Green light for barefoot event O
BY MICHAEL SCALZO
ne of Australia’s largest waterskiing events will go ahead in Dimboola this month after two-years of COVID-19 cancellations.
Peter Taylor Memorial Barefoot Water Ski Tournament and Night Jump will return to the Wimmera River on February 18 and 19, with Australia’s elite water-skiers attending. The event is a collaboration between Dimboola Boat and Water Ski Club and Barefoot South Australia. Dimboola club president Darren Bone said the event was more than a traditional ski tournament. “People who have not witnessed these elite sports people need to be there to see them fly past your face,” he said. “To witness everything first-hand, it is an absolute crazy adrenaline rush.” Mr Bone said Australia’s top-10 barefoot skiers would compete in the tournament, ‘hopefully’ in front of at least 1000 or more people. “We want as many people as we can at the river in Dimboola. It would be great to have the riverbank completely full with everyone we can fit, within COVID-19 protocols,” he said. The night jump, on both Friday and Saturday nights, will feature skiers competing to launch themselves as far as possible from a one-metre-high barefoot jump at 70 kilometres an hour. Mr Bone said the night jump, under lights and with accompanying commentary, would ‘absolutely rock the house’.
He said one of Australia’s fastest jetboats would also put on a show as part of the weekend entertainment. “This jet boat has 1800 horsepower and can go from zero to 100 kilometres an hour in about 0.3 seconds,” he said. “It’s so loud – shockingly loud and goes like a cut missile.”
Champ returns
South Africa’s freestyle barefoot champion Andre De Villers has pulled out of the tournament due to COVID-19 related international border issues, but Mr Bone said Ben Franks, the tournament’s reigning champion, would return to defend his title. “We hope to have Andre out here as soon we can, he still wants to get out for the tournament in future years, which is great,” he said. “He is like a god, there is almost no one like him on the water.” The event is in honour of a ‘great mate’ of Dimboola Boat and Ski Club, Peter Taylor, who died of oesophagus cancer in 2017. Mr Bone said Mr Taylor was a largerthan-life personality who ‘touched’ people right across the ski community. He said there would be a charity auction after competition on Saturday afternoon, with proceeds raised going to Wimmera Against Cancer in Kids, WACK. Items up for auction include wakeboards, skis, ski-handles and clothing. Mr Bone said a ‘very special’ Welcome to Country ceremony would be staged before Saturday evening’s night jump, with Ben Muir and Aunty Nancy Harrison from Dimboola.
HANDS-ON Mia and Bentley Pendlebury try badminton and table tennis at a Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly expo at St Brigid’s College gym at the weekend. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Berry: Expo a good foundation Wimmera Regional Sport Assembly’s first sport expo has provided a new way for people looking to join sporting communities to browse clubs and competitions in the region. Sporting groups set up stalls and organisers from different sporting codes introduced themselves to potential members face-to-face at the weekend while showcasing a variety of Wimmera sporting pursuits. Assembly executive officer David Berry said while the first expo, in Horsham, was relatively
small, it represented a solid foundation for similar events in the future. “It was quiet for the first expo, but that is what we expected. The good thing is we have started and given the clubs that were there a chance to showcase themselves,” he said. “With the clubs that were there it means we have had a chance to chat to them as well. “We could see how they are doing and be there for them and their challenges in this postCOVID recovery.
“What is important is we built a discussion about our sporting community. “We are giving it a go and trying something different to build membership bases.” Mr Berry said the assembly planned more sports expos in the near future and now people knew it was happening, would have more time to make the most of the opportunity. “I think we will do it each year. It will grow. Of course, we will take feedback and see how we go in the future,” he said.
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