WATER SKI: 20 Athletes Win Titles At U.S. Open Water Ski Racing Nationals Twenty of the United States’ top water ski racing athletes won titles at the sixth annual U.S. Open Water Ski Racing National Championships, Sept. 24-26, on the Colorado River.
Photo Courtesy: waterski.teamusa.org/Scott N. Atkinson - Regina Jaquess was selected USA Water Ski's 2009 Female Athlete of the Year.
Twenty of the United States’ top water ski racing athletes won titles at the sixth annual U.S. Open Water Ski Racing National Championships, Sept. 24-26, on the Colorado River’s Parker Strip in Parker, Ariz. The National Water Ski Racing Association, a sport discipline of USA Water Ski since 1991, sanctioned the three-day competition.
More than 50 athletes from the United States competed in two rounds of circle-sprint races on a 2-mile course between the BlueWater Resort & Casino and La Paz Park. The athletes drew for pole positions, made a deep-water start at the drop a green flag and raced in lanes for a designated number of laps.
Athletes competed for titles in 22 divisions. Overall placements were determined by total number of points. In the event of a tie, total race time broke the tie. Among the highlights, Brady Hoggins (Rialto, Calif.) won the Men’s Open title – sweeping both races – for the second time in four years, and Erin Saunders (Huntington Beach, Calif.) won her first career Women’s Open title, also sweeping both races.
Other athletes earning U.S. Open titles in respective divisions were: Erin Doherty (Chula Vista, Calif.), Women’s Novice; Chris Ables (Beaumont, Calif.), Men’s Novice; C.J. Baker (Canyon Lake, Calif.), 61 & Over Men; Katelin Wendt (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 17-29 Women and Formula 2 Women; Dawn Wallace (Belvedere Tiburon, Calif.), 30-39 Women; Lori Dunsmore (Boulder City, Nev.), 40 & Over Women); Brian Samaniego (Yorba Linda, Calif.), Hands Out Front; Brent Griffin (Moraga, Calif.), Stock Boat; Chris Bald (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Pro-Social; Cameron King (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Formula 2 Men and 17-25 Men; Steve Davis (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), 60 MPH Open; Glen Anderson (Los Angeles, Calif.), 33-42 Men; Troy Hooker (Torrance, Calif.), 26-32 Men; Mark Clifton (LaVerne, Calif.), 43-50 Men; Cydnee Kinslow (Knightsen, Calif.), 0-12 Girls; Deke Douty (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 0-12 Boys; Chelbe Kinslow (Oakley, Calif.), 13-16 Girls; and Bob Grande (Santee, Calif.), 51-60 Men.
Wayne Murray (El Segundo, Calif.) and Steve Irwin (Long Beach, Calif.) earned awards for being the top-scoring driver and observer, respectively.
For complete results, visit USAWATERSKI.org.
USA Water Ski was formed in 1939 as a non-profit organization promoting water skiing in the United States. USA Water Ski is affiliated with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (world governing body) and is recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and Pan-American Sports Organization as the national governing body of organized water skiing in the United States. With more than 20,000 members, USA Water Ski is the largest water ski federation in the world.
