By RTB

Top 10 Rankings

Within the dynamic realm of trick skiing, a select group of female athletes have etched their names into the annals of the sport’s history. With a blend of unmatched performances on grand stages, record-shattering feats, and an unwavering commitment to their craft, these remarkable skiers have woven an unforgettable narrative. This article embarks on a journey through the rankings of trick skiing’s finest, illuminating their accomplishments and profound impact on the sport. Each woman’s extraordinary voyage and unparalleled achievements have solidified their positions as revered icons in the realm of trick skiing.

‘Greatest Of’ lists in any sport are inherently subjective and water skiing is no exception. There’s no definitive checklist to crown someone as the absolute best. Every fan out there has their own opinion. But decisions had to be made. We proudly present our picks for the 10 best female trick skiers in the history of competitive water skiing. So sit back, enjoy, and maybe even debate a little over our choices—after all, that’s the fun of it!

Image: Tiare Miranda

10. Natallia Berdnikava

Legend has it that a young Natallia was waiting in line to swim laps as part of her competitive swim training when she accidentally wandered into the shorter queue for cable trick skiing. After successfully getting up on her first attempt, the coach noticed her potential and pulled her into the Belarusian water ski program, setting her on a trajectory that would significantly alter the course of her life.

Although jump and overall were arguably her strongest events, Natalia picked up four World Championships trick medals between 2007 and 2017, including a runner-up finish in 2007 and being crowned world champion in 2011. She won the 2017 World Games, two U.S. Masters trick titles, and four Moomba Masters trick titles, including three consecutive victories from 2010 to 2012. She was the first woman to score 9,000 points in trick skiing, breaking the world record three times and coming agonizingly close to 10,000 with a personal best of 9,990 points.

Clementine Lucine is the IWSF 2007 Female Athlete of the Year (image: IWSF)

9. Clementine Lucine

In 2011, the Frenchwoman made history by becoming the first woman to trick 10,000 points. This achievement was the culmination of a long and fruitful career. As a junior, she clinched trick and overall titles at the 1998 U17 World Championships. She continued her success, winning a total of eight medals at the Open World Championships between 2003 and 2013.

Clem broke the world record four times throughout her career. She picked up three World Championships medals in trick skiing, with her greatest success coming in 2007 when she won both the tricks and overall disciplines. She also won a U.S. Masters in 2006, a Moomba Masters in 2009, and the World Games in 2013. Clem had the benefit of her professional peak coinciding with the IWWF World Cup era, winning six world cup stops between 2005 and 2013, with a winning percentage of just over 33%.

Image: anamariacarrasco.com

8. Ana Maria Carrasco

The youngest of the legendary Carrasco sisters from Venezuela, Ana Maria featured on eight World Championship podiums between 1979 and 1989, including clinching the world trick title in 1981 and the world overall title in 1983. In total, she picked up four World Championships medals in the trick event. Competing at the inaugural World Games in 1981, she won took gold in tricks and overall. Ana Maria was also a four-time U.S. Masters champion, including three trick titles. She broke the world trick record five times through the 1980s, becoming the first woman to score 8,000 points in 1984. Ahead of her time in the trick event, her top score of 8,350 would only be exceeded by a handful of women over the next two decades.

Image: @juanborrelli

7. Maria Victoria Carrasco

It’s easy to forget that during the 1970s, Venezuela was one of the most dominant forces in world water skiing, only narrowly losing to the United States in the team competition in 1977, with the world record holders Maria Victoria and Carlos Suarez winning both trick titles.

Maria Victoria made history by winning three consecutive World Championships from 1973 to 1977, becoming the first woman to achieve this feat in any discipline. Her prowess extended to the U.S. Masters, where she clinched victory three times. Throughout the 1970s, she broke the world record on four occasions, maintaining her hold on the record for nearly the entire decade. A pioneer of the sport, she significantly elevated the standard of women’s tricking from 4,000 points to her final record of 5,880 points in 1979.

A 20-year Career of Consistent Trick Runs (image: USA-WWF)

6. Britt Larsen-Kovak

It feels almost cruel to separate the identical twins, especially when they were inducted into the IWWF Hall of Fame as a joint entry in 2009. Although not quite ascending to the same extraordinary heights as her sister, Britt showcased remarkable prowess in trick skiing, forming one half of the most dominant trick skiing duo in the sport’s history. The twins frequently performed nearly identical trick runs, with victory often hinging on their precision and speed of execution.

Britt featured on every World Championships podium from 1989 to 1999, earning two coveted gold medals in 1993 and 1997. Her achievements also included triumphs in three out of four stops on the short-lived 1987 U.S. Grand Prix of Water Skiing, along with four U.S. Open championships. During the mid-1990s, Britt had an exceptional run of form, edging ahead of her sister to secure a three-year consecutive streak of U.S. Masters victories from 1993 to 1995 and a 1994 Moomba Masters win.

Natalia Rumjantseva at the 1981 World Championships (image: Youtube)

5. Natalia Rumjantseva

Being a Soviet Union skier during the height of the Cold War, Natalia faced restricted opportunities to compete on the global stage, mostly limited to the World Championships. Despite these limitations, her intense rivalry with Ana Maria Carrasco throughout the 1980s significantly propelled the advancement of women’s trick skiing. From 1979 to 1993, Natalia secured three World Championships trick titles and achieved runner-up positions on three additional occasions. Notably, she broke the world record five times between 1979 and 1984, distinguishing herself as the first woman to surpass both the 6,000 and 7,000-point marks.

Had she been afforded the chance to participate in events like the U.S. and Moomba Masters, there is little doubt that Natalia could have secured an even higher position on this list.

Image: UA News Center

4. Anna Gay

With a water ski pedigree that proudly boasts two U.S. National Champion trick skiers as parents, Anna was always destined for greatness. She ascended to the summit of the elite ranks in 2015, securing victories at the U.S. Open and the World Championships. This accomplishment was followed by an undefeated season in 2016, where she claimed triumphs at the Moomba Masters, U.S. Masters, and successfully defended her U.S. Open title. As the pinnacle of her achievements that year, she broke the world record, a feat she would replicate once more and uphold for two years.

Anna’s accolades also include consecutive U17 World Championships in 2014 and 2016, along with successive U21 World Championships in 2017 and 2019, culminating in an overall victory at the latter competition. In aggregate, she is a three-time open world champion, a two-time U.S. Masters and Moomba Masters champion, and stands among a select group of three women who have achieved trick scores surpassing 11,000 points.

Still in her early 20s, Anna has the potential to ascend even higher on this list if she continues her current trajectory.

Mandy Nightingale competing at an IWWF World Cup Stop in Changshu, China (image: IWSF)

3. Mandy Nightingale

The most dominant female tricker during the golden era of professional trick skiing. Her first major victory came at the 1994 U17 World Championships. However, it was in the 2000s that she ascended to the pinnacle of the elite ranks.

She clinched consecutive World Championships in 2003 and 2005, maintaining a presence on every World Championship podium from 2003 to 2007. Mandy was also a four-time U.S. Open champion and triumphed at the U.S. Masters in 2003 and 2005. In 2006, she broke Tawn Larsen’s seemingly unbeatable world trick record, which had endured for seven years, making it the longest-standing women’s trick record. Perhaps most remarkably, during the period when women’s tricking boasted the largest cash prizes, Mandy emerged victorious in over 50% of IWWF World Cup stops between 2005 and 2009, finishing on the podium in all but two World Cup stops she competed in.

Image: Camaro

2. Erika Lang

A top-level competitive gymnast during her teenage years, the Arizona native exhibited her remarkable talent from an early age. Erika had a golden run in 2013, clinching victory in both the trick and overall disciplines at the U17 World Championships, and despite her diminutive frame, she narrowly missed securing the slalom title, finishing second in a runoff. Within the same year, she won the Moomba Masters, an IWWF World Cup stop in Mandurah, and the Open World Championships. Adding the icing on the cake, she finished the season by breaking her first world record—becoming only the second woman to reach 10,000 points.

Erika has since elevated women’s skiing to new heights, revolutionizing the sport. Her flipping ability rivals that of the leading male skiers and has transferred into success on the professional wakeboard circuit. She has broken the world record a total of seven times, holding the record for eight of the past ten years. Over the last decade, she has extended the record from a little over 10,000 points to her current mark of 11,360 points.

Thriving in a field of fierce competition, Erika boasts a winning rate just shy of 50% in professional tournaments since her breakout season in 2013. Her accomplishments include five Moomba Masters titles, four U.S. Masters championships, and a U.S. Open victory. On the global stage, she has also earned the title of U21 world champion, Pan American Games champion, and her achievements encompass podium finishes at the Open World Championships in 2017, 2021, and 2023, finally clinching a second world title at the latter event. Erika’s groundbreaking performances have undeniably redefined the landscape of women’s trick skiing.

Image: WATERSKI Magazine

1. Tawn Larsen-Hahn

In the realm of water skiing, many remarkable siblings have left their mark over the years. Families like the LaPoints, Duvalls, Roberges, Llewellyns, McClintocks, and Carrascos have taken turns dominating the sport. However, few siblings can rival the sustained supremacy held by the Larsen twins in women’s trick skiing during the late 1980s and 1990s. Over their two-decade-long career, it was Tawn Larsen who ultimately emerged as the preeminent trick skier in the world. Talented from a young age, she clinched her first Open Women’s title at the U.S. Nationals in 1985, followed by victory at the inaugural U17 World Championships in 1986.

The twins exerted an iron grip on the World Championships, with one of them triumphing in every event from 1989 to 1999. Tawn missed the podium only once during this ten-year period, winning four gold medals in 1989, 1991, 1995, and 1999, along with a runner-up finish to Britt in 1997. At the U.S. Masters, the sisters experienced defeat just once from 1989 to 2000, with Tawn securing victory seven times—more Masters’ trick titles than any other woman. Additionally, she claimed eight U.S. Open titles, won multiple stops on the Budweiser Water Ski Tour, and dominated on the Women of Waterskiing Tour in the late 1990s.

Among her remarkable feats, Tawn’s tenure as the world record holder stands out. She held the record for an astonishing 18 years, which remains the longest streak in the sport’s history. She broke the record four times between 1988 and 1999, solidifying her status as a trailblazer in women’s trick skiing.

Honorable Mentions:

Neilly Ross

Unbeaten throughout 2017, she secured titles at the Moomba Masters, U.S. Masters, and the U17 and Open World Championships. She holds the distinction of being a two-time U.S. and Moomba Masters champion, and is one of only three women to achieve over 11,000 points in trick skiing.

A victim of the most competitive field in the sport’s history, Neilly only narrowly misses the top 10. However, at just 22 years old, we anticipate her ascending the ranks as her career advances.

Whitney McClintock Rini

In 2009, she clinched victories in slalom, tricks, and overall at both the U21 and Open World Championships. Additionally, Whitney secured three consecutive U.S. Masters trick titles from 2009 to 2011.

Karen Bowkett Neville

Best known for her achievements in the overall event, trick skiing stood out as Karen’s strongest discipline. She earned a runner-up position in the tricks category at the 1985 World Championships and dominated the Moomba Masters throughout the 1980s, accumulating numerous trick titles.

Marina Doria & Dany Duflot-Privat

These Europeans are both two-time world champions, dominating the sport in the 1950s and early 1960s.

By RTB

Top 10 Rankings

In the world of trick skiing, certain athletes have left an unforgettable mark on the sport’s history. From dominating performances in prestigious tournaments to breaking records and achieving unparalleled feats, these trickers have showcased their exceptional talent and dedication. In this article, we delve into the rankings of the greatest trick skiers of all time, celebrating their achievements and contributions to the sport. Each skier’s remarkable journey and extraordinary accomplishments have solidified their status as legends in the world of water skiing.

‘Greatest Of’ lists in any sport are inherently subjective and water skiing is no exception. There’s no definitive checklist to crown someone as the absolute best. Every fan out there has their own opinion. But decisions had to be made. We proudly present our picks for the best male trickers in the history of water skiing. So sit back, enjoy, and maybe even debate a little over our choices—after all, that’s the fun of it!

Image: AWWF

10. Mick Neville

During the 1980s, the Moomba Masters was the most significant professional tournament for trick and overall skiers, as the U.S. Masters remained amateur until 1985, and the Coors Light Water Ski Tour focused solely on slalom and jump events. Amidst this competitive landscape, one skier stood out as the dominant force in the trick event on the Yarra River – Mick Neville. His prowess in trick skiing was further highlighted by his podium appearances at every World Championships from 1981 to 1987, including a runner-up finish to Patrice Martin in England during the 1987 event.

A strong competitor in overall as well, Neville has the unfortunate distinction of winning the most World Championships medals (eight) without ever taking home a gold.

Image: USA-WWF

9. Tory Baggiano

The Colorado native was the only man to rival the dominance of Patrice Martin and Cory Pickos during the late 1980s and early 1990s. His exceptional skills allowed him to end Pickos’ six-year streak as national champion, winning the U.S. Nationals in 1986 and the U.S. Open in 1988. In 1990, he made history by becoming the first man to break the 11,000-point mark in trick skiing. Notable victories include the 1993 World Championships, 1990 Pan American Championships, and three U.S. Masters titles. Despite significant progress in the sport over the past 30 years, Baggiano remains one of the greatest toe trickers of all time.

Siemers named to Hall of Fame Class of 2023 (Image: USA-WWF)

8. Jimmy Siemers

Known primarily for his overall skiing, the exceptional talent hailing from Texas was equally formidable in the trick event. As a junior, Siemers was an Under-17 and Under-21 World trick, jump and overall champion. He clinched the tricks title along with the overall title at the 2003 World Championships in Florida, showcasing his versatility and excellence in both disciplines.

Throughout his career, he was always a contender on the professional circuit, winning tricks four times at the U.S. Masters, in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2011, and twice at the Moomba Masters, in 2011 and 2018. Additionally, he secured victories at four IWWF World Cup stops held in Doha, Qatar (twice), Putrajaya, Malaysia, and Mandurah, Australia. Finally, in 2008, he dethroned Nicholas Le Forestier and ascended to the number one spot on the elite rankings, a testament to his exceptional talent.

Image: USA-WWF

7. Carlos Suárez

In the 1970s, Venezuela produced some of the greatest water skiers in the world, and Suárez was chief among them. As a four-time world record holder, he was the first to achieve the impressive feats of tricking over 6,000 and 7,000 points. His skill and consistency earned him back-to-back world titles in 1975 and 1977, along with a runner-up position in 1979. Additionally, Suárez secured two U.S. Masters titles in 1976 and 1979, cementing his status as a prominent figure in trick skiing during that era.

Pato Font celebrates after his winning trick run at the 2023 World Championships (Image: Johnny Hayward)

6. Patricio Font

Hailing from Mexico, the young prodigy, Pato Font, has taken the water skiing world by storm, leaving a trail of broken records on his path to the top. Font’s talent has been evident from an early age, securing back-to-back Under-17 World Championships in 2016 and 2018, followed by repeat victories in the Under-21 World Championships in 2021 and 2023. His incredible journey continued as he claimed the World Championships title in both 2019 and 2023, with a runner-up finish in between in 2021, further cementing his status as one of the sport’s biggest rising stars.

Font has dominated the professional circuit in recent years, securing four consecutive U.S. Masters titles from 2019 to 2023, back-to-back Moomba Masters titles in 2020 and 2022, and victory at the 2021 U.S. Open. To top it all off, Font etched his name in history by breaking Aliaksei Zharnasek’s long-standing world record in 2022, and remarkably, he has since exceeded it twice.

Just twenty-one years of age, Font is on track to become one of the greatest trickers of all time.

Image: Water Skier Magazine

5. Ricky McCormick

McCormick’s incredible talent in waterskiing was evident from a young age when, at only 14 years old, he wowed audiences with his jumps and tricks as the opening act on The Ed Sullivan Show. He shared the stage that night with none other than the Rolling Stones.

McCormick held the world trick record and was a consistent presence on every World Championships podium from 1967 to 1973, ultimately claiming the gold medal in 1971. Additionally, he was a seven-time U.S. Masters trick champion, over a twelve year span from 1966 to 1977. He competed at the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he secured the sport’s only Olympic gold in the trick skiing category, further solidifying his status as one of the sport’s legends.

Perhaps McCormick’s greatest legacy in trick skiing is his claim to being the first to land a flip on skis. Valued at only 350 points when first approved, his flip didn’t make it into his regular trick run. However, he would often throw it for the crowd on his way back to the dock.

Image: trickskiboss.com

4. Aliaksei Zharnasek

The muscular Belarusian, known simply as “Ace” for his remarkable talent in trick skiing. Zharnasek held the title of the number one ranked elite tricker for seven seasons, including four consecutive years from 2011 to 2014. His world trick record of 12,570 stood for eleven and a half years, making it the longest-standing trick record in the history of the sport. His contributions were pivotal in Belarus’ unexpected victory at the 2011 World Championships, and he maintained an unyielding presence on every World Championships podium from 2005 to 2013. Notably, he secured three consecutive world titles in 2009, 2011, and 2013.

With an impressive resume boasting over 20 professional victories, Zharnasek maintained a winning record of greater than 50% in the 2010s. His accomplishments include being a four-time U.S. Masters champion, five-time Moomba Masters champion, along with five U.S. Open champion titles. He secured three IWWF World Cup stop victories in 2009, 2010, and 2012. Ace’s prowess on the water and his remarkable achievements place him amongst the top trickers of all time.

The European champion Patrice Martin performs a Trick in 1979 on the Castel Gandolfo lake (image: Le Monde)

3. Patrice Martin

The Frenchman burst onto the world stage as a trick phenom while still a teenager and eventually concluded his career as one of the greatest overall skiers of all time. He was the second man to trick 10,000 points, achieving the feat a mere two months behind Cory Pickos. Throughout his illustrious career, Martin broke the world trick record seven times between 1978 and 1996, helping extend the record from 7,000 to 11,000 points.

Martin’s achievements in trick skiing include an impressive haul of seven World Championships trick medals, which includes four world titles secured in 1979, 1985, 1987, and 1991. At the World Games, Martin was unbeaten through the first four editions from 1981 to 1993, earning himself a spot among the top 10 all-time medal winners across all sports. Moreover, he boasts 16 European trick titles, with victories spanning from 1978 to 2001. His dominance extended to the professional circuit, where he clinched numerous victories, such as three U.S. Masters titles in 1978, 1988, and 1989, and three U.S. Open titles in 1991, 1993, and 1995. Martin’s remarkable talent and achievements have firmly cemented his status as one of the sport’s legends.

Image: IWSF

2. Nicholas Le Forestier

The first man to trick 12,000 points, this Frenchman left his mark on the sport by breaking the world record five times and holding it for an impressive eleven and a half years during the early 2000s. He showcased his exceptional talent on the world stage, securing top-two finishes in seven out of nine World Championships from 1995 to 2011. He won the World Championships in 2001, and had back-to-back wins again in 2005 and 2007. Le Forestier’s peak performance coincided with the heyday of professional trick skiing in the early 2000s, during which he asserted his dominance at IWWF World Cup events, clinching gold at an impressive nine out of eleven events between 2004 and 2007.

Throughout his career, he maintained the distinction of being the number one ranked elite tricker from 2002 to 2007. At the U.S. Masters, he secured an incredible nine titles, including an unbeaten streak of five consecutive wins from 2001 to 2005. Additionally, Le Forestier was a frequent champion at the Moomba Masters, with three consecutive victories from 2001 to 2003, adding to his long list of professional victories.

Tricks skier Cory Pickos among Hall of Fame Class of 2012 (Image: The Ledger)

1. Cory Pickos

Competing in an era where professional trick tournaments were scarce, Pickos may not have as many professional titles as Le Forestier, but he undoubtedly stands as the greatest tricker our sport has ever seen. A true trailblazer in world trick skiing, his career spanned a remarkable four different decades. Pickos achieved the historic feat of being the first man to break the 10,000-point mark in trick skiing. Moreover, he set an astounding 24 world records between 1977 and 2000. At the young age of 13, he set his first record at 6,860 points, and by the twilight of his career, he had raised the bar to an impressive 11,920 points. Remarkably, Pickos held the world trick record for 17.5 years during this 23-year period.

His accolades in competitions further solidify his standing in the sport. Pickos secured back-to-back World Championships in 1981 and 1983, setting the tone for his consistent podium appearances over the next two decades, where he earned another four medals. Domestically, he boasted an impressive ten U.S. national champion titles, including six U.S Open titles. He won eight U.S. Masters titles and maintained an undefeated record in the short-lived 1987 U.S. Grand Prix of Water Skiing, winning all four events. Moreover, he showcased his dominance on the Coors Light Water Ski Tour during the 1980s, triumphing at the few stops that included the trick event—such as Vallejo, CA in 1987 and 1989, and Wichita, KS in 1989.

Honorable Mentions:

Joshua Briant

Remarkable as a junior, Briant won the Under-17 World Championships in 2012, back-to-back Under-21 World Championships in 2013 and 2015, the 2014 Moomba Masters, featured on the podium at the World Championships in 2015 and 2017, and took gold at the 2017 World Games. He suffered serious injuries after a jump crash in 2017, and although he has since posted scores back over 11,000 points, he appears to have effectively retired from top-level competition.

Russel Gay

Among the first 10 men to trick 10,000 points, he picked up medals at three consecutive World Championships from 1999 to 2003, matched Pickos’ 10 U.S. national titles, was the 1996 U.S. Open champion, and won an IWWF World Cup stop in Changshu, China in 2004.

Kreg and Jaret Llewellyn

The brothers from Canada were among the first to trick over 10,000 points and between them picked up a World Championships gold, a U.S. Masters title, and multiple U.S. Open and Moomba Masters victories.

Aymeric Benet and Adam Pickos

Both are two-time world champions, but narrowly miss the top 10 based on a lack of professional victories.