine, I asked Pato Font when this would be doable. Apparently, the answer is SOON!

Tune in the next trick event for Monaco Slalom Cup June 25-26th. Trickers are out, and ready to score !

Grégoire Desfond

MODELLING OF WATERSKI JUMPING

By Benoit

Lance

Second step through our roadmap of waterskiing physics – do you still remember your first lesson of Waterski Journal N°12 ? – Here I will speak about waterski jumping and a simulation tool developed therefore.

As compared to alpine ski jumping, covered by a large scientific literature, waterski jumping is so far only studied in a chapter of a French book written by Alain Durey and dedicated to the physics of sport. One of the main differences between alpine ski jumping and waterski jumping, is the fact that the waterskier has to intercept the jump ramp at the end of an acceleration phase, during which hydrodynamic forces will come into play, while gravity acceleration and air drag will mainly influence the flight phase. Between both phases is the short time interval on the jump ramp, for which I neglect any loss of energy due to friction or through the shock absorption inside the waterskier body, what already represents a challenge for the waterskier !

Ryan Dodd at US Masters

Photographed by Jonathan Hayward

The flight phase is determined by the speed of the skier at the jump ramp, the ramp height, the skier mass and body position. The skier speed at the jump ramp is in turn determined by the acceleration phase on the water, that depends here again on the skier mass, but also on the parameters chosen by the skier : boat speed, boat position (split) and acceleration start point.

Acceleration phase

Simulating the acceleration of a waterskier starting far away on the right hand side of the boat channel and going towards the jump ramp, it comes out that :

The waterskier speed at the jump ramp rises up to ~ 110 km/h (~ 2 times the boat speed), as was in fact reported by Alain Durey. Such a high speed makes possible that the skier lands ahead of the boat, despite the air drag effect during the flight phase

Lighter weight waterskier have logically a higher acceleration, but they do not really benefit from this asset…

Indeed, light waterskiers are submitted to much higher relative rope tension as compared to heavier ones. The peak rope tension obtained for skiers lighter than 80 kg can exceed 5 BW (body weight), what is in the practice the limit sustainable (see the slalom pro-tour events geared with a rope tension monitor by Vincent Stadlbaur and broadcasted by TWBC !). Heavier skiers have thus a mass asset, ranging between 0.5 up to 0.9 BW / 10 kg

Impact of the boat speed : it has been found that the jump speed is increased with a growing boat speed, ranging from 1.7 up to 2.2 km/h for every step of 1 km/h boat speed, which has in turn a favorable impact on the jump performance.

Impact of the boat position (split) : as compared to a medium split, the waterskier choosing a wide split starts farther from the jump ramp, he/she has to edge stronger, in order to reach the jump ramp, at a higher speed. Each boat split variation will induce a variation of the waterskier speed at the jump ramp, ranging from 2 and 6 km/h, what in turn affects the jump length.

Finally the start point of the acceleration phase : the simulations confirm the positive impact of a late and outwards start point of the waterskier acceleration phase ; i.e. a full cut will lead to longer jumps, as compared to a cut from the boat channel. On the average the jump speed is varied by more than 1 km/h for every 1 meter step of acceleration start point. Of course, the price to pay is the rope load during the cut.

Ryan Dodd at Worlds

Photographed by Jonathan Hayward

Flight phase

Specialized literature about alpine ski jumping quantify the air drag and lift forces, depending on the square of the skier speed and on the skier body position. This posture is characterized by 3 main angles, that have been analyzed in wind tunnel measurements for alpine ski jumping : the leaning angle γ ~ 35°, is found higher than for alpine ski, as the heels of the waterskier are kept fixed in their bindings the skis angle λ ~ 30° has been found to favor the performance and the safety of the alpine jump skiers ; this is also named the “V-position” the pitch angle θ, is considered equal to 25°, based upon observation of the waterski jumps (once again thank you TWBC !)

On this basis, simulations were performed, in order to determine the impact of the waterskier speed at the ramp on the jump performance. It was found that the jump length is increased with higher skier speed, by roughly 0.5 to 1 meter per 1 km/h.

Finally the jump length is increased with the ramp height, by about 1 to 2.5 meters for every 15 cm height step. Nevertheless the skier has to withstand the push from the ramp, which is somewhat higher for a higher ramp height, going from 2.5 BW for H = 1.5 m, up to 3 BW for H = 1.8 m.

Lauren Morgan at Worlds

Photographed by Jonathan Hayward

Examples

The Figure below shows a top view of 3 simulated waterskiers, all weighting 80 kg with equipment : a beginner, an intermediate level jumper and a pro jumper. Boat split position is here chosen medium (acceleration phase in black and flight phase in red).

The intermediate skier is simulated with a ramp height of 1.8 m and a boat speed of 54 km/h. The skier is assumed to start the cut standing -15 m far away from the central channel and -52 meters from the jump ramp (top level), what results in a jump of 46 meters. The top view shows the rope between the skier and the boat at 3 specific phases : the cut start, the skier at the jump ramp and the landing. The beginner skier is simulated with a ramp height of 1.65 m and starting from the boat channel, what results in a jump of 21 meters. Finally the pro jumper adopts a boat speed of 57 km/h and starts the acceleration phase farther and later than the intermediate skier, what results in a jump of 70 meters.

As you can see, the simulation tool is able to reproduce various performances, from the beginner up to the pro skier. Unfortunately it was yet not validated against measurements, especially for the start point of the acceleration phase and the peak rope tension.

As a conclusion, I provide you with a summary table that quantifies the main parameters impacting the jump performances. Now it’s up to you to calculate your next best performance !

Slalom skier of the month

Cole McCormick

WJ - How old were you when you started skiing?

CM - My parents taught me how to ski when I was 3 years old.

WJ - Where do you ski now?

CM - I ski primarily at Jack Travers Sunset Lakes I moved out here in 2020

WJ - How many set per week?

CM - I would say on average 6-7 sets a week during the season and maybe 1-2 sets a week during a typical offseason

WJ - Do you have a favorite course?

CM - I would say my 2 favorite lakes are Lake Sarah (the trick lake) at Jacks and Crystal Lake (the lake my parents live on) Lake Sarah doesn’t get a lot of love from slalom skiers but it’s my favorite lake to slalom on at Jacks

WJ - Best waterski memory?

CM - My best waterski memory is growing up watching the pros compete at the Masters It was always right at the beginning of my season and it would really inspire and excite me to get back into ski season as a kid That’s what makes winning the Masters this year extra special to me Every time I ski there, I hope I can inspire kids just like I was when my parents took me to watch there every year

WJ - Favorite tournament ?

CM - My favorite tournament is probably the Traver’s Grand Prix I loved skiing on teams with the pros as a kid and this is the last true Pro-Am team competition left to my knowledge

WJ - Worst memory? You can choose, funny or serious hah!

CM - My worst memory was probably missing the finals of the World Championships in 2021 That one stuck with me for quite a while Knowing I choked so badly when I was skiing so well at my home site, really got in my head for quite some time.

WJ - Favorite training partner?

CM - Jaimee Bull and Rob Hazelwood are my favorite training partners They are very good at helping me get my skiing right, and keeping the energy light and fun around the dock.

WJ - Your ultimate goal?

CM - My ultimate goals since I was a kid (even if they were unrealistic at the time) have always been to win Masters and win a World championship In the last 5 years running 41 in competition has gotten added to that list I checked off one of those goals this year, so we will see what the future holds!

WJ - What is your objectif for this season ?

CM - My goals for the year were to win a Pro Event and run 41 in competition I’m ahead of schedule so hopefully I can check the second one off as well

WJ - What is your perfect setup ?

CM - The best setup has to be Lake Sarah, Alex King driving, middle of the day, Nautique, and my LaPoint LP2 Tough to beat that

Jumper of the month

Valentina Gonzalez

WJ - How old were you when you started skiing?

VG - 4 years old, competing at 7.

WJ - Where do you ski now?

VG - Lake Tennessee with Scot and Marion Ellis

WJ - How many set per week?

VG - In between 15-20

WJ - Best waterski memory?

VG - Winning Jump at the U21 Worlds in Canada in 2019 It was a dream come true!

WJ - Favorite tournament?

VG - Moomba !!!!

WJ - Worst memory? You can choose, funny or serious hah!

VG - When I got hurt jumping last September training for Worlds and PanAm Games. Ended up with 10 broken bones on my foot. Had to get surgery and was out for over 4 months.

WJ - Favorite training partner?

VG - Hard to just name one, but I really enjoy training with my siblings (Domi, Fifi, and Mati), Joel Poland, and Sasha Danisheuskaya. We push ourselves and have fun!

WJ - Your ultimate goal?

VG - Podium at Open Worlds in Jump or Overall. I would also like to win a pro event.

WJ - Best set up? (lake, time of the day, boat, pilote, ski)

VG - Lago Valle Maipo, 9am, Nautique, Antonio Peraza behind the wheel, D3 skis

WJ - What is your objectif for this season ?

VG - 172ft / 52 4 is stuck in my head I want to break that Chilean National Record again I’m working really hard technically to get there Hopefully things will connect and I can get there!