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 

The World’s Elite Athletes Descend on Calgary for the Thrilling WWS Calgary Cup

Presented By Tourism Calgary

CALGARY, AB – Get ready for an adrenaline-pumping weekend of waterskiing action as the WWS Calgary Cup, presented by Tourism Calgary, takes center stage at the Lakes at Kastyn Stone/Predator Bay Ski Club on August 5th and 6th. This highly anticipated event is the 3rd Stop on the WWS Overall Tour and will feature a star-studded lineup of athletes from six nations, including France, Italy, USA, Germany, Great Britain, and Canada.

Following the immense success of last year’s WWS World Overall Tour, Calgary emerged as the ultimate highlight with the largest crowd turnout. This year, we are thrilled to announce that the excitement is bound to be even greater, as the world’s best Overall skiers return to Calgary, accompanied by the renowned Pro Slalom Shootout format.

The Lakes at Kastyn Stone/Predator Bay Ski Club, known for its breathtaking natural beauty, has hosted numerous national and international championships, including the unforgettable 2009 World Championships. Now, these world-class athletes will grace these picturesque lakes, surrounded by serene trees and wildlife, to deliver a spectacle that will leave spectators spellbound.

The Pro Women’s field Slalom boasts incredible talent, with three out of the top four on the tour standings competing. Allie Nicholson from the USA, fresh off a win in Italy, and Canada’s Whitney McClintock, with three wins already this year, will be joined by Alexandra Garcia from the USA, currently placed fourth on the tour, and determined to climb up the rankings.

The Pro Men’s division will witness the presence of the reigning World Champion and record holder, Nate Smith from the USA. Smith will strive to beat his own Predator Bay site record of 1@9.75, set back in 2014. Canada’s top slalom skiers, Call McCormick, and Stephen Neveu, will be formidable contenders, aiming to challenge the world champion on his throne and secure victories on their home turf.

In the Overall discipline, Germany’s Giannina Bonnemann has been on fire, claiming victories in France and Austria. USA’s Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya, who led last year in Calgary, will be determined to clinch the Calgary Title this time. World Overall Champion Hanna Straltsova from IWF makes her debut this season in Calgary, while Canada’s phenom, Paige Rini, sets her sights on winning her first title of the season on home soil.

In the men’s Overall category, Joel Poland from Great Britain has been enjoying an incredible season, winning the first two stops. However, rival Louis DUPLAN-FRIBOURG from France recently set a new national record at the Lacanau stop, and fresh off his European championship wins in jump, trick, and overall, he is a force to be reckoned with. Canada’s Dorien Llewellyn, unfortunately recovering from an ankle injury sustained during a jump crash two months ago, is determined to make a triumphant comeback for the World Championships later this year in October.

For the Overall skiers, the WWS Calgary Cup is a game-changing event. They have the chance to drop their lowest score of the four tour events, making Calgary the first event where a tour champion could be crowned. The stakes have never been higher, and spectators cannot afford to miss this opportunity to witness world-class athletes compete for valuable tour points on one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

The preliminary rounds on August 5th and the finals will on Sunday 6th which will be live-streamed, allowing fans worldwide to be part of the excitement.

For all event details, including schedule and live stream information, please visit the WWS Calgary Cup Event Page:

Admission to the event is free, but attendees must obtain a parking pass for entry. PARKING PASS

Join us at the Lakes at Kastyn Stone/Predator Bay Ski Club on August 5th and 6th to experience the thrilling WWS Calgary Cup and witness waterskiing at its finest!

 

 

For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact:

Contact Tour Director mailto:Jaret.Llewellyn@worldwaterskiers.com

Photo of the Event By Johnny@JohnnyHaywardphoto.com

EVENT PHOTOS

About Tourism Calgary:
Tourism Calgary is dedicated to promoting Calgary as a world-class tourism destination. Through collaborative efforts, they aim to create memorable experiences and welcome visitors from all corners of the globe.

Lacanau, June 30 – Get ready for the water skiing event of the year as Lacanau takes center stage for an exhilarating display of talent and athleticism. The Lacanau Cup, proudly sponsored by Red Bull, will unite over 10 world champions in the thrilling disciplines of slalom, jump, tricks, and overall. From June 30th to July 2nd, the Pitrot Waterway in Lacanau will bear witness to an unparalleled showcase of water skiing excellence.

 

In the highly anticipated slalom event, the world’s top female water skiers will battle for supremacy. Reigning champion Jamie Bull from Canada, fresh off her recent triumph in Spain, is determined to defend her title against fierce contenders such as former world champions Manon Costard from France and Whitney Rini. On the men’s side, world record holder and reigning champion Nate Smith from the USA is hungry to reclaim his glorious Lacanau Cup victory from last year. The competition will be fierce, with talents like Freddy Winter, who emerged victorious in Spain just last weekend, adding to the excitement and unpredictability.

The overall event promises an enthralling contest for the coveted title. Reigning champion Paige Rini from Canada is poised to reclaim her crown, but she faces formidable adversaries in the form of past tour champion Giannina Bonnemann from Germany and world champion Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya representing the USA. While Louis Duplan from Fribourg, France triumphed on home soil last year, tour champion Joel Poland is determined to begin this year on a high note. However, the absence of noted tour champion Brooke Baldwin from the USA due to ACL surgery at the end of last season adds an intriguing twist. Moreover, Canadian athlete Dorien Llewellyn, who suffered an ankle injury during the LA Night Jam event two weeks ago, regrettably cannot participate.

The Lacanau Cup returns with unparalleled vigor, showcasing a lineup of world-class athletes poised to redefine the limits of water skiing. Brace yourself for a weekend of scintillating heats, awe-inspiring performances, and nail-biting finals as these extraordinary competitors vie for eternal glory.

For media inquiries and further information, please contact:

Marie Paget

marie.paget@efap.com

About the Lacanau Cup: lacanau.ski.club

The Lacanau Cup was launched in 2022. It is organized at the Pitrot domain, which features two lakes that have gained worldwide recognition with several past world records being set. It is part of a global tour that promotes water skiing in its four disciplines. Additionally, this competition, sponsored by Red Bull, aims to be spectacular with a Sunday final featuring jump, slalom, and tricks events with the best overall skiers in the world. Originally, this competition was created by Sylvie and Jean-Michel Jamin in 1999 as a slalom-only event. Their daughter, Géraldine Jamin, the 2003 vice-world champion, has taken the reins.

Lacanau Cup photos can be found on Getty Images

Lacanau Media Kit 

 

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 The Final Stop 

• 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

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

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

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

(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

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 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 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

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

 

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

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.

 

die oberösterreicherin 8.8.1

“Women throwdown all the way to the end”

“Can The Story Get Better?”

While the men’s overall battles over the last two years have been highly anticipated and tightly contested, the Women at the WWS Calgary Cup this last weekend showed that there should be just as much excitement around them as well. Brooke Baldwin, Aliaksandra “Sasha” Danisheuskaya, and Kennedy Hansen sent out a signal to their male overall counterparts, telling them to get ready to share the spotlight. Just as with the men, the women’s overall battle raged up to the very final jump of the event, with the results being determined by only a few feet.

To begin the day, Brooke, having fallen early in the prelims and being the first on the water, continued her fine form of slalom, yet was visibly disappointed with her final score of 3.5@11.25. Given her recent string of scores at 10.75, Sasha and Kennedy knew this was a golden opportunity to strike. Kennedy, the next in the water, took the lead, narrowly eclipsing Brooke with a strategic 4@11.25 final score. Finally, Sasha, knowing her strength would come through in the trick event but even more so in Jump, finished with a solid opening event and a score of 2@11.25. Given their strengths in each event, Sasha was considered to have gained the upper hand coming out of slalom.

Yet, the story of overall can take many twists and turns throughout the course of a single day. Brooke decided to take some risk and performed her hard-hands tricks run, starting with the Mobe Back to Backs. Nimbly flowing through each 20-second pass, she finished with a score of 7470. Next up, Kennedy, a rookie on the tour and skiing in her first WWS event, unfortunately falling early in her first run, but still managing 6020 points. Finally, Sasha, knowing that Brooke was putting pressure on her to perform in front of the large Canadian crowd, skied well, but missed a couple crucial tricks to both judges’ decisions, time, and a fall in toes, causing her score to fall from 8030 points in the first round, to 6790 in the second. While the scales were beginning to tip in Brooke’s favor, the jump event still would decide everything.

First on the water due to jumping at the 5’ ramp height, Kennedy looked strong with a score of 42.4m. But her deficit after Trick would be difficult to surmount, as Brooke soared to 46.7m on just a 3/4 cut. Finally, Sasha, knowing she would need a score in excess of 49m, put forth a valiant effort on all three jumps, pushing the battle just to the limit, but ultimately falling just short with a score of 48.2m. 

With her maiden win on the WWS tour, Brooke will take over from Paige Rini as the new tour rankings leader heading into the third stop in Fischlham, Austria. Brooke, Kennedy, and all the other girls will be looking to secure their placements on the tour leaderboard, with Brooke able to clinch the tour title with a win in Austria. Yet, the overall crown is never won until the final jump is done, so be sure to catch all the action on August 20 and 21! Things are about to get even more interesting!

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 Standing 

Full Photo Gallary Of the WWS Calgary Cup – Johnny Hayward

THE MEN OVERALL RECAP STORY

“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

Overall Battle Right to the End

As the sun set on the pristine beaches of Lacanau last Sunday, the lakes of (Lacanau Ski Club) finally settled from the excitement of the Lacanau Overall Cup and the Malibu Open. Both of these professional events brought about incredible skiing and hard-fought victories, with the Malibu Open representing some of, if not the highest scores ever seen in a professional slalom event. (full slalom story link below)

After the culmination of the slalom event and the Saturday night festivities organized by the event organizers for the slalom skiers on the beaches of Lacanau, the stage was set for the Overall finals on Sunday. The event displayed top-notch skiing, major plot twists, upsets, a full range of emotions, and two very deserving winners, or as we like to call it, a typical Overall event. After the preliminary round of jump was completed, Canadians Paige Rini and Dorien Llewellyn emerged as the top-seeded skiers into the final, yet with no protected scores, any of the finalists were still able to win the event.

In the women’s slalom portion of the Overall final, Paige and Brooke Baldwin continued their dominance of the weekend by both running into the 10.75m line length. Brooke, going on the water first of the two, elected to run the 11m pass in a strong tailwind to give herself the best chance of running the 10.75m pass. Unfortunately, her gamble didn’t quite go as planned, as Brooke fell at 2 ball at 10.75m, putting her arm through the handle in the process. Paige, having watched Brooke, strategically started her set at the 14m line length in order to run the 11m in a headwind, which she did, finishing with a solid score of 1@10.75 to set herself up for tricks, knowing she was the strongest in the field in that event. After inspecting her arm, Brooke and the medical staff felt it was unsafe for her to continue skiing and thus, the Overall race became a battle between Paige and France’s own Ines Anguenot.

On the men’s side of slalom, the final placements were not exactly surprising, yet the scores were lower than anticipated. Both Dorien Llewellyn and Joel Poland, who had been on fire in the slalom event, grabbing scores at 10.25m every round, failed to ski through 10.75m in what proved to be a very strong headwind, finishing with scores of 2.5 and 4 buoys respectively. These scores proved to decrease their previous gaps on Frenchman Louie Duplan-Fribourg and Tanguy Dailland, who both finished with 2@10.75m scores, as well as Martin Kolman not far behind with 4@11m. Thus, the men’s event was already proving the potential to come down to the wire.

In the trick event, both Paige and Ines had unexpected falls in tricks, yet Paige proved her worth in the event, still finishing with the higher score of the two and taking a strong lead heading into jump. While Ines is quite the capable jumper herself and on par with Paige in the event, she would have felt the need to try to make up Overall ground in tricks, possibly leading to her early fall on her hand pass. As for the men, the Trick event proved itself as the biggest wildcard event in Overall. After an early fall from Tanguy Dailland, essentially eliminating him from the Overall race, Martin Kolman showed the value of experience by not allowing his slalom deficit to influence his tricking, instead calming standing up two solid passes and finishing with a score of 10690. With Louie next up, the fireworks began to fly. Louie mastered his way through his flips and spins, finishing once again with a Tour Record 11900 points, which when paired with his solid slalom, began to put a real threat in the minds of both Joel and Dorien. Joel fended off any outward pressures and put his flashy skills on display for the excited French crowd, landing himself in second with a 11680 point total and setting up a brilliant final battle in the Jump event. Last off the dock, Dorien, who is often known for his fluidity in the trick event under pressure, was clearly putting himself under pressure as the Defending Tour Champion.  Dorien rushed his flips on his second pass, having a very uncharacteristic fall on his fourth flip, only rotating to his back before smashing into the water and making his chances at the Cup title extremely slim. 

WWS has been working closely with EyeTrick for the last few years and knew that if the scores could be posted in real-time trick would undergo a revolutionary transformation. It worked so well that it even caught the announcers off guard, who were not expecting to see scores as quickly as during the first replay of the trick pass. Jaret said “this was a dream come true, we did not realize how the data would come across our screen but for the sport, it is a game changer. To be able to walk fans through a pass and educate them on why the score came out the way it did is inspiring for the future of the trick event. Skiers will have to mentally deal with hearing their scores come out so fast, which will make the event so exciting.” 

While the Jump event offers a great chance for consistent skiers to get good scores with 3 jumps, nothing is ever truly over until the last jump is taken. This proved true once again at the Lacanau Cup. With Tanguy Dailland and Martin Kolman putting up good jump distances, the final three skiers presented multiple battles still raging. Primarily, there was the battle for the Lacanau Cup Title between Louie and Joel, with Joel holding a 0.3m lead over Louie, and between Dorien and Martin for 3rd place on the podium, with Kolman having about an 8m lead over Dorien. Louie took to the water first, smoothly flying through the air on all three jumps, improving each jump to finish with a 62m score. Thus, Joel needed a distance of 61.7m to win the Overall event. While most considered Joel to be well on his way to winning the Cup before even setting foot on the water, he failed on his first two jumps to find his footing, landing short of the 61.7m distance each time. Then, with one final jump, Joel rounded the 600ft timing buoy, turning very late for the jump ramp and bringing with him tons of load into the jump. Despite his best effort, even this wouldn’t prove to be the winning jump, leaving Louie on shore with both hands on the Lacanau Cup, yet still not entirely sure whether to lift it just yet. While Dorien’s requirement seemed highly unlikely, he still had a small chance to win the event with a jump in the 70m range. Still, this challenge proved too much with the conditions on hand, and after Dorien’s 63.7m first jump, he clapped his hands together for Louie, knowing that the Frenchman had won the battle on home soil. 

  

As we move on to the 2nd stop of the WWS Overall Tour, the skiers look back on their time in Lacanau and reminisce on a truly unforgettable experience. The site, the people, the city, the beach, all in all, the memories will last a lifetime and we are already looking forward to next year. If you have not been to Lacanau this city and ski club need to be on your bucket list, they are truly one of the best on the planet. Lacanau is not just an incredible ski site, but with private villas available for rent, a pool, and an incredible restaurant right at the dock with the friendliest staff you can imagine, it is truly a special place. If you want to get a moment outside of the resort the ocean is 10 minutes away with endless restaurant options right on the beach where you can watch some of the best sunsets imaginable. But as the sun sets on Lacanau, we are off to Calgary, Canada, for the second stop of the WWS Overall Tour. On July 29-31 the battle continues to see who will take out the Overall Tour Title. 

 

A Special thank you for all the long hours it takes to put on an event of this level. Hats off to Geraldine, Christophe, the Jamin family, the staff, judges, volunteers, and especially to the sponsors, which are special friends of the water ski community that wants to give back. So please check out the names at the bottom or on the Event Page and drop a personal thank you for their support, it is what builds a stronger foundation for our sport!

 

 

See full Malibu Open Slalom Recap Story

Thanks to Eudes M-Tivier for the great shots all weekend –

photos – Friday – Saturday – Slalom

photos – Sunday – Overall finals 

This club has it all, a Full pro shop, Marine sale and repair, Villa Rental, and dockside Restaurant (Lèau à la bouche) 

Lacanau Ski Club

 

Lacanau Always delivers Insane Scores!

As the sun set on the pristine beaches of Lacanau last Sunday, the lakes of (Lacanau Ski Club) finally settled from the excitement of the Lacanau Overall Cup and the Malibu Open. Both of these professional events brought about incredible skiing and hard-fought victories, with the Malibu Open representing some of, if not the highest scores ever seen in a professional slalom event. In order to move on to the finals on the men’s side of the competition, skiers had to finish with a score of 3@10.25m or higher. Continuing on the high-scoring trend, the finals displayed a three-way tie for the lead between Dane Mechler, Jon Travers, and Brando Caruso at 4@10.25m with only one skier remaining on the dock, namely top-seeded skier Nate Smith. Nate, who has been in incredible form this entire year, turned the first 3 buoys expertly at 10.25m and did not hesitate to turn the 4th buoy, seemingly never considering the possibility of skiing for a tie, and comfortably swinging out around the 5th and 6th buoys to run through yet another 10.25m pass.

In the women’s slalom event of the Malibu Open, there was a tough three-way North American battle between Canadian Paige Rini and Brooke Baldwin and Ali Garcia from the United States. Sandra Bottas was the only skier from another
continent to qualify for the four women final. Despite skiing quite well, Sandra wasn’t able to overtake the other three, who had each finished with a score on the 10.75m in at least one round. With the requirement to start at 13m, leading to a tailwind 11m pass, both Ali and Sandra were unable to clear the rope length, finishing with a score of 3.5 and 2 buoys respectively. Next up, Brooke Baldwin, who had been increasing her scores at 10.75 each round of the competition, styled her way through the 11m tailwind pass and finished with 3@10.75m, the highest score of any woman in the event. Coming off the dock as the top seed, Paige Rini handle the pressure well and also made fine work of the 11m line length. Yet, the prospect of needing 3 buoys proved challenging, as Paige turned the 1st buoy too hard for her to be able to hold the angle through the wakes, leaving Paige short inside 2 ball and on the second step of the podium.

As the skiers move on to the next stop of the European circuit, the skiers look back on their time in Lacanau and reminisce on a truly unforgettable experience. The site, the people, the city, the beach, all in all, the memories will last a lifetime and we are already looking forward to next year. If you have not been to Lacanau this city and ski club need to be on your bucket list, they are truly one of the best on the planet. Lacanau is not just an incredible ski site, but with private villas available for rent, a pool, and an incredible restaurant right at the dock   with the friendliest staff you can imagine, it is truly a special place. If you want to get a moment outside of the resort the ocean is 10 minutes away with endless restaurant options right on the beach where you can watch some of the best sunsets imaginable. But as the sun sets on Lacanau, WWS is off to Calgary, Canada, for the second stop of the WWS Overall Tour. On July 29-31 the battle continues to see who will take out the Overall Tour Title.

 

See full WWS Lacanau Cup Overall Story

A Special thank you for all the long hours it takes to put on an event of this level. Hats off to Geraldine, Christophe, the Jamin family, the staff, judges, volunteers, and especially to the sponsors, which are special friends of the water ski community that wants to give back. So please check out the names at the bottom or on the Event Page and drop a personal thank you for their support, it is what builds a stronger foundation for our sport!

Thanks to Eudes M-Tivier for the great shots all weekend –

Friday – Saturday – Slalom

Sunday – Overall finals 

This club is the real deal, not just world-class coaching – a full pro shop, marine sale and repair, Villa Rental, and dockside Restaurant (Lèau à la bouche), and a world-class beach 10 mins away.

Lacanau Ski Club