Waterski Journal N°7

WATERSKI j

o

u

r

GO MOCS GO!

are you wondering how to join a collegiate waterski team in Florida? do you want to know how much it cost and what is feels like?

ANNA GAY, Top of the trick game

amazingly high level of women trick event has been dominated by one person this season, and she just won a 3rd world champion title

new era for women slalom ?

Freddie Winter knows a bit about slalom and drives us through the women field. How exciting it already is and how fantastic it is going!

n

a

°

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N 7.

FEBRUARY - APRIL 2022

www.radarskis.com

Edito

Brian Detrick - Ph. John Horton

The off season is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives us the time to realize how cool the season was and how much we miss skiing already. Unless you live in Florida, where waterskiing is a daily activity eleven months of the year. But for the rest of us, winter means putting your ski bag in the shed. However, this is the perfect time to fix the mindset for next season. The more we wait, the better getting back on water will be.

It is also a good time to sit and watch what the industry is preparing for us. New skis will come out, new jacket collections from our favorite brands, and so forth and so on.

As New Years has passed, it is time for me to wish you a fantastic year and amazing ski sets upcoming! I will spend this winter getting into shape for next season and hopefully break the score I am looking for! What about you?

Gregoire Desfond

Cover Picture : Anna Gay, 2021 World Trick Champion

Waterski Journal N°7 6 Go Mocs!

46 Not done yet !

Dive into college skiing. Florida Southern College is famous for its location, sunshine, education degrees and waterski team!

Thomas Degasperi once again showed why his name is always on top of the leaderboard

8 Be on top, stay on top trick is know to be hard, competitive and girls are showing how high the level is for years. Anna Gay seems to reach highest step of the podium consistently, especially this season.

12 Ciao Belmondo the world have lost one king of an actor.

Known for his ability to make every stunts himself, Jean Paul Belmondo was also a waterski passionate.

15 Dawn of an era Manon Costard, Regina Jaquess, Whitney McClintock-Rini and Jaimee Bull are skiing pushing limits of slalom skiing at every tournament. Freddie Winter, drives us through the phenomenon.

51 In My Bag are you wondering what tools your favorite skier is using to bring his A game on the water?

Joel Poland gives us all his secrets.

54 Out of the water a sad skier is a skier that is out of the water.

Sacha Descuns had to experience a pretty weird season due to an arm injury.

56 Portraits of the month Slalom: Brian Detrick Jump: Hanna Straltsova Trick: Jake Abelson

62 Waterski Pro Tour standings who are the best nowadays?

66 Contact Keep in touch.

66 Thank you 24 Waterski Pro Tour podiums of the year take a look at this season slalom podiums and check what score it requires if you want to bring your name on that list

40 Lookbook some badass picture of our favorite sport

you guys are awesome!

GO MOCS! If you are familiar with college skiing, you must have heard “Go Mocs!” at the lake sometimes. The Mocs represent the athletic team of Florida Southern College (FSC) located in Lakeland, Florida. This college

attracts

great

skiers

from

all

over

the

world

for

many

reasons. It is only an hour from Orlando and Lake County, the world epicenter of water skiing. The facilities are awesome. The college is basically built around the training lake, Lake Hollingsworth. Lakeland is also a great place to live, offering everything you need while being a student.

FSC is a great combination of a strong educational program and competitive skiing. Many great athletes have attended the college: Scot

Ellis,

Lauren

Morgan,

Ambre

Franc,

Thibaut

and

Tanguy

Dailland, Marion Mathieu, Clementine Lucine, K.C. Wilson, Manon Costard, Paige Rini, Jamie Calhoun, and Cole McCormick. FSC has a strong sports tradition and water skiing is fully part of it.

Rea Jorger, the first Swiss athlete to represent her country at the US Masters

this

year,

is

currently

getting

her

masters

degree

in

accounting at FSC. Indisputably, the waterski team has helped her to achieve some high goals. Moreover, she believes that FSC has an excellent accounting program. The faculty has contributed to her academic

achievements

and

professional

success.

In

her

words,

“FSC gave me lifelong friends from all across the world in many different

sports,

and

place in my heart.”

obviously

the

waterski

team

has

a

special

Rea Jorger and Valentina Gonzalez

FSC Waterski Club

Just graduated from her undergrad in Business and Administration, Valentina Gonzalez, overall champion

from

Chile

also

shared

with

us

that

FSC allowed her to graduate from one of the top business schools in the world and do it at the same

time

as

competing

as

a

collegiate

and

professional skier. Which is even better. It allowed her

to

ski

with

some

of

the

best

skiers

and

coaches in the world that live only 25 minutes away from school and that helped her to become the skier she is today. “Also, college skiing rocks.

By far the best 4 years in my life. I’m so lucky to have had this opportunity”.

Q&A with Rea

Valentina

What is your favorite class?

What is your favorite class?

federal tax, (because I’m a nerd)

Humm this is a hard one, but I think that is has to be sports marketing or something related to my minor that was marketing.

What is your favorite spot? at our dock, 7am, watching the sunrise and breaking the glass 🏄🏼‍♀️

What is your favorite spot?

There’s a lot of beautiful spots on campus, but I would say that my

Why FSC?

favorite is the brand new dock that we have “Moc Dock” that is only

-love fsc because of its location being in central florida around

3 minutes away walking from my classrooms.

all ski schools but also having a beautiful lake on campus. love that

it

is

a

small

college

because

you

get

to

know

all

the

athletes, your classmates and all the professors very well

Why FSC? I

love

the

community

at

FSC.

everyone

is

so

nice,

from

faculty

members, staff, students, etc. I also love the support that they give us as athletes. This doesn’t happen back home so it means a lot to me.

How to get in FSC? Coach Curtis Rabe gave us the process!

“First step is to just apply. It is easy and can be done online. Any information you need is at admissions. I suggest calling or emailing to get the communication open. You will be assigned an Admissions counselor depending on where you are

from

and

they

can

help

guide

you

through

the

process.

This

includes

submitting transcripts and test scores. Scores needed are an ACT of 23. Unsure of high school and SAT's. TOEFL for international, I believe is 69. Some test scores are now being waived due to Covid, but you would need a strong GPA if this is the case. Obviously, the better the grades the easier it is to be accepted and get scholarship money.

Retail tuition and fees is around $50,000/year but few pay this (NB. the website announces $39,000 per year for an undergraduate student). Almost everyone gets

some

scholarship

money

and

most

on

my

team

get

around

$15,000-$20,000/year or more. I do have a smart team though...

Ski team qualifications vary depending on the skill level of the existing team and voids I need to fill. For example, I always need female jumpers, so I sometimes take beginners. My slalom team on the men's and women's side is traditionally very strong, so it is hard to qualify. I am very transparent when I talk to recruits, so they know what they are realistically looking at to ski at FSC.” Thank you coach!

Curtis is waiting for you on Lake Hollingsworth down in Lakeland, hurry up!

Gregoire Desfond

Be on top, stay on top Anna Gay World trick champion

Pros have brought their performance level so high, it requires everything you have to imagine that one day you will be able to take part in their game. Women’s trick is one such event: the level has never been so high.

Women’s trick always delivers emotions on the shoreline. Either the competitors land all of their tricks and we have to wait for the judges to know the winner, or they fall and we are still anxious to learn who will win. The World Championships in October at Jack Travers Sunset Lakes was just such an event, and an incredible moment for the waterski family. Now it is time to focus on this tremendous trick event.

From my point of view, it is really difficult to determine (prior to the event) who will prevail.

Three names repeatedly come up: Anna Gay, Neilly Ross and Erika Lang. I would add Giannina Bonnemann in this trio. She proved that she could win facing the Big Three at the US Open this summer. They are all talented, hard workers, and consistently score above the 10,000-point mark. Unfortunately, Giannina had a bad crash during jump training prior to the event, so she was not in her best shape approaching the trick event. She managed to reach the finals, but could not complete her best run to take part in the battle for the win.

3 g i b e h T

Erika Lang

neilly ross

anna gay

The Big Three did not disappoint in the prelims. Anna took a slight 10-point advantage over Neilly with 10220 points. Erika was right behind her with 10180 points. The pressure must be unbearable on the finals dock!

Erika went first and did not meet her expectations, but still ran a solid 9580-point run.

Neilly, as graceful as usual on the water, received more uncredited tricks than usual, which put her on the lead, but below the 10,000-point mark. Anna did not know the score to beat when she went out, but from experience, she knew that she did not have a lot of room for mistakes. Putting all her skills together on that run, she outright won the title with a fantastic trick performance of 10,440 points. It was a strong advance and an indisputable win for the most wanted victory of the year.

Retrospectively, Anna not only dominated at Worlds, but also achieved the highest score at every major tournament - US Masters, King of Darkness, US Nationals, US Open and Worlds.

She won every round of those tournaments, except the finals of the US Open, where she lost against Giannina. Anna also won three of the Masters Last Chance Qualifiers (MLCQ). It was a solid year, displaying Anna’s toughness when the pressure is on! Winning at Worlds for the third time was indeed a great achievement, and confirmed her dominance in the discipline for the past year.

Good to see you legend natallia berdnikava Natallia Berdnikava might be one of the most decorated skiers on water. She has many world titles, records and European titles. Her performance at Worlds was strong, elegant, and filled with emotions. Coming back from an injury, she gave the crowd what it expected: finishing with a great top five. She told me this might be her last World Championship appearance… But who knows, a champion like her never stays far from her ski.

Gregoire Desfond

CIAO BELMONDO

The French actor Jean-Paul “Bébel” Belmondo left us last September.

He leaves us with a fantastic movie-collection legacy. Known for doing every stunt himself, from car crashes to hanging from a helicopter, Bébel was a true athlete in multiple sports.

Boxing was one of his favorites. We witnessed his jab in almost every movie he made. But there is another sport he loved and displayed in the movie “Le Magnifique”: waterskiing.

Waterski Nation wants to pay homage to this great actor, boxer, skier, driver, and human being. In his own way, he helped to share passion for so many things, waterski was one of them.

Ciao Bébel.

Swiss Waterski Resort Pleasure and Performance SKI LAKES - GOLF COURSE LAKEFRONT VILLAS - EXPERT COACHING

Clermont, Florida +1 407 968 3481

ski@swisswaterskiresort.com www.swisswaterskiresort.com

The dawn of a golden era ?

by Freddie Winter

Amongst the many reasons that sport is such a large part of our culture is the collective excitement we feel when witnessing something that was previously thought extremely unlikely or even unthinkable. In most areas of life progress is reached behind closed doors with few witnesses but sporting spectacle is there for all to experience as history is written in real time. The Malibu Open at the start of last October was one such occasion, as all four women’s slalom finalists ran into 10.25m, marking the first time this had happened. In the minds of many, there was suddenly a new era of competitiveness in women’s slalom.

There was no hint of the upcoming twists and turns as the season started out. Regina Jaquess, took the Swiss Pro, as she has done in each of the last 7 years. At this point the then 36 year old was unbeaten in the last 7 events she had entered. Her 21 professional wins for her 26 entries in the preceding five years had made her the widely accepted ‘skier to beat’ in women’s slalom. Within weeks however, news came through that she had ruptured a ligament in her knee while training for jump. With surgery needed to repair the damage, Regina was out for at least a good chunk of the season with an ambitious stated aim of returning for the World Championships in October. With the woman that many consider to be the greatest the sport has seen unable to participate, the stage was set for a great battle for supremacy in her absence.

Over the next 6 months it was Jaimee Bull who took center stage. The 21 year old Canadian, who had only narrowly been pipped to the victory by Regina at Swiss, won five of the seven events she entered, never placing below second in a breakout year like few before. These wins were especially impressive considering that she had only 6 pro podiums prior to the start of the year, with her sole win a victory over a sparsely populated field. By the end of the year she had taken 5 wins including The Masters, well known as the most distinguished event in professional waterskiing, and the World Championships. In the process, she took 1st place in the inaugural Waterski Pro Tour. “I definitely had big goals set out before the season started, I knew it was possible to win after my World Championship Bronze in 2017 as a 17 year old. But did I really believe it would go as well as it did? No” Jaimee told me in her typically understated manner.

“Obviously the field opened up with Regina out and I was able to fill out my experience throughout the season, being put in different situations - run-offs, being last off the dock - and it all just piled up my confidence as we got to Worlds”.

Jaimee points to her Worlds win as her season highlight: “there’s so much that goes into my skiing from so many people. Winning at Jack’s [Jack Travers Ski School in Florida, USA], where I train, with so much of my support team there was special. And of course, Worlds means a lot to Canada so that made it even better”.

Over the next 6 months it was Jaimee Bull who took center stage. The 21 year old Canadian, who had only narrowly been pipped to the victory by Regina at Swiss, won five of the seven events she entered, never placing below second in a breakout year like few before. These wins were especially impressive considering that she had only 6 pro podiums prior to the start of the year, with her sole win a victory over a sparsely populated field. By the end of the year she had taken 5 wins including The Masters, well known as the most distinguished event in professional waterskiing, and the World Championships. In the process, she took 1st place in the inaugural Waterski Pro Tour. “I definitely had big goals set out before the season started, I knew it was possible to win after my World Championship Bronze in 2017 as a 17 year old. But did I really believe it would go as well as it did? No” Jaimee told me in her typically understated manner. “Obviously the field opened up with Regina out and I was able to fill out my experience throughout the season, being put in different situations - run-offs, being last off the dock - and it all just piled up my confidence as we got to Worlds”. Jaimee points to her Worlds win as her season highlight: “there’s so much that goes into my skiing from so many people. Winning at Jack’s [Jack Travers Ski School in Florida, USA], where I train, with so much of my support team there was special. And of course, Worlds means a lot to Canada so that made it even better”.

Looking only at the season's stats it might appear that Jaimee didn’t have to work all that hard but anyone that watched the events will know this was not the case at all. Her competitors pushed her as hard as they could in every event. Throughout the year these were primarily Whitney McClintock Rini, the only skier to take a title from Jaimee after the Swiss Pro, Manon Costard and, late in the year, a returning Regina Jaquess. Reflecting on the standard at the top, Whitney told me “Jaimee learned to win against the best athletes ever in the sport.” This is something Jaimee says she would not have any other way, “It’s so tough. There are four of us that can and will run 39 off [10.75m] frequently and so no one is given everything, you have to earn it every time. But I’m happy that the level is so high, I really wouldn’t want to compete if it was going to be easy”.

Whitney’s season was in itself remarkable, particularly her first post-pregnancy victory, the US Open in August, coming a year to the day after giving birth. By her own admission she had been below her high standards in the couple of years leading up to her pregnancy and she was surprised how long it took her to physically come back from that. “Around Stillwater [mid-July , final placement of 2nd] my skiing was just starting to click but by the end of it I had nothing left. It took me til California Pro-Am [in late August] to not feel tired at all when I was competing and then I just knew I could do it. It’s been 5 years since I’ve had the confidence to run 39off every time but I had that from then on.” She’s not lying: she ran her first 10.75m of 2021 at the California Pro-Am and then a further 5 in her next 7 competitive rounds. As a result she won in California and most impressively it took her to the top of the podium in the most competitive event ever in women’s slalom skiing, the Malibu Open.

Sadly the set in which she ran the last of these 10.75m passes ended her season. After the incredible skiing of Malibu the water ski world was waiting for the four women involved to battle it out again on the biggest stage in the sport, the World Championships. Whitney, skiing at her peak and having won the last two events, was arguably the favourite. Sure enough, skiing second from the end in the preliminary round she took the lead, running a textbook 10.75. As she rounded buoy one at 10.25m her ski reared up but she went for buoy two, knowing any advantage could be critical in the final. What followed is the worst water ski crash I have ever seen. Seriously, Youtube it. After taking the impact at top speed fully on her face, she was left with a bloody eye, a fractured eye socket and what turned out to be a concussion. “I did everything right leading up to the Worlds but in the end I made one critical mistake: I tried to win the preliminary round”.

Perhaps the level of performance has reached such a magnitude that these crashes are inevitable as skiers strive for that extra fraction of a buoy that could give them a tiny advantage, even before the finals.

Heroically Whitney attempted to ski the final two days later but went in after a shaky start, ending her bid for a third World Championships title. She remains very upbeat about her year. “This was one of my best seasons. I got back to my level and, despite having more on my plate as a mother, I actually enjoyed myself a lot more. I have nothing left to prove in this sport so I just enjoyed it all: the lake, the tournaments, the training. Personally the incredible level was a highlight.

I’m so happy to see our sport improve and I feel happy to actually support my competitors when they do well.” This was wonderfully demonstrated at the Malibu Open by Whitney’s elated reaction as Regina became the latest of three to 10.75m. The Waterski Broadcasting Company’s camera caught her huge smile as she exclaimed “the plot thickens, so excited!”, quite the reaction from someone who has just been set a score at 10.25m to even make the podium. As we know, it worked out for her.

With four women scoring into 10.25m in that final, it was inevitable that one would be the first ever to do so without climbing the podium. That turned out to be Manon Costard, the then current World Champion. Her half buoy put her behind Regina’s 1 and Jaimee and Whitney’ 2s (prior to the run off). “That was probably the hardest moment of the year for me” she told me with a wry chuckle. “In terms of my own skiing it really wasn’t the best season. There was never a moment where it really worked out. But Malibu was tough.” In some ways in 2021 Manon was the ying to Jaimee’s yang, over the course of a season of being oh-so-close but never quite hitting the top. She finished 2nd five times in Pro Tour events, not easy for a skier who has won the biggest events in the sport in recent years: “It was hard being frustrated every weekend”. But like Jaimee, she’s happy that the level is where it is: “I did win the European Championships which was really great but, ultimately, my satisfaction comes from competing amongst the very best. If Jaimee, Whitney, Regina aren’t there I can’t say that I’m doing that.” She says her high point was the California Pro-Am when, despite finishing 2nd, she felt like she was truly skiing at her level. Her top score of that event, 2@10.25m, put her in a four-way tie for the best pro score of the year (no prizes for guessing the other skiers), which was subsequently approved as a new European Record. And, despite the disappointment in her season of nearly moments, she is gratified by the feedback from waterski fans. “I really felt that there was more interest in our skiing and people were tuning in to watch us just as much as the guy’s, I liked that. It’s so tight at the top every week so I guess it makes sense. The excitement after the Malibu Open final was so clear.”

The Malibu Open was remarkable not simply for that final. It was the comeback tournament of Regina Jaquess. Incredibly, barely more than four months since her terrible knee injury, she had made it back on the water. After a long career in which she has frequently dominated slalom tournaments from beginning to end, coming in as the underdog was unusual to say the least. That she ran 10.75m every round, with a new knee brace and likely a whole lot of trepidation, was quite remarkable. After making the podium in her comeback event she was overwhelmed with emotion in her postset interview: “I’m so happy with how it came out. I mean, two months ago it was like “I can’t walk so how will I ever ski?”. Injuries are tough but this has been amazing for me”. Regina, the fiercest of competitors despite the hurdles she had to face, remained on the podium for the remainder of the year with a 2nd at Worlds and Miami Pro and a sweet return victory at the Mastercraft Pro. But the story of the year was not solely about the four that so frequently ran into 10.25m. Perhaps just as significantly the chasing pack, which had previously been a step or two behind, really caught up. All at once it wasn’t just a handful of women running 11m; a score at 10.75m became a prerequisite for any chance of success. “It suddenly got really tight in the top 8 or 12 skiers. It was never easy before but now you really can’t mess up even a bit or you won’t make the final.

It’s competitive all the way down” Manon told me.

The improvement is evident just by looking at the scores. To make the World Championship final of 12 skiers in 2021 the necessary score was 1.5@10.75. This was the highest cut at a Worlds by 5.5 buoys over and above the 2@11.25 in Mexico 2015. Comparatively, five years prior 1.5@10.75m was achieved by just 15 women across the whole of the 2016 season. This includes scores in zero-pressure record tournaments with varying degrees of adherence to the rulebook, not the one chance, heart-in-mouth, legit as it gets World Championships. Quite a staggering improvement.

The standout names of the chasing pack across the season were Chelsea Mills, a first time pro event winner at 37 years old at the San Gervasio Pro-Am in July, Sam Dumala, Karen Truelove who all consistently ran mid 10.75m in Pro Tour events while there were flashes of brilliance from the 20 year-old Brooke Baldwin. Elizabeth Montovon ended the season on a crazy high beating Regina in a run-off for her first title at the Miami Pro.

But what are the reasons for this marked improvement? Jaimee believes that, perhaps counterintuitively, the Covid pandemic played a part: “For me, and probably for a lot of US based skiers in 2020, as the world shut down I had a lot more time to focus on skiing with fewer distractions. I got a great base that definitely accelerated my improvement and I took that into 2021”. The number of events for women’s slalom has increased a great deal, from 8 in 2019 to 12 in 2021, which Manon believes to be a factor. “When you can compete weekend after weekend it’s really motivating. There’s a big group going to every event who all want to be better than before. I think everyone realised actual competition is more rewarding than getting a score at a random record tournament”. Whitney agrees: “when you can see others go out and do it you believe you can too. As one skier starts to improve, the next girl thinks “hey, I can do that too!””.

And, of course, the increased visibility of events could well be a part of the progression mix.

“The TWBC coverage has allowed women to share the spotlight with the men”, Whitney said, “that’s motivating for us girls to go out and show what we can do”.

Whatever the reasons, it’s exciting to see. As excellent as women’s skiing was in 2021, with the trending line seemingly on the up, 2022 is set to be even better. Perhaps we are witnessing the dawn of something akin to the big 3 rivalry between Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in men’s tennis in the last 15 years or Ronaldo vs Messi in football as the best battle it out for supremacy, elevating each other to new heights. Whitney: “As far as the top 4 are concerned, there’s not going to be any slow down. We’ve all got momentum and on the way up” No one is resting on their laurels; how could they when they’ve seen how competitive it is? Everyone I spoke to mentioned that they are continuing to work on their technique and fitness with the aim of improving for this season. As Manon put it “it’s not about training to run 10.75m anymore, it’s finding a way of getting the most possible buoys at 10.25m.” Again, with a rueful laugh she says: “Trust me, I know very well that running 10.75m doesn’t guarantee you a podium anymore.”

Freddie Winter

Chris Travers, Jack Travers, Lelani Travers, Jaimee Bull and Jon Travers World Championship Podium Ceremony at Jack Travers Sunset Lake

Home of Champions Jack Travers Sunset Lakes 20225 COUNTY RD 33, GROVELAND, FL 34736, U.S.A. +1 352.429.9027 H2OSKIJACKS@AOL.COM

How much does it take to jump on the podium of the waterski pro tour in slalom ? Let's take a look at the season’s podiums.

may 2 Clermont, fl USA

1

1@9,75m (43off)

2

3@10,25m (41off)

3

Nate Smith Freddie Winter Will Asher 3@10,25m (41off)

1

4,5@10,75m (39off)

2

4@10,75m (39off)

3

2@10,75m (39off)

Regina Jaquess Jaimee Bull Vanessa Vieke

Regina Jaquess, winner of 2021 Swiss Pro Slalom - Ph. by John Mommer

Lake 38 Pro-Am

June 6 Talahassee, fl USA

Freddie Winter

1

3,5@10,25m (41off)

2

3@10,25m (41off)

3

3@10,25m (41off)

Beny Stadlbaur Jon Travers

1

Jaimee Bull 4,5@10,75m (39off)

2

Manon Costard

3

Chelsea Mills

4@10,75m (39off)

4@10,75m (39off)

Dane Mechler, on the dock at lake 38 - Ph. by Vincent Stadlbaur

Charlie Ross breaking junior world record at Swiss Pro Slalom Ph. John Mommer

1 may 30 Pine Mountain, Ga USA

Freddie Winter 3@10,25m (41off)

2

3@10,25m (41off)

3

3@10,25m (41off)

Will Asher Nate Smith

Jaimee Bull

1

2@10,25m (41off)

2

Manon Costard

3

Brooke Baldwin

5@11,25m (38off)

4@11,25m (38off)

Brooke Baldwin - Ph. by Vincent Stadlbaur

1 july 4 San gervasio italy

Oconomowoc, Wi USA

august 13 Wilmington, il USA

Head to Head

1

Chelsea Mills Head to Head

2

Nicholas Benatti

2

Samantha Dumala

3

Nick Parsons

3

Manon Costard

1 july 11

Thomas Degasperi

Nate Smith Head to Head

1

Jaimee Bull Head to Head

2

Jon Travers

2

Whitney McClintock-Rini

3

Robert Pigozzi

3

Chelsea Mills

1

Nate Smith

1

2 3

4,5@10,25m (41off)

Freddie Winter 1@10,25m (41off)

Thomas Degasperi 5,5@10,75m (39off)

Whitney McClintock-Rini 3@10,75m (39off)

2

5@11,25m (38off)

3

1,5@11,25m (38off)

Jaimee Bull Allie Nicholson

Nate Smith crashes at US Masters Ph. Vincent Stadlbaur

Freddie Winter - Ph. by Dean Ricciardi

1 august 22 arlington, Wa USA

Elk Grove, ca USA

charleston, sc USA

Jaimee Bull Head to head

Freddie Winter

2

Manon Costard

3

Brian Detrick

3

Whitney McClintock-Rini

Freddie Winter Head to Head

1

Whitney McClintock-Rini Head to Head

2

Robert Hazelwoodi

2

Manon Costard

3

Thomas Degasperi

3

Karen Truelove

1 october 2

1

2

1 august 29

Nate Smith Head to head

Nate Smith Head to Head

1

Whitney McClintock-Rini Head to Head

2

Adam Caldwell

2

Jaimee Bull

3

Will Asher

3

Regina Jaquess

Thomas Degasperi

Filippos Kyprios on the dock at Miami Pro

1 october 17 ORLANDO, FL USA

2 3 1

october 30 polk city, fl USA

1@9,75m (39off)

Thomas Degasperi 3@10,25m (41off)

Will Asher 3@10,25m (41off)

Nate Smith 2@10,25m (41off)

2

Thomas Degasperi

2

Will Asher

Miami Pro

1

november 14

2

miami, fl USA

Nate Smith

3

1@10,25m (41off)

1@10,25m (41off)

Nate Smith 1@9,75m (43off)

Will Asher 4@10,25m (41off)

Dane Mechler 3,5@10,25m (41off)

1 2 3

Jaimee Bull 2@10,25m (41off)

Regina Jaquess 1@10,25m (41off)

Manon Costard 4,5@10,75m (39off)

1

Regina Jaquess

2

Manon Costard

3

Karen Truelove

3@10,75m (39off)

2@10,75m (39off)

4@11,25m (38off)

1

Elizabeth Montavon

2

Regina Jaquess

3

Samantha Dumala

3@10,75m (39off)

3@10,75m (39off)

2@10,75m (39off)

Lake Hancock Drew Ross Ski School Winter Garden, florida

drewrosski@aol.com IG: @wintergardenwaterski

Taylor Garcia/ Ph. Gregoire Desfond

Scot "the rocketman" Ellis/ Ph. Gregoire Desfond

Whitney McClintock-Rini / Ph. Gregoire Desfond

Freddie Winter / Ph. Vincent Stadlbaur

Joel Poland / Ph. Vincent Stadlbaur

Chelsea Mills / Ph. Gregoire Desfond

TGAS

NOT DONE YET! THOMAS DEGASPERI, ITALIAN PRO SKIER, 2X WORLD CHAMPION, 8X EUROPEAN CHAMPION, 4TH OF THE 2021 WATERSKI PRO TOUR ALL TIME LEGEND OF THE SPORT

Tgas… a nickname we have heard so many times around the

lake.

Thomas

Degasperi

has

been

on

top

of

the

leaderboard for almost two decades and nothing seems to predict otherwise for the future. Sometimes he has back pain issues, but even when he can barely walk, he can still run 39off (10,75m). This happened at Miami Pro, the last event of the season. And even if he finished 6th there, his score was 2,5@41off (10,25m). Impressive right?

Ph. John Horton

Let’s focus a minute on his ability to step on the podium so consistently. The level is so high out there, and yet, we seem to see the same names over and over at the top of the ranking.

Being able to run 3 or 4 or even 5 buoy at 10,25m (41off) is something, but know how to make it happen when is counts is truly

the

key

to

sustained

success.

Looking

back

at

Tgas’

amazing season, it appears that he really knows how to ski, but also how to approach a tournament.

Looking back at European Championships in Greece this year, Tgas was one of the first off the dock on Sunday finals. He qualified with a score of 3@10,75m (39off). The top score was 2@10,25 (41off) by Sacha Descuns. We all know that Tgas can run 10,75m (39off) in and out with his eyes closed. Conditions were

not

optimal,

and

yet

we

know

he

shines

in

tough

conditions.

So, I asked myself: did he intentionally qualify at the bottom?

And if so, why? My guess is that everything was calculated.

That is why Tgas has so many medals. He competes with his mind as well as his technical skills.

1st: Weather was supposed to be windy on Sunday. The earlier on the water, the better.

2nd: He knows his opponent like Sacha, Brando, Carlo, Fillypos or Matteo can put a score around 3 over there. Which is probably enough to win.

So going out before the others and putting that score up (which he did) was a smart way to put pressure on the field and wait casually on the shore to see if someone ties. Because conditions were not the best, taking the risk of going for 4 ball might

not

be

worth

it.

So

Tgas

bought

onto

himself

the

probability of going for a runoff for the win, but mostly a win.

And it worked. Brando and Sacha scored 2@10,25m (41off).

Tgas won his 8th European Title with 3@10,25m (41off).

Open all year long Location: Windermere, Florida

Ski with Thomas Degasperi

Open from March to October Location: Trenton, Italy

Contact Thomskier@hotmail.com

World

championship

now.

The

situation

was

different

there.

Highest field of skiers; dialed in conditions: everybody knew the cut for making the finals would be high, we just did not know how high yet.

As a skier, you have to go ski the best you can to maybe have a chance for making the cut. At some point, we knew that 3@10,25m (41off) would get you in and that 2 buoys would put you on a runoff bubble. Thomas not only passed 3 that day, but scored a full 4@10,25m (41off). Enough to get him 2nd after qualifications, but also to put him above all skiers with lower scores if ties were to occur in the finals. Which is exactly what happened.

I believe the construction of Tgas’ silver medal there shows how strategy plays a role in his career. Taking the risk of blowing out the tip at 3rd buoy because he already knows it is enough to make

the

cut,

and

that

the

risk

taken

could

reward

with

a

tremendous advantage over the field in finals. This qualifying score allowed Tgas to avoid the epic runoff for Bronze medal against Will Asher, Freddie Winter, Adam Sedlmajer and Brian Detrick. That’s a smart aggressive accomplishment.

“There are multiple reasons why Thomas is among the best slalom skiers ever” told me Matteo Luzzeri, Tgas’ teammate and sport psychology expert. “Beyond the tactical knowledge he accrued over the last two decades, he still maintains a strong passion for the sport and its competitive nature. Furthermore, his ability to focus on a goal for long periods of time is remarkable. Combine experience, strong intrinsic motivation, and concentration, and long

as

the

other

variables

memorable champion.”

Gregoire Desfond

Podium at Europeans

Podium at Worlds

are

in

good

shape,

you

have

a

JOEL POLAND IN MY BAG WITH

Joel Poland is an overall skier. Meaning that he has a lot of tools in his bag. Let’s take a closer look.

SLALOM I ski the 66 Vapor pro build.

Front foot: Vapor boot on a reflex plate, tight around the ankle and a little looser around the foot with a sock.

Back foot: a large rear toe plate angled slightly to the right.

Gloves: medium Radar boa’s as tight as they go around the wrist and a little less tight on the boa (4 clicks back).

TRICKS Ski: 41 for hands and toes.

Front foot: reflex size 10 with a Radar liner and a sock. As tight as it can go. All the way forward on the front set of holes for hands. Middle of the plate & Back set of holes for toes.

Back foot: xL rubber kicker with a heal strap and no foot pad. Also a sock. Middle set of holes and 50° Hands, Handle and rope: Radar trick handle and ronix wakeboard rope. 12.5 meters Toes, handle and rope: masterline toes only handle size M. Masterline trick rope. 12.7 meters.

JUMP Stokes sling size m, tight as it goes.

Eagle jumpsuit size m Radar boa gloves size m. Tight as they go.

Masterline jump rope and handle Goodman 90” skis

Out of the water SACHA DESCUNS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST ON THE SKI. HIS STYLE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. IF YOU HAVEN’T HAD THE CHANCE TO WATCH HIM YET, GO ON INSTAGRAM. THE QUESTION IS, WHY HAVEN’T WE SEEN HIM MORE OFTEN ON THE WATER THIS YEAR? HE ONLY COMPETED AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. HE GOT A SILVER MEDAL IN GREECE WITH 2@10,25M (41OFF), AND DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE FINALS DURING A FOUR-WAY RUNOFF AT WORLDS, NEEDING 3@10,25M (41OFF). THE ANSWER IS A TENDON INJURY IN HIS LEFT ARM, AN 8CM-LONG HOLE IN HIS TENDON TO BE MORE SPECIFIC. IMAGINE PULLING FROM 1 TO 2 BUOYS WITH A KNIFE GOING THROUGH YOUR ARM. YOU GOT IT! SACHA TRIED EVERYTHING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRO TOUR, BUT THE INCONSISTENCY OF HIS RECOVERY DID NOT ALLOW HIM TO SKI FOR A WHILE. WHEN HE SHOWED UP AT THE EUROPEANS, HE HAD ONLY ELEVEN SETS IN THE BOOKS. IT WAS NOT ONLY ENOUGH FOR HIM TO TAKE 10,75M (39OFF) IN BOTH ROUNDS, BUT ALSO ENOUGH TO REOPEN THE TENDON. THE SAME STORY HAPPENED FOR WORLDS. WHEN HE AWOKE ON QUALIFYING DAY, HE STILL DID NOT KNOW IF HE WOULD TAKE THE START OR NOT. HE DID AND IS HAPPY ABOUT THAT. EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT GO THROUGH THE RUNOFF SUCCESSFULLY, HE LEFT FLORIDA WITH NO REGRETS. SACHA DECIDED TO HAVE THE OPERATION ON HIS ARM IN NOVEMBER AND IS NOW WORKING ON HIS RECOVERY. THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR WATERSKI FANS, ANOTHER GLADIATOR ON THE PRO TOUR NEXT YEAR!

Slalom skier of the month

Brian Detrick WJ - How old were you when you started skiing?

WJ - Favorite tournament ?

BD- First competition was 4 years old on double skis tied together

BD - Moomba. I have only skied it twice but the atmosphere is like none other.

WJ - Where do you ski now?

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

BD - Shortline Lake in Elk Grove, California; same place I learned to ski

WJ - Do you have a favorite course?

BD - 2010 Nationals, I was top seed in Men’s 1 Slalom, 4.5@38 off was the lead and I opted to 38 off for the headwind and crashed off the second wake out to 6 ball. I went from about to win the national championships to sitting in the water wondering what just happened. I had an empty feeling in my stomach and I felt weightless; this is the only time I have felt this in my entire life.

BD - Shortline Lake – Elk Grove, CA

WJ - Favorite training partner?

WJ - Best waterski memory?

BD - Greg Badal

BD - Running 41off/10.25m for the first time and then running it again the next round. It was memorable accomplishing this goal of mine and made it even better that it was done at my home lake with family, friends and members of the Northern California water ski community present who have watched the progression of my skiing for nearly 3 decades.

WJ - Your ultimate goal?

WJ - How many set per week?

BD - Tournament week 2-3 sets plus tournament sets, Non-Tournament week – 5-7 sets

BD - World Champion WJ - Best set up? (lake, time of the day, boat, pilote, ski) BD - Shortline Lake, 11:30am, Nautique, Greg Badal driving, my dad watching and I’m riding the latest and greatest Goode Ski.

@brian_detrick

Jumper of the month

Hanna Straltsova WJ - How old were you when you started skiing?

HS - I started skiing at the age of 7 on two trick skis in the swimming pool in Belarus.

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

HS- My jump crash at last year’s MasterCraft Pro, which knocked me out.

WJ - Where do you ski now?

WJ - Favorite tournament?

HS - Right now I train at Bennett’s ski school.

WJ - How many set per week?

HS - I do three sets a day alternating Tricks, Slalom, Jumping and riding my jump skis. But there is no strict schedule on it, my event selection depends on my mood at that day. I ski for three days and then I do a day off.

HS - I like European Championships, to me it’s a different atmosphere and it has a different location every year.

WJ - Favorite training partner?

HS - The best jump coach - Jay Bennett.

WJ - Favorite place to ski?

WJ - Best waterski memory?

HS - My favorite place to jump is Bennett’s.

HS - I was fortunate to have many good moments growing up and maturing in the sport since childhood up until now. Every year brings new experiences, memories, medals and titles. Starting from going to Europeans u14 for the first time when I was a kid, winning u21 Worlds in Jump, going to Open Worlds for the first time and then a few years later standing on the podium at World Championships.

WJ - Your ultimate goal?

HS - Jump World record.

WJ - Best set up? (lake, time of the day, boat, pilote, ski) HS - Bennett’s, not crazy hot, 11 am, Jay in a boat, MasterCraft, d3 skis.

@streltsova.ania

Tricker of the month

Jake Abelson WJ - How old were you when you started skiing?

WJ - Favorite tournament?

JA - I was 1.5 years old when I learned to ski on 2 skis. 4 when I learned to trick.

JA - This is a tough question, I have many favorites in this case. I like the US nationals because the energy is amazing, I like competing in the pro tournament at the end of it. I do three events in my division and then trick with the pros.

Another favorite is Holy Cow cup at Ski Fluid, I feel very comfortable there, the conditions are always great. It’s definitely my go to for big scores!

WJ - Where do you ski now?

JA - During the school months I ski at crystal point lake in Gilbert AZ. During the summer I ski in New Hampshire and in Orlando FL.

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

WJ - How many set per week?

JA - I only ski from March to October. During the off season I am a gymnast too so my schedule is tight. I compete level 9 in the junior Olympic division ( 17 hrs a week). During the school months I go to school, ski and do gymnastics so I have to be efficient with my time. In March I usually start skiing, I ski 7 to 8 sets a week March to May and August to October.

During the summer, I back off gymnastics and I ski 15-18 sets a week. My trick sets are usually 45min long. During the summer I slalom and jump too.

JA - I have a few, but falling in my first trick in my hand pass at the Jr. Masters this year was pretty horrible. I had been battling a shoulder injury and it got into my head, I under rotated my first trick and it was all over! It definitely made me train very hard this summer!!

WJ - Favorite training partner?

JA - I have an amazing group of coaches: my dad, Camilo and jimmy. As far as training partner, I would say Felipe Franco, he makes it so fun and we train great together.

WJ - Do you have a favorite course?

WJ - Your ultimate goal?

JA - I love to ski in Orlando at lake Olivia. I like that the lake because it is long and I can do many tricks each pass. The lake is deep so the wake there is amazing.

JA - My ultimate goal is to break the world record.

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

WJ - Best waterski memory?

JA - I have to say it is placing 3rd at the world championships. I don’t think I will ever forget. I went in with no expectations, I was just excited to ski there, then I was excited to ski in the finals, after falling in my last trick I thought I had no chance, but magically I ended third, it was the biggest surprise!

JA - My best set up is a summer day, lake Olivia, 85 degrees, 1 pm, Camilo Espinel, my dad Richard, Jimmy Siemers and my dog Lori in the boat.

@jakeabelson

Jaimee Bull Waterski Pro Tour Slalom Champion

Nate Smith Waterski Pro Tour Slalom Champion

Follow the pro tour on www.waterskiprotour.com

Freddy Krueger Waterski Pro Tour Jump Champion

Hannah Straltsova Waterski Pro Tour Jump Champion

Follow the pro tour on www.waterskiprotour.com

Pato Font Waterski Pro Tour Trick Champion

Anna Gay Waterski Pro Tour Trick Champion

Follow the pro tour on www.waterskiprotour.com

CONTACT subscription available on www.waterskination.com greg@waterskination.com IG: @waterski_nation

Editor Gregoire Desfond

Corrector Karen Melnik

Contributors Vincent Stadlbaur / Tiare Miranda / Joel Poland / Marcus Brown / Hanna Straltsova / Brooks Wilson / Jake Abelson / Brian Detrick / Rea Jorger / Valentina Gonzalez / Lelani Travers Jon Travers / Marion Ellis / Scot Ellis / Drew Ross / Matteo Luzzeri / Matt Rini Pato Font / Neilly Ross / Paige Rini / Dane Mechler / Freddie Winter / Manon Costard / Chelsea Mills

Waterski Journal is edited by Amber Lake Management 42B avenue de Suffren 75015 Paris France +33 6 78 26 38 21

Printed by Printoclock 229 Rte de Seysses, 31100 Toulouse, France

Thanks to everybody that took part one way or another to make this Waterski Journal #7 edition.

To name a few Karen Melnik Brooks Wilson and Radar Aide crew Edge Matt Rini Vincent Stadlbaur and the whole Stadlbaur family TWBC Marcus Brown Ambre Franc Freddie Winter Eric Franc Matteo Luzzeri Adam Sedlmajer Neilly Ross Drew Ross Dane Mechler Nate Smith les coureurs Valentin Lucas Tiare Miranda Olivia Merieux Pato Font Aline & Sergio Font ToYou Will Asher Thomas Degasperi Jon Travers Natalia Berdnikava Joel Poland Robert Hazelwood Ryan Dodd Giannina Bonnemann Lauren "poochie" Morgan Eude Metivier Jay Humphreys Keusseoglou family Paige Rini Igor Morozov Whitney McClintock Rini Robert Pigozzi & Pigoski Marion Mathieu Ellis Scot Ellis Flowpoint Method FFSNW IWWF John Horton & BallofSpray Watergear.shop Swiss Waterski Resort Jack Travers sunset lakes and the whole Travers family Monaco ski nautique my beloved parents and brothers

13500 S ORANGE AVE, ORLANDO FL. 32837, USA PHONE +1 407.832.3674 MATT@MATTRINI.COM WWW.MATTRINI.COM