By Jack Burden

One of water skiing’s most decorated slalomers will step away from the start dock in 2026 — for the best possible reason.

Whitney McClintock Rini announced this week that she and husband Matt Rini are expecting their second child, a baby girl due at the end of June. In an Instagram post, the five-time world champion shared the news with characteristic warmth and optimism.

“We’re so excited & we can’t hide this baby bump anymore!! 🤗🩷🤰🏼 Our Baby Girl is expected to arrive end of June! 🙏 Please pray with us for her to continue to grow & thrive to full term… and for a happy & healthy delivery. 🫶🏼 And I expect to be back on the water for the fall pro events of course!”

The timeline all but confirms McClintock Rini will miss the bulk — if not all — of the 2026 professional season, a notable absence in a women’s slalom field she has helped define for more than a decade.

If history is any guide, however, few would bet against a swift return. After the birth of her son Zane in 2020, McClintock Rini resumed competition the following season and proceeded to add double-digit professional victories while remaining a fixture inside the world’s top three.

Her résumé remains one of the most complete in modern water skiing: five world titles, a share of the world slalom record, and a long-running dominance at the Moomba Masters that has bordered on routine. Even in recent seasons, she has continued to win roughly one out of every three professional events she enters — a statistic that underscores both longevity and sustained excellence.

For now, the focus shifts away from buoys and back toward family life — a balance McClintock Rini has navigated better than almost anyone in the sport.

And if her own postscript is to be believed, the pause may be just that: temporary.