Month: February 2025

Lexi Abelson tricks at the 2024 Jr World Championships

Biggest Ranking Movers: IWWF Year-End Top 25 Sees Young Stars and Comebacks

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Biggest ranking movers: IWWF year-end top 25 sees young stars and comebacks

Lexi Abelson tricks at the 2024 Jr World Championships

Image: Johnny Hayward

By Jack Burden

While the sport’s relentless focus on performance can sometimes be a double-edged sword, the IWWF’s ranking lists remain the best tool for consistently assessing the global competitive landscape. Tracking the biggest risers on these lists offers a glimpse into emerging stars and in-form skiers to watch in the coming season. Here, we highlight the most significant ranking jumps from the 2023 to 2024 year-end IWWF Top 25s.

Leading the surge in this year’s rankings is 14-year-old American Alexia Abelson, who made a staggering 42-spot leap in women’s overall, climbing from No. 63 in 2023 to No. 21 in 2024.

The younger of the two Abelson siblings had a breakout season, winning tricks and finishing second in overall at the Under-17 World Championships in Calgary, Canada. She also qualified for all three events at the Jr. U.S. Masters in Callaway Gardens, Georgia. At just 14, she is the youngest skier in the IWWF women’s overall Top 25—by a full three years.

On the men’s side, slalom specialist Adam Caldwell recorded the biggest jump, skyrocketing 31 spots from No. 43 in 2023 to No. 12 in 2024. His comeback follows a battle with a rare form of pneumonia that left him hospitalized in 2023. Now fully recovered, the Denali Skis innovator is back in top form.

The most notable ranking gains were concentrated in men’s slalom (four skiers) and men’s overall (three skiers), reinforcing the depth and competitiveness of these events in 2024.

Biggest Ranking Movers Among IWWF Year-End Top 25 (from Dec. 26, 2023 year-end rankings to Dec. 31, 2024 year-end rankings):

+42 Women’s Overall: Alexia Abelson, USA (5@12m/6,870/14.5m to 3.5@11.25m/8,720/21.6m)

+35 Men’s Overall: Axel Garcia, FRA (3@13m/7,830/46.8m to 2.5@12m/10,380/49.7m)

+31 Men’s Slalom: Adam Caldwell, USA (0.5@10.25m to 4@10.25m)

+24 Men’s Slalom: Lucas Cornale, AUS (1.5@10.25m to 4@10.25m)

+20 Men’s Overall: Thomas Daigle, CAN (3.5@11.25m/6,000/56.3m to 2@10.75m/7,860/63.2m)

+20 Men’s Slalom: Steven Island, USA (1.25@10.25m to 3@10.25m)

+20 Men’s Overall: Lucas Pinette, CAN (4@12m/6,480/54.5m to 3@11.25m/8,110/60.3m)

+18 Men’s Slalom: Daniel Odvarko, CZE (1@10.25m to 2.13@10.25m)

+16 Women’s Slalom: Trinidad Espinal, CHI (4.63@11.25m to 2@10.75m)

+16 Women’s Slalom: Christhiana De Osma, PER (3.5@11.25m to 1@10.75m)

Jacinta Carroll has been unbeaten in professional competition since 2013

Quiz: Highest Winning Percentage in Women’s Pro Tournaments Since 2010

Quizzes

Quiz: Highest winning percentage in women’s professional tournaments since 2010

Jacinta Carroll has been unbeaten in professional competition since 2013

Image: Tournament Water Ski Australia

By RTB

3 minute play

In this quiz, you need to name the female skiers with highest winning percentage in professional tournaments since 2010.

The list has 15 skiers, all of whom have a winning percentage of greater than 10% in a single discipline competing in professional events since 2010. We have set the cut off at least ten professional tournaments in each discipline. The skier at the top of the list has not lost a tournament since 2013. We have given you the skier’s country, event, and winning percentage in the mentioned time period.

Data updated as of January 1, 2025

The Orakei Basin in Auckland

Water Ski’s Next Generation Takes Center Stage at 2025 University Worlds

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Water ski’s next generation takes center stage at 2025 IWWF World University Championships

Auckland Water Ski Club

Aerial view of Orakei basin, near Auckland, New Zealand (image: Bruce W. Hayward)

By Jack Burden

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The 2025 waterski season launches with a bang next week as the IWWF World University Waterski Championships kick off in Auckland. The event, marking the first major competition of the year, is set to establish the early pecking order in what promises to be a high-octane season.

A total of 79 athletes from 19 nations will take to the water, featuring a mix of former junior world champions, rising stars, and burgeoning professionals eager to make their mark. While the World Championships brand may be expanding faster than a ski boat’s sticker price, there’s no questioning the sheer talent on display.

Slalom Showdowns

On the women’s side, Alexandra Garcia (USA) leads a fiercely competitive Slalom field, with Luisa Jaramillo (Colombia) and Daniela Kretschmer (Chile) set to challenge for the top spot. The men’s event features Nikolaus Attensam (Austria), Jaime Palomino Blanch (Mexico), and Federico Jaramillo (Colombia), each capable of throwing down massive scores under pressure.

Tricks to Watch

In the Tricks event, Malaysia’s Aaliyah Yoong Hannifah—already a familiar name in elite waterski circles—will look to fend off Canada’s Hannah Stopnicki in the women’s category. Meanwhile, the Mexican duo of Pablo Font and Patricio Font, alongside Erick Macias (USA), will be the favorites to beat in the men’s division.

Jumping to Great Heights

The Jump event could deliver some of the most electrifying moments of the week. Nellie Allard (Canada), Aaliyah Yoong Hannifah (Malaysia), and Lili Steiner (Austria) lead the women’s field, while the men’s side features France’s Pol Duplan-Fribourg, Argentina’s Tobias Giorgis, and Austria’s Luca Rauchenwald—all capable of clearing eye-watering distances.

Overall Contenders

When it comes to the all-around battle, expect Australia’s Lara Butlin, Malaysia’s Aaliyah Yoong Hannifah, and Austria’s Lili Steiner to contend for the women’s crown. In the men’s category, Pol Duplan-Fribourg (France) and Tobias Giorgis (Argentina) are the names to watch.

The Bigger Picture

This event marks the first University World Championships under the IWWF banner, with previous editions falling under FISU jurisdiction. Talks are already underway for an expanded 2026 edition, potentially adding wakeboard boat, cable wakeboard, and wakesurfing into the mix.

“IWWF is currently in discussions with a city in the USA to host the 2026 IWWF University Worlds with wakeboard boat, cable wakeboard, and wakesurfing being the proposed disciplines,” said IWWF President Jose Antonio Perez Priego.

With an already crowded calendar of IWWF title events, some critics wonder if the ever-expanding slate of competitions could dilute the prestige of the traditional World Championships. But for now, the focus is on New Zealand, where the future of waterskiing is set to take center stage.

And if the past is any guide, the next global star might just emerge from these very waters.

British waterskier William Asher slaloming

Quiz: Highest Winning Percentage in Men’s Pro Tournaments Since 2010

Quizzes

Quiz: Highest winning percentage in men’s professional tournaments since 2010

Image: Mommer

By RTB

3 minute play

In this quiz, you need to name the male skiers with highest winning percentage in professional tournaments since 2010.

The list has 14 skiers, all of whom have a winning percentage of greater than 10% in a single discipline competing in professional events since 2010. We have set the cut off at least ten professional tournaments in each discipline. Four skiers have winning percentages of 50% or better. We have given you the skier’s country, discipline, and winning percentage in the mentioned time period.

Data updated as of January 1, 2025

Ryan Dodd leaves the dock at the 2023 Moomba Masters

Strong Field Confirmed for the 64th Moomba Masters

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Moomba Masters Set for a Thrilling 2025 with World’s Top Skiers

Ryan Dodd leaves the dock at the 2023 Moomba Masters

Waterskiing’s finest set to converge in Melbourne (image: @vincephotography)

By Jack Burden

The stage is set for the 64th Moomba Masters International Invitational, one of water skiing’s premier events, as the Victorian Water Ski Association sends out invitations for the tournament scheduled for March. A total of 69 athletes from 15 countries have confirmed their participation, promising a fiercely competitive and diverse field.

The 2025 roster boasts an impressive lineup, including five of the six individual event world record holders. Notably, the tricks field features all five current skiers who have scored over 12,500 points and all three women who have surpassed 11,000—setting the stage for an intense competition.

While the top seeds include well-established names in the world of water skiing, the rest of the field is comprised of emerging talents, many of whom are relatively unknown. The event’s timing and location have historically posed challenges for Northern Hemisphere athletes, adding an extra layer of excitement as young competitors aim to make their mark on the global stage.

The IWWF University Worlds, held the week prior in nearby Auckland, New Zealand, has further strengthened the presence of young talent traveling to the Southern Hemisphere for this year’s event.

A notable omission from the entry list is Jacinta Carroll, the world record holder, who retired after securing her tenth consecutive Moomba Masters title last year. Her absence guarantees a first-time winner in the women’s jump event.

The Moomba Masters, held in downtown Melbourne during the city’s annual Moomba Festival, draws the largest crowd of any water ski event globally. The Yarra River, with its brackish water, variable tidal currents, and challenging bounceback from the riverbanks, presents a demanding test for athletes. However, the unparalleled atmosphere of skiing in front of thousands of spectators makes it one of the most thrilling experiences in the sport.

Top 10 Seeded Women:

SlalomTricksJump
Regina Jaquess (USA)Neilly Ross (CAN)Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya (USA)
Whitney Rini (CAN)Erika Lang (USA)Brittany Wharton (USA)
Elizabeth Montavon (USA)Anna Hunter (USA)Regina Jaquess (USA)
Neilly Ross (CAN)Alexia Abelson (USA)Valentina Gonzalez (CHI)
Alexander Garcia (USA)Hannah Stopnicki (CAN)Lili Steiner (AUT)
Annemarie Wroblewski (USA)Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya (USA)Sade Ferguson (AUS)
Trinidad Espinal (CHI)Daniela Verswyvel (COL)Kristy Appelton (AUS)
Sade Ferguson (AUS)Valentina Gonzalez (CHI)Lara Butlin (AUS)
Alice Bagnoli (ITA)Erica Hayes (AUS)Sanchia Outram (GBR)
Christhiana De Osma (PER)Megan Pelkey (CAN)Zarhli Reeves (AUS)

Top 10 Seeded Men:

SlalomTricksJump
Nate Smith (USA)Jake Abelson (USA)Joel Poland (GBR)
Frederick Winter (GBR)Patricio Font (MEX)Ryan Dodd (CAN)
Thomas Degasperi (ITA)Matias Gonzalez (CHI)Taylor Garcia (USA)
Charlie Ross (CAN)Martin Labra (CHI)Luca Rauchenwald (AUT)
Lucas Cornale (AUS)Louis Duplan-Fribourg (FRA)Louis Duplan-Fribourg (FRA)
Joel Poland (GBR)Joel Poland (GBR)Jack Critchley (GBR)
Steven Island (USA)Edoardo Marenzi (ITA)Igor Morozov (IWF)
Nicholas Adams (AUS)Pol Duplan-Fribourg (FRA)Tobias Giorgis (ARG)
Joel Howley (AUS)Tobias Giorgis (ARG)Edoardo Marenzi (ITA)
Jaeden Eade (USA)Dominic Kuhn (AUT)Archie Davis (AUS)