Vying for Year End Overall Podium

World Water Skiers Overall Tour Concludes at the Fluid Cup

Presented by Dream Makers

October 18-20, 2024 – Polk City, FL

 

The 2024 World Water Skiers Overall Tour will conclude with an epic final showdown at Fluid Ski and Sports from October 18-20. The WWS Fluid Cup, presented by Dream Makers, serves as the 4th and final stop of the tour, where the Overall Tour Champion will be crowned.

Schedule Update: Due to higher-than-normal winds, and following the challenges brought by Hurricane Milton last week, Ski Fluid is prepared to host the world’s top athletes despite the weather. To ensure safe and fair competition, we’ve adjusted the event schedule, including moving the Overall Finals to Sunday, October 20, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. We appreciate your understanding as the athletes dig deep to deliver their best performances under these conditions.

  • Preliminaries will begin on Friday, October 18, at 9:00 AM, starting with Slalom, followed by Jump.
  • Trick prelims are scheduled for Saturday, October 19, at 9:00 AM.
  • The finals will now take place on Sunday morning, featuring the top 9 men from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

The battles at each stop have been incredible, and the TRAVERS Cup was raced at a world-record pace in every round. If you haven’t watched the live webcast yet, you can now catch up on the highlight show and get up to speed on the fierce battle leading into the Fluid Cup.

Despite the weather challenges, the world’s top overall skiers—vying for the year-end bonus—including Joel Poland, Dorien Llewellyn, Louis Duplan-Fribourg, and Martin Kolman, are poised to compete across all three disciplines: Slalom, Trick, and Jump. With only 20 points separating the Tour Podium contenders, this season-defining event will push the athletes to their limits as they battle for crucial tour points and the ultimate title.

The WWS Fluid Cup offers not only thrilling competition but also an exciting fan experience. We invite spectators to join us in the VIP tent for appetizers and drinks while enjoying the action up close.

While the finals will be live webcast, we encourage fans to attend in person for the full experience, including an after-party with the athletes.

Please keep checking the Schedule Tab for any time changes.

The Official Running Order is downloadable under the Start List Tab on your computer or on your phone scroll all the way left and downloads PDF link.

Rising Stars and World Champions Collide at the WWS Travers Cup


Travers Cup -3rd Stop on WWS Overall Tour 

Presented By Girl Loves A Sunset

The stage is set, the athletes are primed, and the world’s top waterskiers are heading to Groveland, Florida for the third stop of the WWS Overall Tour—the Travers Cup! Held at the legendary Jack Travers’ Sunset Lakes on September 21-22, this is your chance to witness the most thrilling waterski competition of 2024.

Why should you be there?

Sunset Lakes is universally hailed as one of the best waterski venues in the world, and for good reason. With limit-pushing performances and top athletes competing at their peaks, this event is set to be an all-out battle for the title. Joel Poland GBR, fresh off a Pending Overall World Record and a dominating season, is looking look to further cement his grasp on the tour title with another victory. But, the Travers Cup will also play host to the highest quality of challengers seen this year, with Dorien Llewellyn CAN, Martin Kolman CZE, and Louis Duplan-Fribourg FRA, all looking stronger than ever in practice this week. Even further, young superstars Martin “Tincho” Labra CHI, and Jake Abelson USA, will make their 2024 tour debuts on Sunset Lakes and are ready to shake things up. Joel may be in peak form, but with the strength of his challengers turned up to the max, this event looks to be anyones for the taking!

But the WWS Travers Cup is more than just an elite competition. It’s a family-friendly event that gives you the chance to meet your favorite skiers, enjoy the beautiful lakeside atmosphere, and dive into the world of waterskiing. Come experience the energy, meet the athletes, and get in on the action both in person and online. Not in Florida? No problem! Catch all the heart-stopping action live on the webcast on September 22 for the finals. You won’t want to miss a second of it.

So mark your calendars for September 21-22, head out to Sunset Lakes, and be part of the action. This is waterskiing at its finest—where legends are made, and records are broken.

For all the details, visit the WWS Travers Cup event page

or find all the stops of the tour at WorldWaterskiers.com/tours.

 

“High Tension, High Energy: Canada Cup’s Overall Battle Comes Down to the Wire”

Who Will Step Up to Break the Cycle?

When considering an Overall event, let alone an Overall tour, you are bound to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. There is rarely a day when all 3 disciplines end up exactly how you wanted or expected, thus, mental strength is of the utmost importance. For these reasons, Joel Poland’s dominance over the past year and a half has been remarkable. His skiing ability is known throughout the world, allowing him to compete at the very pinnacle of waterskiing in all 4 events. So the question must be asked, who will be the one to challenge Joel’s reign on tour and at the WWS Canada Cup? Who will find a way to rip the tour title from his hands, which seem to be firmly reaching at the possibility of another repeat title?

Will it be a local young gun? Both Lucas Pinette and Thomas Daigle (CAN) put on a great show at the WWS Canada Cup, finding multiple personal best or near-best scores in order to find their way into their first pro finals, knocking out the man who finished 3rd on tour in 2023, Italian Edoardo Merenzi. Both of the Canadian skiers would then move on to post even better final scores, Lucas skiing a personal best in slalom with 4@11m and Thomas just behind at 3. Alas, these two would not yet have the firepower to take down Joel, both looking for more in the jump event with scores of 58.7m for Lucas and 57.6m for Thomas. In the end, Lucas and Thomas earned valuable tour points, finishing 5th and 6th respectively, while also gaining invaluable tournament experience, which they will need to capitalize on right away as they will get another crack at the field at the Travers Cup in two weeks.

Thus, looking past local talent, let us move on to the tour veterans, to the World Champions, to the continuous threat that has been chasing Joel for the past years. Are Louis Duplan-Fribuorg (FRA) or Martin Kolman (CZE) the in-form skiers to take down Joel? Both skiers have put up some amazing scores this year and continued to do so at the Canada Cup. Despite difficult preliminary round conditions, both skiers eased their way into finals, proving they are dominant contenders on tour. Then in the finals, Louis would improve his Overall score but unfortunately missed the 11m pass, putting himself at a deficit right from the get-go. He would recover well in trick with a score of 11360 and a solid jump of 63.9m. Yet with the top 3 skiers left on the dock, Louis was visibly reserved as to his chances at his first title of 2024.

 

On the other hand, the 2019 Overall World Champ, Martin Kolman continued his recent resurgence to not only his top form, but past his former best, improving his prelim slalom score to 2@10.75m, only 2 buoys off the lead in slalom, and following with a tournament-leading 11520 points, putting himself in the lead in Overall heading into the Jump event. Finally, he finished with a jump score of 61.7m, which would have put him in the Jump finals had he posted the score in the prelims. Martin showed his commitment to improve in the jump event and also sent a clear signal to the rest of the field that he too, no longer has a weak event. He would take the lead with only Dorien Llewellyn and Joel Poland left to go.

 

Speaking of Dorien Llewellyn-CAN, he has emerged as somewhat of a dark horse on this year’s tour, despite being a former tour winner and fighting for wins at every tour stop only 2 years ago. After a strong 2nd place finish at the WWS Salmsee Cup in Austria, Dorien showed he still has the skills to be back on top of the podium, despite his injury and absence from the 2023 tour. However, his skiing seems somewhat restrained and wanting for another gear. In the challenging weather conditions of Saskatoon, Dorien stayed within one buoy of the lead in slalom with 3@10.75m. Known for his consistency in tricks, Dorien looked to capitalize on the conditions with two solid passes to pressure the field. Yet, an unusual slip at the very end of his second-hand pass cost him his last two tricks, leaving him with 10,780 points and trailing Kolman heading into the jump event. Needing a jump of 63.3m to take the lead, and with frustration building, Dorien couldn’t quite find his signature air form, landing just shy of the lead with a jump of 62.7m. This placed him ahead of Louis but behind Martin, with only Joel left to compete.

 

So here we are yet again, looking out on the lake at the current World Record Holder, at the man who has won the last 5 tour stops, at Joel Poland. As is his nature, Joel looked strong in the slalom event, taking the lead straight out of the gate with a score of 4@10.75m. Then, tricks is where the fireworks began to shine, as Joel fumbled through the middle of his first run in toes, losing balance, but recovering time and time again. Until his body hit the water, rope still attached to his foot, dragging for mere moments that seemed to stretch on for eternity, his pinner not letting go until he knew that even Joel couldn’t pull out another miraculous save. Thus, Joel sat in the water, only just past halfway through his toe run, knowing he would need every single point he had in his hand run. Despite doing exactly that and nailing his hand run, many didn’t think that he would have enough points to pull out his 6th win in a row, given Martin Kolman’s commanding lead at 11520. Yet, his 10120-point score was just enough to keep himself in the game, but needing a big jump in the finals. Joel would have to surpass Kolman’s jump score by roughly 4m to win. 

 

Joel took to the water with a clear mind, knowing he would need the best jump of the tournament to win Overall. After failing to take the lead on his first two attempts and only bringing himself onto the podium in 3rd behind Dorien and Martin, Joel turned for the ramp on his final jump, the crowd’s clapping growing increasingly faster and louder as he neared the red surface of the ramp, and to their delight he soared off the top of the ramp. Everyone knew they had seen a big jump, possibly the biggest of the event, but was it enough? Had Joel done enough to retain his grasp on the crown? The scoreboard flashed his distance as the crowd roared out and Martin Kolman threw his hand up in the air, but not in celebration, rather, in defeat, in disbelief that his incredible skiing didn’t get him the title. Joel Poland had done it, he had taken the Canada Cup crown and a commanding lead in the 2024 WWS Overall tour standings.

 

So the question must be asked again. Who will stand up to Joel’s reign? Will it be an up-and-coming skier like Lucas Pinette? Will it be seasoned World Champion veterans like Louis Duplon-Fribourg and Martin Kolman? Will Dorien Llewellyn turn his words from his final interview in Canada into reality? Will he in fact “finally be ready to go for the win at the Travers Cup”? Will a new name step up to the plate and take down the current king? Or will Joel continue his dominance? In the end, only time will tell and these questions will be answered in 2 weeks time with the tour comes to Groveland, Florida for the Travers Cup, Sept 20-21. 

Considered one of the best all-around waterski lakes on the planet, not only will the competition heat up, but also the performances themselves are set to skyrocket. With the potential for World Records to be set written all over this event, the WWS Travers Cup will be a competition no one will want to miss. 

 

In the end, the Saskatoon Water Ski Club put on a truly world-class event in their first year, despite challenging weather conditions. The atmosphere was electric, largely thanks to DJ Steve Kushman and tour announcer Curtis Williams, who energized the crowd and kept the athletes pumped up throughout the entire event. Furthermore, WWS would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Michelle & Jim Clunie, Norm Lucas, and all the incredible volunteers for their leadership and to the local sponsors for their tremendous support. With such a fantastic debut, we can’t wait to see what next year’s WWS Canada Cup brings!

 

CLICK THE TOURNAMENT PAGE BELOW  TO WATCH THE MEN’S OVERALL EVENT (23mins)

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WWS Salmsee Cup Finals

Austria’s most successful water skier, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, once again brought the international pinnacle of action water sports to Upper Austria in the form of the WWS Salmsee Cup. On July 27 and 28, the best Overall skiers in the World competed in Slalom, Trick, and Jump at the Austrian stop of the World Water Skiers (WWS) Overall Tour in Steyregg. Grebe-Llewellyn and her husband, Jaret Llewellyn, a 9-time World Champion water skier himself, have now organized the event for five years and this year’s event was as exciting as ever. Great Britain’s Joel Poland defended his title from last year against his longtime rival out of Canada, Dorien Llewellyn, who made his return to the WWS Tour after missing all of 2023 due to an ankle injury.

 

 



With ten European Championship titles (in a row), two World Championship titles, and four world records, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn is one of the most successful female water skier of all time. Although the Gmunden native, no longer actively participates in competitions herself, she now shares her experience in athlete management and event organization, which includes putting together the WWS Overall Tour. Having completed the first event in Steyregg, she now sets her sights on the second stop of the tour in Canada, followed by the final two stops in Florida at what many consider to be the two best water ski lakes in the World.


At the WWS Salmsee Cup, the top six Overall skiers in the world battle the conditions and each other to see who was the king in Austria. You see, the special thing about the World Waterski Overall Tour is that the athletes have to prove their skills in the disciplines of slalom, tricks, and jumping, making the battle both one of physical and mental prowess.
The trio of favorites fighting for the title were last year’s tour Champion and World Record holder, Joel Poland, the reigning Overall world champion, Louis Duplon-Fribourg (FRA), and former World Record holder and 2021 World Champion, Dorien Llewellyn (CAN). In addition, Austrian Overall national champion, Alexander Gschiel, from Linz, and vice-national champion, Vincent Ahammer, from Gmunden, faced the international competition as hometown favorites. 

The incredible quality of the high-ranking starter field was evident immediately. Joel Poland led the way, scoring the highest scores in the Slalom and Jump disciplines. Ukrainian, Danylo Filchenko, finished close behind Poland with two personal bests and finished the day with the heights trick score of the day 12,340 in his WWS debut. Rounding out the top 3 was Dorien Llewellyn, who proved that he is inching closer to his best form after his injury break last year. Alexander Gschiel and Vincent Ahammer narrowly missed out on the finals, finishing 7th and 8th respectively, with Gschiel only falling short of Italy’s Edoardo Marenzi by a mere 20 Overall points, which, for example, corresponds to a difference of 0.8m in the jump event. However, both Austrians performed admirably well in the extremely strong field of six of the world’s best riders. 

Finals day started with the slalom competition, which started rainy and windy, but changed into a beautiful day. The men’s final day once again turned into an exciting thriller. Most of the field fought through what seemed like challenging conditions, but Joel Poland

put on a masterclass in slalom, pulling ahead to a commanding lead with 2.5@10.25m, 4.5 buoys ahead of Martin Kolman in second place, and Dorien Llewellyn and Edoardo Marenzi just behind in third. Moving into the trick event, Dorien took the lead with a commanding 11460-point score, which would only be narrowly eclipsed by Poland with a score of 11680, meaning Dorien would have to out-jump Joel by 4.5m to win the event. Louis Duplan-Fribourg would pull into third Overall behind Dorien with 11140 points, leaving Dorien with a 2.5m equivalent lead of Overall points over Louis heading into the jump event. Louis, the first of the three to jump, finished the event with the farthest jump score, namely 62.6m, which was enough to hold the lead in Overall until Dorien’s last jump, which was 61.2m. Finally, after failing to grab the victory from Dorien on his first jump, Poland secured the title with a 60.7m second jump and skied to the dock to the sound of applause from the awestruck audience on the shores of the Salmsee

With a total of 2949.47 points, the current world record holder won the heart-stopping final ahead of Dorien Llewellyn (2846.58) and defended his title from the two previous years. “The conditions were still challenging today due to the wind and everyone skied so well, which made it difficult. But of course, I’m over the moon with my third win here and I just love being here in Austria,” said Poland. In the end, the winner of the 2020 and 2021 Austrian stop, Dorien Llewellyn, was able to move up to second place.  “The competition [for me] was pretty good today, although my performance wasn’t at the same level as before my injury. But I did it cleverly, slalom was good enough, trick was good, but there should be more in there. The same as the jumping, but today I did what I needed. And to beat Joel, you just need super performances. But second place is a great start to the tour,” said, Dorien, delighted with his comeback from injury. Third place went to Frenchman Louis Duplon-Fribourg (2828.16). 

 


Watch The Event Recap Show here!

Stop 1 WWS Salmsee Cup Kicks Off This Weekend

Stop 1 WWS Salmsee Cup

Steyregg, Austria

July 27-28

At the Austrian stop of the World Water Skiers Tour, the international elite of water skiing will compete in the disciplines of Slalom, Trick, and Jump. Organized by Austria’s most successful water skier, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, the action-packed water sports event will take place on 27-28 July from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission at Salmsee in Steyregg, Upper Austria.

For the fifth time in a row, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn is bringing top international athletes to Austria with the Salmsee Cup as part of the World Water Skiers Tour. The first stop of the international series will take place on July 27 and 28 at the Salmsee in Steyregg. The last few years have shown how exciting and action-packed this event can be when the best water skiers in the world come together.

The special thing about this tour is that the athletes have to compete in all 3 events, slalom, trick, and jump, and only the combination of these three water skiing disciplines is judged. The top 10 men in the world rankings will be competing, the best and most versatile water ski athletes in the world. The “local hero” and two-time Austria winner of previous years, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn’s son Dorien Llewellyn will be back on the dock after his injury-related time off last year and he has of course prepared himself well for the competition. “I’m looking forward to the competition at Salmsee, it’s a beautiful site. After my injury break last year, I can hardly wait to take part in the WWS Overall Tour again. The ten best men are at the starting dock and everyone is looking forward to competing in Austria. Winning this competition, or rather this tour, is the most difficult title for a water skier to win, It will be a great show, everyone should come and watch it live,” says the 28-year-old, looking forward to the Austrian edition in his second home country. 

The Canadian, with Austrian roots, is the third in an unusual trio leading the water skiing scene. The exciting battle between the Brit and defending champion Joel Poland, who also recently broke the world record in the Overall, and the reigning World Champion Louis Duplon-Fribourg (FRA), will once again come to a head to head.

 

 

 

 

 

From an Austrian perspective, 20-year-old homeboy Alexander Gschiel from Linz and Vincent Ahammer from Gmunden, will be flying the flag at the home event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule 

Saturday 27.7. – 1 – 4 pm  Slalom,  Trick and Jump  

Sunday    28.7.    1 – 4 pm Slalom, Trick and Jump, Prize giving Ceremony

See Event Page for full details

World Water Skiers Announces 2024 World Overall Tour Stops

 

World Water Skiers Announces 2024 Overall Water Ski Tour Stops

World Water Skiers (WWS) is thrilled to unveil the highly anticipated stops for the 2024 World Overall Water Ski Tour. After months of meticulous planning and preparation, we are excited to announce that this year’s tour promises to be stronger and better than ever.

The 2024 tour will feature exhilarating competitions across four spectacular locations, showcasing the best talent in Three Event Water Skiing:

Stop 1: WWS Salmsee Cup, Linz, Austria – Known for its stunning landscapes and pristine waters, the Salmsee Club hosts its 3rd WWS Salmsee Cup presented by Gschiel. This could be the favorite stop of all the athletes on tour! Not only does the lake ski incredibly, but the atmosphere and culture make this stop unforgettable. As the birthplace of the Overall Tour, it will set the stage for an unforgettable start on July 27-28.

 

 

Stop 2: WWS Canada Cup, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canadapresented by Korpan Considered the world’s breadbasket, Saskatchewan produces more than a third of the world’s total exported durum wheat. Home to some of the friendliest people, the Saskatchewan Waterski Club will host the WWS Canada Cup, highlighting Overall and Jump disciplines. All the top skiers will be vying for the highest payout the sport has seen in years on August 27-28.

 

Stop 3: WWS Travers Cup, Sunset Lakes, Florida, United States – Presented By Girl Love A Sunset (Luxury Charters) is the 3rd stop will be held at the highly regarded Jack Travers Ski School located at Sunset Lakes in beautiful Lake County. Known in the water ski world as possibly the best site on the planet for setting personal bests, this stop will see world records fall as athletes achieve new heights on September 21-22.

 

Stop 4: Ski Fluid, Polk County, Florida, United States – Presented by Dream Makers, this is the final stop of the 2024 tour takes us back to a place where the sky is the limit for those pushing themselves to win the tour title. Ski Fluid will be where athletes score their final points to become the overall champion of 2024. With such a premier site and athletes striving to win the tour title, there is no doubt that world records will fall again, as they did last year, on October 18-19.

 

This year’s tour is set to elevate the sport of water skiing to new heights, with each stop offering unique challenges and breathtaking scenery. We are confident that the 2024 World Overall Water Ski Tour will captivate audiences and inspire the next generation of water skiers.

 

“We are incredibly proud of the impact that the WWS Tour has had on the sport. Our team is always willing to test boundaries to what this sport could be,” says Jaret Llewellyn of World Water Skiers. “We are so grateful for our list of supporters who believe in our vision to make a difference in our sport. The enthusiasm from our host clubs in getting their cities involved to bring these incredible athletes to engage in their communities has been extraordinary. We can’t wait to see these athletes continue to evolve in slalom, trick, and jump disciplines, leaving everyone around the world speechless.”

Stay tuned for more details on each tour stop, including dates and athlete bios. Join us as we embark on an exhilarating journey through Austria, Canada, and the United States, celebrating the best in water skiing.

Please take the time to recognize our supporters below, and support them when you can.  For more information about the tour, please contact: Jaret Llewellyn Jaret.Llewellyn@worldwaterskiers.com

Follow us on social media for the latest updates:

Instagram: @world.water.skiers

 

 2024 WWS Overall Water Ski Tour Page 

 

                                              

 

The Ultimate Showdown of the World’s Best All-Around Water Ski Athletes:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WWS Florida Cup Tour Final at Ski Fluid

The Ultimate Showdown of the World’s Best All-Around Water Ski Athletes:

 

Date: August 22, 2023

Ski Fluid, Florida: The excitement is building as water skiing enthusiasts from around the world gear up for the grand finale of the WWS Florida Cup Tour, set to take place at the iconic Ski Fluid from September 1st to 2nd. This thrilling event promises to be an electrifying spectacle of athleticism, skill, and camaraderie, as the best water skiers from across the globe converge to compete for glory and honor.

Owned by the legendary skier Kyle Eade, Ski Fluid provides the perfect backdrop for what’s expected to be a record-breaking event. The WWS Florida Cup Tour Final will be a Pro-Am-style competition, bringing rising stars together with elite Overall skiers, resulting in a breathtaking showcase of talent.

  • General admission is FREE
  • Preliminaries Friday – Sept 1st, 9 am-4:30 pm
  • Finals Saturday -Sept 2nd, 1 pm-4 pm – Livestreamed
  • VIP TENT ACCESS – FINALS Only on Sept 2nd, 12 pm-4 pm 
  • After Party Lake Side – for Athletes and VIP guests – All links and details at the bottom

 

Breaking Boundaries and Setting Records

The stakes are high as participants seek to etch their names into the annals of water skiing history. Previous tour stops have been dominated by exceptional athletes who have pushed the limits of the sport. Among them is Joel Poland from Great Britain and Giannina Bonnemann from Germany, who has been unstoppable this season, claiming victory at all three prior events. Their consistent performances make them formidable contenders.

Louis Dupont FRIBOURG from France has also been a force to reckon with, with a record-breaking jump at the Lacanau stop, plus a trick record at the Calgary stop. Edoardo MARENZI from Italy has consistently impressed with podium finishes, while Felipe Miranda and Martin Kolman, both world champions, join the field for this climactic event. Despite being siding this season with an ankle injury, Dorien Llewellyn is determined to make a comeback, adding another layer of anticipation to the mix.

 

The Women’s Challenge

On the women’s side, Giannina Bonnemann’s unwavering mastery of tricks has given her an edge at every stop. Hanna Straltsova’s record-setting jump in Calgary showcased her immense potential, and Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya’s consistent performance placed her in contention for the top spot. The field also includes Paige Rini, Regina Jaquess, and Anna Gay, each capable of dethroning Giannina’s reign.

A Weekend of Thrills and Entertainment

The WWS Florida Cup Tour Final kicks off on Friday, September 1st, with amateurs and emerging talents competing alongside elite skiers. The Pro skiers will follow, showcasing their skills based on the WWS Overall Tour Standing. The top contenders will advance to Saturday’s Overall Finals, a 3-hour adrenaline-packed showdown featuring slalom, trick, and jump disciplines.

As the dust settles, the WWS Florida Cup results will be integrated into the tour rankings, unveiling the 2023 Women’s and Men’s Tour Champions. The coveted titles will be awarded to the skiers who have proven their mettle in this fierce competition.

 

Join the Excitement in /VIP TENT

Spectators are invited to witness this thrilling event firsthand, with free access to the general public. However, for the ultimate experience will be hanging out with the Pro Athletes in the Red Bull Tent during the event – VIP tent offers the best seats in the house. With a minimum donation of $40 to WWS, attendees can enjoy appetizers, drinks, and the chance to make lasting memories with the world’s best athletes at the afterparty lakeside 5 pm -7 pm #PRICELESS

For those unable to attend in person, the Finals on Saturday, September 2nd will be webcast over a live stream from 1 pm – 4 pm, ensuring that fans around the world can be part of the excitement. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness history in the making and support these remarkable athletes as they vie for water skiing supremacy.

 

 

 

 

 

For more information and to stay updated on the WWS Florida Cup Tour Final, scan the QR codes, and Livestream click the Tournament Page below

VIP TENT ACCESS FOR THE FINALS

Only on Sept 2nd, 12 pm-4 pm

After Party 5 pm – 7 pm

appetizers and drinks with a minimum DONATIONS to WWS – $40

or Please email to be added to the VIP LIST 

“Bigger, Better, & Beyond:2023 WWS Overall Tour Launch”

 

 

VISIT THE 2023 TOUR PAGES

S0 GRATEFUL to our sponsors & donors that have given graciously to the WWS FOUNDATION

You all have made this TOUR COME ALIVE!

SO MUCH TO DO

 

 

 

      

 

 

#WWSOverallTour

WWS FOUNDATION

Records Fall & Champions Crowned

 

Records Fall & Champions Crowned At WWS Flordia Cup

 


Here it is; 4 countries, 4 stops, 7 winners, 16 records, 2 Tour Champions, and 1 unbelievable year. The Florida Cup was the perfect cap to an unreal year. After an action-packed tour season, the Overall skiers pulled up to the record-setting shores of Ski Fluid, where most recently Jacinta Carroll became the first woman to jump 200ft, and Joel Poland and Dorien Llewellyn traded World Overall Records in 2021. Needless to say, expectations were high and the event did not disappoint.

Boasting the largest and most competitive female field a WWS event has seen, the Florida Cup was a staple as to how amazing the women’s event can be with the likes of Regina Jaquess, Anna Gay, Hanna Stratslova, and Valentina Gonzalez making their debuts. After having three different event winners this year, namely Paige Rini, Brooke Baldwin, and Kennedy Hansen, the question was if one of these three girls could become the first to win 2 titles in the same year. Unfortunately, Brooke, the tour leader heading into the event, sustained a back injury at the 3rd stop in Austria and was unable to compete. Nevertheless, the women put on a fierce battle from the onset of the preliminary round, with Regina breaking the WWS slalom record, finishing with a score of 1@10.25m, and Hanna breaking the WWS jump record, with a distance of 55.1m. Their performances were so strong in fact, that Kennedy would be knocked out of the event in the first round, thus, securing the Tour points lead and the WWS Overall Tour Title for Brooke Baldwin.

Heading into the women’s final were, in descending order of placement, Hanna, Regina, Paige, and Anna. Beginning with trick, Paige and Anna were considered to be the strongest competitors, but due to a couple miscues, Paige fell early in her toe pass, leaving her in a sizable hole right out of the gate. Anna, on the other hand, showed her World Champion stature, setting a new WWS trick record with a score of 10350 points. Moving into slalom, with Hanna sitting on 8410 and Regina back a bit more at 7130 they both need to step up going into there strong events. Regina, largely considered one of, if not the best slalom skiers of all time, once again put on a clinic in the course, tying her record from the first round with 1@10.25m. Vaulting her into 1st place of the Overall race. Still, the fight raged on, as Hanna powered her way to a personal best in slalom of 0.5@10.75, knowing her strongest event was yet to come. 

Thus, moving into jump, Regina led, Hanna was close behind, and Anna rounded out the podium. All four women jumped exceptionally well, with Paige Rini putting on a spirited performance in an attempt to retake a podium place, and Regina’s grit was on display with her solid jumping having only recently begun to truly recover from her ACL tear last year. But, it was Hanna who would not be denied, setting yet another WWS jump record, soaring 56.5m through the air, and thereby breaking Giannina Bonneman’s 2 year withstanding Overall record. With all the action this year and the return of Giannina next year, the stage has been set for what could be the most exciting season of Overall skiing in history.

 

On the Men’s side of the action, Dorien Llewellyn and Joel Poland once again looked to square off in their seemingly never-ending, heavyweight slugfest. With each of the Men having been to three stops, all 5 were guaranteed to make the finals, allowing for Dorien and Joel to push for high scores in the first round, which they absolutely did. Dorien, being ranked an equal 2nd with Louie Duplan-Fribourg heading into the event, was the first of the two to complete a WWS Overall record-breaking round of 5@10.75m, 11060 points, and a 67.8m jump, which also happened to be a new WWS Jump record. Only 1 minute later, Joel would improve upon Dorien’s score by a mere 5 overall points, with 5.5@10.75m, 11200 points, and a 67.1m jump! Thus, Joel would be the top seed in the finals, followed by Dorien, Martin Kolman, Edoardo Marenzi, and Tanguy Dialland, in that order.

 

Also beginning with the trick event, Martin Kolman reminded everyone why he is the 2019 Overall World Champion with a blistering trick score of 11730. Still, Dorien kept himself well within striking distance with his own score of 11360 with Joel still to trick. After a slightly early fall in toes, the expectation was that Joel would fire back with his impressive flip sequence, but shockingly, Joel fell after his second flip, potentially eliminating him from the title race. Additionally, Edo proved himself to be a future title contender with a personal best of 10790. Then in the slalom event, Martin, who had been seemingly struggling to find his form all year, picked the perfect moment to regain his winning ways, swerving to a solid score of 4@10.75m. Knowing that he was now the favorite to win the event, Dorien showed some nerves on his early passes but pulled himself together at the right time to power through the 10.75m line length, only to frustratingly fall at the final buoy. Yet, his score of 5.5@10.75m put him just 6 Overall points behind Martin and with his strength in jump, was a clear advantage to the Canadian. 

That being said, Martin would not go down without a fight. Despite only performing a 3/4 cut, Martin finished with the second-highest jump score of the round, an impressive 206ft jump, which Dorien would not beat after a 205ft first jump. Still, confident in his jumping, Dorien brought his cut later down the lake and boosted 219 and 220ft jumps to secure himself his first win of the 2022 season, finally able to stand atop the podium to spray the champagne. With these results, Dorien took sole ownership of the runner-up position in the tour standings and Martin found himself rounding out the podium in 3rd place, with Joel Poland’s year-long success leading to his first WWS Overall Tour Title and the golden champions bib for the 2023 season.

WWS Florida Cup @ Ski Fluid

WWS Florida Cup The Final Stop 

The Florida Cup is the 4th Stop and final stop on the 2022 WWS Overall Tour. $25 thousand for each stop + year-end bonuses totaling $114 thousand is up for grabs this season. All 3 stops have come down to the wire and with the podiums changing hands all season long, it is anyone’s game.  Ski Fluid will be no different – being a world-renowned ski club that can boost numerous world records these athletes will put down chilling scores in all 3 disciplines, (slalom, trick, jump) calculated together to determine who will be the named the best skier on the planet for 2022.  WWS is super pumped to be partnering with Ski Fluid to give the athletes the best opportunity to shine at the final stop on the tour. The event is FREE and there will be food trucks lakeside to keep you happy.

  • Friday, Oct 28th – Preliminary Rounds – Top 5 men and 4 women will advance to the Saturday finals
  • Saturday, Oct 29th at 1 pm Finals – Will be 3 hrs of action-packed skiing in all 3 disciplines

 WWS Florida Cup Champions will be taking home $25 thousand USD 

but also the Year End Overall Tour Champions will take home another $14 thousand in bonuses, marking history as the 1st legitimate World Tour Bonus payout in 24 years. “World Water Skiers is super proud of putting together this 4-stop World Tour + year-end bonuses that give credence to the Tour Title.” “All incredible athletes deserve a stage to perform on.”

Please see the “Scheduling Tab” for a complete order of events. Finals will be Live Streamed, so please set a reminder on the WWS YouTube Page

Ski Fluid Ski Club is in Polk County Florida in-between Tampa and Orlando just off I4 (exit 44). Situated just behind the world-famous Action Water Sports dealership, MasterCraft’s largest dealership in the world. These incredible boats will be pulling these insane athletes to new heights and there is a big change we will see a world record go down at this event! History is being made at Ski Fluid and we hope to see you there.

*AFTER PARTY Saturday, 29th OCT *

After the finals, all the athletes will be heading downtown Orlando to Elixir to end the year right!

You will need to RSVP for VIP Tickets cost $25.00.

VIP pass covers Food + AfterParty Headliner 

7 PM Meet Athletes on the Tour – Appetizers Served 

8 PM Dinner – Fajita Bar Served
9 PM -2 AM After Party DJ Music – Headliner Martin Ikin 

Directions Elixir

Please let us know as early as you can, this helps the bar know how many are coming.

***WWS VIP passes will not be offered at the door***

 

Our Event and Tour Sponsors love our sport and they genuinely want to help build the sport. Please check them all out by doing a little research on them. Maybe even send them a note and thank them for us! Also, don’t forget to hit the share button right on the TOURNAMENT PAGE, below, so all your friends and family can take part.

@WWSOverallTour   or   #WWSOverallTour

Water Skiing In The Blood

Wasserskifahren im Blut

Water Skiing In The Blood

Salzburger Nachrichten 230thous Aug 27 2022

 

Dorien Llewellyn had to follow in oversized footsteps.

Mother Britta dominated the ladies for years, father Jaret is considered an absolute Legend in the scene. The son only discovered his love for water skiing during his vacations in his native Austria.
Conquering snow-covered slopes on two narrow boards have traditionally been a top priority in Austria. Those who make it to the top of the world, or even to international titles are sure of fame and honor and, above all, nationwide fame. Other sports can only dream of such national importance. Or have you ever heard the name, Britta Grebe? After all, the Upper Austrian has set four world records in the course of her career, won the European championship ten times in a row, and won two world championship titles. But not on alpine skis, but on water skis.

She knew early on that she would make it to the top. At the tender age of four, little Britta confidently prophesied to her mother: “I’m going to be a world champion. However, it was not clear for a long time in which sport she would succeed. “I have always been interested in every sport. When the Olympics were on TV, I watched just about everything,” Grebe recalls.
As a young girl, she first dreamed of a big career as a gymnast. But when she was 14, she switched from the gym to the water, where she started out enthusiastically in a rowing boat. “But that soon became too monotonous for me.” She didn’t discover her true passion and life’s path until she was 17 when she went water-skiing. “That’s when I knew right away that this was the sport for me.”

She had barely come of age, packed up her bags, and set off for Florida, to the “Mecca of waterskiing. “The entire European elite trained at the ski school Britta went to. Fortunately, they recognized my talent and took me under their wings,” reports
Grebe. As an absolute late bloomer in the scene, she subordinated everything to the sport
and worked only for food, lodging, and as much training time as possible.
“The first five years were super hard. The worst thing for me was that I couldn’t spend Christmas at home for the first 5 years, because I couldn’t afford the flight.
But I never lost sight of my goals, of what I was doing it for.”
At the age of 23, her efforts were finally rewarded with a European Championship medal (bronze at that time). Two years later, she was crowned European champion for the first time and thus started her successful series of ten European Championship titles in a row.
However, the world championship title, which she announced at a young age, was to be a long time coming.
“Unfortunately, my nerves often played tricks on me. Again and again, I went into the final as the leader and then missed the victory in the end.” The birth of son Dorien then seems to have finally loosened the curse. Less than 13 weeks after his delivery, she was already competing again at a European Championship. “Actually, I didn’t want to take part at all, just to avoid coming in second.” But when her husband Jaret unpacked the jumping skis he had secretly taken with them, she gave it a try “just for the fun of it” – and ended up standing at the top of the podium once again with baby Dorien in her arms.

One of the reasons why Dorien hesitated for a long time to enter the water-skiing scene was the expectations that seemed to weigh heavily on him. His mother’s successes are hard to top, and his father Jaret Llewellyn is considered the best of all time with a total of eleven World championship titles and enjoys legendary status.  So it’s hardly surprising that Dorien first concentrated on another sport. He started playing ice hockey at the age of five and quickly showed such great talent that he even played in the junior team of the NHL club Florida Panthers. “I then developed my love for water skiing on the podium. A little later, her nerves finally held at a World championship. In 2000, she was crowned world champion for a second time.

Son Dorien can’t remember his first time on the podium any more than he can remember his first water ski ride in his parents’ arms at the age of six months. “I was always with them, watching them enthusiastically or in the water myself,” says the junior
Mother Britta is proud of her son Dorien, who has long since stepped out of father Jaret’s long shadow, and not just because of his sporting successes.
“I first discovered the sport in Austria. There, during the vacations, I was on the water with other kids almost every day for months and had tons of fun.” In the beginning, he also competed for Austria and won six European Championship gold medals in the junior category.
At the age of 18, he finally decided on water skiing instead of ice hockey and also switched to the Canadian national team. “I just wanted to ski together with my father. Besides, waterskiing
simply get better support there,” explains the now 26-year-old, who himself has long been a multiple world champion and winner of the Pan American Games.

His father’s records, however, are still out of reach. In the jump, however, Dorien was one of only 13 athletes to break the magic mark of 70 meters – and did so twice with pinpoint accuracy. He is still 3.5 meters short of his father’s best. Dorien is also particularly strong in the spectacular trick skiing, where he does his flips behind the motorboat. In the slalom, with a height of 1.72 meters, he lacks a few centimeters to successfully scrape the turns between the buoys with a shorter rope length with each pass. In the combination of all three disciplines, however, he broke the world record in 2021 and thus brought it back into the family.

Dorien fell just short of victory when the world’s elite met a week ago at Lake Plana in Fischlham, Upper Austria. At the “Austria Cup” organized by his parents and carried out with a lot of help from his Relatives on his mother’s home course of many years, the 26-year-old had to give in to the British Joel Poland by a razor-thin margin. “That hurts, especially at home and in front of my whole family, not to win by such a narrow margin, but now I have to look ahead and really step it up at the last stop.” After the rainy Fischlham, the final of the overall World Cup will take place in sunny Florida in October. There, too, the proud parents will keep their fingers crossed for their son.

Written by CHRISTOPH PICHLER

World Elite Shine in Fischlham

Weltelite Glänzte in Fischlham

World Elite Shine in Fischlham

Bezirksrundschau 22.8

World record man Joel Poland(above) from Great Britain ahead of number two, Austro-Canadian Dorien Llewellyn (below)- the best water skiers in the world prevailed at the third of four World Waterski Overall Tour stops in Fischlham (Upper Austria).

FISCHLHAM. European Championship bronze medalist Luca Rauchenwald from Carinthia, who finished third in the jumping with 61.70 meters, came in seventh in the combined. Alexander Gschiel (WSZ Salmsee/Upper Austria), who used the wild card as a dress rehearsal for the U21 home European Championships starting on August 31, was tenth.

 

Stormy weather

“There were extremely difficult, stormy conditions, so the performances were not so good. But it was a great experience to be able to compete with the world’s best. Just to see how they prepare and then perform – it’s just amazing,” said Alexander Gschiel from Linz, who was able to reach 3.5 buoys on the 12-meter rope in the slalom: “I feel much more comfortable now after having material difficulties.

 

 

In the women’s race, there were only two world-class athletes on the start line, with triple national champion Lili Steiner from Carinthia behind her in third place ahead of Elena Ahammer (WLU Fischlham). The local heroine left Steiner behind in the jumping (42.40 m) and in the trick event (3690 points) and may dream of another medal after the U21 European Championship bronze in 2021 at her home facility.

 

 

Der Weltrekord-Mann Joel Poland aus Großbritannien vor der Nummer zwei, dem Austro-Kanadier Dorien Llewellyn – die besten Wasserski-Läufer der Welt setzten sich beim dritten von vier World Waterski Overall Tour Stops in Fischlham (OÖ) durch.

 

FISCHLHAM. Der EM-Bronzene Luca Rauchenwald aus Kärnten, der im Springen mit 61,70 Metern auf Platz drei landete, kam in der Kombination auf Platz sieben. Alexander Gschiel(WSZ Salmsee/OÖ), der die Wild Card als Generalprobe für die U21-Heim-EM ab 31. August nutzte, wurde Zehnter.

Stürmisches Wetter

„Es herrschten äußerst schwierige, stürmische Bedingungen, so waren die Leistungen nicht so gut. Aber es war eine großartige Erfahrung, mit der Weltspitze antreten zu können. Alleine zu sehen, wie sie sich vorbereiten und dann performen – das ist einfach ein Wahnsinn“, sagte der Linzer Alexander Gschiel, der im Slalom 3,5 Bojen am 12 Meter-Seil erreichen konnte: „Ich fühle mich nach Materialschwierigkeiten nun wesentlich wohler. Die Finne hatte sich ständig verstellt, das haben wir jetzt im Griff und jetzt funktioniert der Slalomski optimal“, ergänzt der 19-Jährige, der bei der U21-Heim-EM einen Top 5-Rang in der Kombination erreichen will.

Bei den Damen standen nur zwei Weltklasse-Athletinnen am Start, mit Respekt-Abstand dahinter landete Triple-Staatsmeisterin Lili Steiner aus Kärnten vor Elena Ahammer (WLU Fischlham) auf Platz drei. Die Lokalmatadorin ließ Steiner im Springen (42,40 m) und im Trickbewerb(3690 Punkte) hinter sich und darf nach U21-EM-Bronze 2021 auf der Heimanlage von einer weiteren Medaille träumen.

The most successful Austrian Waterskier, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn

The most successful Austrian Waterskier, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn

(Picture son Dorien, he finished 2nd) brought the Elite athletes of Waterskiing back to Upper Austria, for the World Waterski Open. On August 20 and 21 the best of the best in waterskiing fought for the Austria Title of this 3-stop International World Tour, in Slalom, Trick and Jump. 

Tips 22.8.2022

Flight Chaos:  Number 1 in the World in Fschlham with skis

Flugchaos: Nr 1 der welt in Fischlham ohne Skier

Flight Chaos:  Number 1 in the World in Fschlham with skis

20.8.2022

This Article talks about how the travel industry is upside down, no workers to handle the bags. Dorien loses his bags going to Canada for the Calgary Cup, and Joel Poland losing his skis coming to Austria for the Austria Cup. Also states that it is extremely hard for athletes to use another skier’s as they are all custom and set up for each athlete individually.

Krone Zeitung

World Water Open draws to Fischlham

World Water Ski Open Locks nach Fischlham

World Water Open draws to Fischlham

bezirksrundschau 18.8

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Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, a native of Gmunden, organizes the Austria Cup

Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, a native of Gmunden, organizes World Waterski Open

With the World Waterski Open, Gmunden native and Austria’s most successful water skier, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, is bringing the international elite of action-packed water sports to Austria for the third time. On August 20 and 21, the best water skiers in the World will compete at Planaseein Fischlham.

FISCHLHAM, GMUNDEN. For the third time, 56-year-old American by choice and native of Gmunden, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, is bringing international top athletes to Austria for a top-class water ski event with the Austria Cup as part of the World Waterski Tour. The event, scheduled for August 20 and 21, is the third stop on a World Tour, whose first stop was in France in early July and the second stop just recently in Canada. In previous years, the crème de la crème of water skiers already showed how exciting and action-packed this type of competition is.

This year, the Austrian stop will once again take place at Planasee in Fischlham. The special thing about this tour? The athletes have to compete in slalom, trick and jumping, and only the combination of these three water skiing disciplines is scored. The top women and men in the world rankings (eight men and four women) will be at the start, the best and most versatile water ski athletes in the world.

Among them the “local matador” and Austria winner of the previous years, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn’s son Dorien Llewellyn, who wants to defend his title. His chances of winning the overall Tour also remain good, as the Austrian-Canadian was able to catch up with an excellent second place at the last stop in Calgary.

“The Austria stop of our Tour is of course the highlight of the year for me. To organize such an event, and then in front of a home crowd and on the great Planasee, where I trained my whole water skiing career and won the European Championships. This lake is just perfect for a competition like this and I am sure we will see again incredible performances of the top 8 water ski athletes in the world there”, organizer Britta Grebe-Llewellyn is looking forward to the Austrian edition of the World Waterski Open.

Spectators and fans will have the opportunity to experience the water action live on site. The competitions will take place on both days from 1 to 6 p.m. with free admission and free beer.

Program: Saturday, August 20 – 1 p.m. slalom, approx. 2:45 p.m. trick, 4:15 p.m. jumping Sunday, August 21. – 2 p.m. slalom, 3 p.m. trick, 4 p.m. jumping, followed by the award ceremony.

 

 

Round 3 for the World Waterski Open in Austria  

Round 3 for the World Waterski Open in Austria

20. und 21. August in Fischlham

With the World Waterski Open, Austria’s most successful water skier, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, is bringing the international elite of action-packed water sports to Austria for the third time. On August 20 and 21, the best of their guild will compete at Planasee in Fischlham/Upper Austria.

FISCHLHAM. The athletes have to prove their skills in the disciplines of slalom, trick and jumping. Only the combination of these three water ski disciplines will be judged. Invited are the top women and men on the world ranking list, including five world champions. This high-caliber field of the world’s best athletes promises an action-packed event and an extremely exciting battle for the podium.

The special thing about the event is that many of the top water ski athletes only train in one or two disciplines and thus only master slalom, slalom, and trick, slalom and jumping, etc… Therefore, the combination of all three sports is the absolute “top class”. Because mastering all three events naturally means even more discipline, drive, ambition, and mental strength. “The combination in water skiing is extremely hard and time-consuming. The athletes push themselves to incredible limits here,” says Britta Grebe-Llewellyn.

 

Also taking part again is son Dorien, reigning world champion in his own right, who took victory in Austria at each stop of the previous years.

The competitions will take place on both days from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. with free admission and free beer.

Saturday, 20.8.: 1 p.m. slalom, approx. 2.45 p.m. trick, 4.15 p.m. jumping

Sunday, 21.8.: 2 p.m. slalom, 3 p.m. trick, 4 p.m. jumping, afterward award ceremony

 

 

 

World Waterski Open geht in die dritte Runde

20. und 21. August in Fischlham

 

Mit den World Waterski Open bringt die erfolgreichste Wasserschifahrerin Österreichs, Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, zum bereits dritten Mal die internationale Elite des actionreichen Wassersports nach Österreich. Am 20. und 21. August messen sich die Besten ihrer Zunft am Planasee in Fischlham/OÖ.

FISCHLHAM. Die Athleten müssen ihr Können in den Disziplinen Slalom, Trick und Springen beweisen. Gewertet wird nur die Kombination dieser drei Wasserschi-Disziplinen. Eingeladen sind die Top Damen und Herren der Weltrangliste, darunter fünf Weltmeister. Dieses hochkarätige Teilnehmerfeld der weltbesten Athleten, verspricht einen actionreichen Event und einen extrem spannenden Kampf um das Stockerl. 

Das Besondere an dem Event ist, dass viele der Top-Wasserschiathleten nur eine oder zwei Disziplinen trainieren und so nur Slalom, Slalom und Trick, Slalom und Springen, usw. beherrschen. Daher ist die Kombination aller drei Sportarten die absolute „Königsklasse“. Denn alle drei Disziplinen so zu beherrschen, bedeutet natürlich noch mehr Disziplin, Drive, Ehrgeiz und mentale Stärke. „Die Kombination im Wasserschi-Sport ist extrem hart und zeitaufwendig. Die Athleten gehen hier an unglaubliche Grenzen“, so Britta Grebe-Llewellyn.
Mit dabei ist auch wieder Sohn Dorien, seines Zeichens amtierender Weltmeister, der in den Vorjahren jeweils den Sieg bei den Österreich-Stopps holte.

Die Bewerbe finden an beiden Tagen jeweils von 13 Uhr bis 18 Uhr bei freiem Eintritt und Freibier statt.
Samstag, 20.8.:  13 Uhr Slalom, ca. 14.45 Uhr Trick, 16.15 Uhr Springen
Sonntag, 21.8.: 14 Uhr Slalom, 15 Uhr Trick, 16 Uhr Springen, anschließend Siegerehrung

 

Redaktion Mario Born

12. August 2022, 10:13 Uhr

Austria Cup Coming to Fischlham

At the Austria Stop of the World Waterski Open the international elite of water skiing will compete in the disciplines slalom, trick and jumping. Organized by the most successful Austrian water skier Britta Grebe-Llewellyn, the water sports event will take place on August 20 and 21 from 1 – 6 p.m. with free admission at Lake Plana in Fischlham. A must for every water sports enthusiast.

 

World Waterski Open Österreich

die oberösterreicherin 8.8.1

“I can’t believe they can do that on skis!”

“That was awesome,

I never saw skiing like that!”

That is what we kept hearing from fans leaving the site!

WOW

This heavyweight overall battles just keep getting better! The WWS Overall Pro Tour is now two stops into the season and the results continue to keep everyone on the edge of their seats for what is next to come. Following the incredible finish at Lacanau, which saw Louis Duplan-Friburg claim the tour ranking lead heading into the WWS Calgary Cup, Joel Poland, and Dorien Llewellyn lit the lakes of Predator Bay on fire with what can only be described as their World Champion Battle 2.0. Beginning with the slalom event, the men all improved upon their first-round scores, with Conley Pinette, first off the dock, running 4.5@11.25m, followed by Poland, who put the rest of the field on notice with a stellar 2@10.25m. Moving into the top three seeded skiers, Martin Kolman put down a solid 3.25@10.75m, with Louis ending up with a bit of ground to make up with his 3@11.25m, and Dorien rounding out the event in dramatic fashion with a seemingly solid full 10.75m pass, only to wind up late out of 5 ball and with too much slack to handle out of the gates, resulting in his final score of 6@10.75m with no continuation to 10.25m. Point – Poland.

The men then moved into the trick event with stronger winds starting to set in. Conley sparked the Canadian fan base with the first two stand-up passes of the day, clearly excited to be on his way to a great overall score in his home country. Following Conley, Joel looked to take another step towards securing the WWS Calgary Cup, standing up two solid, but slightly altered runs, still finishing with a great score of 11190.

Louis, looking to make up for his deficit in slalom, did just that by smoothly moving through both of his trick runs, only losing his final trick, TWL5B (600 pt trick), to a judge’s decision, giving him a score of 11420 points. Finally, Dorien saw his chance to respond to Joel and looked locked in as he nailed both of his runs, securing himself the top score in trick with a 11610 point total. Point – Llewellyn, tie game.

Heading into jump, the Overall race could not have been any simpler for Dorien and Joel, the name of the game was win Jump, win Overall. Their scores being almost exactly the same after slalom and trick, whoever managed to outjump the other would beat the other in Overall. As the headwind continued to increase in strength, the jumpers struggled to keep up their speed before the turn for the ramp. Conley, who was impressed with a 64m jump in the prelims, couldn’t find his timing in the wind and finished with a 60.7m score. Joel, who has been in fine form in jump this year, adapted from his mistakes in Lacanau to secure a tournament-high 65.2m distance on jump two.

Dorien, the hometown favorite, left the dock as the final skier to strong applause from the Calgary crowd, knowing if he jumped 65.3m, he would win the title. After solid opening jumps of 62.6 and 62.7m, Dorien knew he had to push the limits on jump 3 and launched a visibly bigger jump on the final jump of the tournament. As the crowd quieted to wait for the score, Dorien sunk into the water and Joel raised his arms in triumph. Point – Poland, game, set, match. Dorien finished with a distance of 64.2m, just a meter shy of Joel.

Already being talked about around the world as having the greatest Overall battle of all time, Dorien and Joel found a way to create an even more exciting show at the Calgary Cup. Furthermore, Louis showed that even on a less than perfect day, he cemented his place in the ever-growing 3-way overall battle that will continue to rage this year and into the future. Finally, Martin Kolman continues to prove his consistency and will always be ready to strike at any mistakes made by the top 3 tour-ranking leaders. With the WWS Austrian Cup on tap next, there is no telling what is in store next, so make sure you don’t miss any of the action!

For all the fans that came out and were stunned by what these amazing athletes can do on the water, mark your calendars for next year, the WWS Tour, WILL be back! We look forward to seeing you down at the most beautiful site in the world, The Lakes Of Cast And Stone!

Full WWS Tour Points Standings

Full Photo Gallary Of the WWS Calgary Cup – Johnny Hayward

THE WOMENS’ OVERALL RECAP STORY