Friday, September 14, 2007
Posted by Bob Corson
The completion of the 19th World Cup Stop in Northern Ireland last weekend was the last of 2007 for Waterskiers. Two more Stops remain for Wakeboarders in Singapore on September 22nd and 23rd and in Doha, Qatar, on November 3rd.
Taking the season title is never easy. Different climates, varying conditions, long hours at Airports and in the air, all take their toll. Only the very strongest and most talented athletes rise to the top. Athletes from fifteen countries competed. Bob Corson, Executive Board Member of the International Water Ski Federation (IWSF), has announced the 2007 overall World Cup winners and here are the details.
SLALOM
Natalie Hamrick Halt (USA) – Born in Greenville, South Carolina, USA, and lives in Switzerland, started skiing at the age of seven, 1994 Junior World Slalom Champion, 2003 National Slalom Champion USA, ranked IWSF No.1 in the World, won World Cup Stops in 2006 and 2007 in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.
Glen Campbell (GBR) - Born in Mansfield, England, started skiing at the age of ten, Junior Masters Slalom Champion USA 1994, European Slalom Champion 2000,2003, three time British National Slalom Champion, Silver Medalist in the 2005 World Championships, won World Cup Stop in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland in 2007.
SHORTBOARD
Nicolas LeForestier (FRA) – Started skiing at the age of six in Nantes, France. As a computer engineer, he Lives in Johannesburg and commutes to France. He holds the World Shortboard record of 12,400 points, has broken the World Record five times, has won the World Championships in Austria this year and every World Cup Stop in 2007.
Mandy Nightingale (USA) – Born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, USA, started skiing at the age of three, played Basketball at the University of Colorado, drafted to the WNBA, broke the 1999 World Shortboard Record last year with a score of 8740 points, won the 2007 World Cup Stops in Dubna, Russia and in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.
JUMP
Ageliki Andriopoulou (GRE) – born in Athens, Greece, trains at KLI in Ravenna, Italy, World Jump Champion 2005 / 2007, ranked IWSF No.1 in the World, won the Enniskillen World Cup Stop in 2005 and 2006 and Dubna, Russia Stop in 2007 and Moomba Masters 2007 Jump title.
Freddy Krueger (USA) – Born in Decatur, Illinois, began skiing at the age of three, became the Midwest USA Boys Overall Champion in 1988 and National USA Jump Champion in 1995. Broke the World Jump Record seven times and holds the current World Jump Record of 74.2m / 243ft. Won the Enniskillen World Cup Stop this year in Northern Ireland and came second in Dubna, Russia.
During the final Waterski World Cup Stop of 2007 in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, when the official MasterCraft boat drove the World Cup Slalom Champion, Glen Campbell, through the Slalom course, the recently invented dynamic AgonyEye Meter showed that he pulled a record load of 550 lbs / 250 kilos while rounding the buoys. In Weighlifting terms, the USA National Masters record in the Clean & Jerk section for the heaviest lifters is 181 kilos (held by Jason Atkinson). These Slalom skiers are extreme athletes by any standards.
Kuno Ritschard, IWSF President, congratulated all international competitors in the 2007 Waterski and Wakeboard World Cup series and in particular the 2007 Overall Waterski winners.
CONTACT : Des Burke-Kennedy, Media Chairman, International Waterski Federation
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Web Site : www.iwsfworldcup.com
One week ago, six Waterski athletes won the titles of World Champion at the bi-annual World Championships staged this year in Austria. Just one week later, at the Enniskillen Stop of the Waterski World Cup series in Northern Ireland, not all of the five World Champions who attended went home happy. This 19th Stop of the World Cup series had an intriguing mix of great weather conditions, a very picturesque site and some real drama on the water. Known as Lakeland County, the Fermanagh area is renowned for its Beleek Pottery, Boating, Fishing, Golf and its dramatic un-spoilt landscape.With just four places available in the Finals for Ladies and six for Men, there was no room for error for the fifty one top ranked athletes from sixteen countries. Slalom came first. In the Ladies event, all were thrilled to see Emma Sheers (AUS) return to the big stage. Following her capture of the 2003 World Slalom title, she took a family break. Now she had the highest Preliminary Round score of 3 buoys on the 11.25m line. Surprisingly, Michelle Simpson (USA) and Clementine Lucine (FRA) failed to make the cut. In the Finals, Sheers did not fare so well and had to settle for fourth place. The 2006 defending Enniskillen Stop Champion, Natalie Hamrick Halt (USA), was in unbeatable form again and took the title with a score of 2.5 buoys on the 11.25m line. In the Mens event, the new World Slalom champion, Thomas Degasperi (ITA), made it to the Finals but the short recovery time from the previous weekend in Austria played its part and surprisingly, he had to settle for fifth place. Then drama entered the frame. Glen Campbell (GBR) lost a tie-break battle with Jodi Fisher (GBR) at this Stop in 2005. Again he was faced with a tie-break for the 2007 title. This time the defending World Cup Enniskillen Stop champion, Drew Ross (CAN), was his adversary. A week ago, he lost out with a damaged ski binding. Many felt that justice was done at last when Campbell eventually took the well deserved title in a thrilling finish with a margin of 3.5 buoys.
Just one week ago, the new 2007 Waterski World Champions earned their titles in Austria. This coming weekend, they will face their first major test in the final Waterski World Cup Stop of 2007. The possibility of adding the title of World Cup Champion is guaranteed to produce some stunning performances.The location at Broadmeadows in Enniskilen in Northern Ireland is one of the most picturesque of the nineteen World Cup Stops completed to date. Virtually all of the 50 athletes enlisted have participated here during the past three years. The countries represented next weekend will be France, Greece, Great Britain, USA, Italy, Belarus, New Zealand, Denmark, Mexico, Belgium, Colombia, Canada, Chile, Australia and Argentina.
With the thrilling conclusion to the previous Stop in Dubna in Russia still fresh in the minds of all World Cup athletes, this Enniskillen Stop will dictate the 2007 season’s winners. It will also be the third visit to Enniskillen since 2005. The City is located on an island separating the Upper and Lower Lough Erne. It is renowned for boating, water sports, cruising and fishing. The Waterski World Cup site’s natural beauty, in the 15th Century Castle’s shadow, adds to the uniqueness of this downtown venue. Playwrights Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde were both educated at nearby Portora Royal School, overlooking the towering Castle.
Ageliki Andriopoulou (GRE) and Jaret Llewellyn (CAN). All of these contestants will arrive in Enniskillen directly from the bi-annual World Championships in Linz in Austria and will be in peak form for an epic close to yet another memorable Waterski World Cup season.