WATER SKI: Jaquess Selected As Finalist For AAU James E. Sullivan Award U.S. water ski athlete Regina Jaquess is one of five finalists for the 2010 AAU James E. Sullivan Award. The award honors the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States.
Photo Courtesy: waterski.teamusa.org/Scott N. Atkinson - Regina Jaquess won her second career Masters' women's slalom title.
U.S. water ski athlete Regina Jaquess (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.) is one of five finalists for the 2010 AAU James E. Sullivan Award. The award honors the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. The winner will be announced at the 81st Sullivan Award Ceremony on March 14 at the New York Athletic Club in New York City. USA Water Ski nominated Jaquess for the award.
The other four finalists are: Evan Lysacek, figure skating; Tahnee Robinson, basketball; DJ Williams, football; and Karrissa Wimberley, baton twirling. Past winners include Bonnie Blair, Peyton Manning, Wilma Rudolph, Mark Spitz and Tim Tebow. For more information, visit www.aausports.org.
“I am looking forward to the trip to New York City, and I am humbled by this honor,” Jaquess, 26, said. “I did not expect to make it as a finalist with such an outstanding field of semifinalists.”
The AAU has presented the AAU James E. Sullivan Award annually since 1930 as a salute to founder and past president of the Amateur Athletic Union, and a pioneer in amateur sports, James E. Sullivan. Based on the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship, and the ideals of amateurism, the AAU Sullivan Award goes far beyond athletic accomplishments.
Jaquess, a five-time (2001, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2010) recipient of USA Water Ski’s Female Athlete of the Year award, won women's slalom titles at the 2010 Masters, Alizee Cup and Diablo Shores Pro-Am. She also set a new women's world overall record of 2,945.85 points at the Cory Pickos Superstars on June 19 in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., and she tied the Open Women national jumping record of 176 feet at the same tournament. In October, she set new women's world slalom records of 1-1/4 buoys at 41 feet off (Red Bar Belgian Cup/Shortline Lakes) and 1-1/2 buoys at 41 feet off (Eddie Green Open/Lake Louis) in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. Jaquess closed out her season by winning gold medals in women's slalom, tricks and jumping at the Pan American Water Ski Championships in San Bernardo, Chile.
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.
