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UL Lafayette claimed its sixth consecutive Division 1 national championship

Ragin’ Cajuns Capture Sixth Straight National Title, Extend Historic Streak

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Ragin’ Cajuns Capture Sixth Straight National Title, Extend Historic Streak

UL Lafayette claimed its sixth consecutive Division 1 national championship

Image: @ullafayette

By Jack Burden

EL CENTRO, Calif. — The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Ragin’ Cajuns Water Ski Team has done it again.

With another commanding performance at the NCWSA National Championships at Imperial Lakes, UL Lafayette captured its sixth consecutive Division 1 national title — and 12th overall — extending an unbeaten streak that began in 2019. The run now stands as the second-longest winning streak in tournament history, trailing only the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s nine straight titles from 1980 to 1988.

Led by Kennedy Hansen, who swept all three women’s events to claim the overall title, the Cajuns showcased their trademark depth and precision. Dominic Kuhn, Alexander Gschiel, and Florian Parth all finished inside the top five in men’s overall, while Violeta Mociulsky, Kate Pinsonneault, and Megan Pelkey anchored the women’s side with multiple podium finishes.

Beyond the scores, this year’s Nationals captured everything that makes collegiate water skiing unique. More than 330 skiers from 24 schools competed in El Centro, filling the shorelines with team chants, music, and an infectious energy rarely seen at traditional water ski events. The weekend delivered world-class performances — from an all-10.25m (41-off) men’s slalom podium to a dramatic jump-off finale — but it was the sense of community that defined the tournament.

For the Cajuns, the victory extends one of the most dominant eras in collegiate sports, and for the sport itself, it was another reminder that the heart of water skiing still beats loudest when the youth show up.

Hanna Straltsova world record

Straltsova Ends 13-Year Reign with New World Record

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Hanna Straltsova ends 13-year reign with new women’s overall world record

Hanna Straltsova world record

Image: @skifluid

By Jack Burden

Thirteen years. A third of a point. A new name at the top.

At the Bill Wenner Memorial Record tournament in central Florida earlier this summer, Hanna Straltsova delivered one of the most complete performances in the history of water skiing—setting a new women’s world overall record with 5 buoys at 11.25 meters (38’ off), 8,890 points in tricks, and a 59.8-meter (196 ft) jump. The combination earned her 2,581.39 overall points, edging past Natallia Berdnikava’s legendary 2012 mark by just 0.27 points—the narrowest margin ever to decide an overall world record.

It’s a fitting milestone for Straltsova, who this season defended both her World Overall and Jump titles at the IWWF World Championships in Recetto, Italy, and clinched the Waterski Pro Tour Jump crown after another undefeated season.

Berdnikava’s 13-year record—3@11.25m, 9,740 points, and a 58.0m jump—had withstood an entire generation of challengers. Straltsova had been knocking on the door for several seasons before finally combining her best across all three events to surpass it.

Once known primarily as a jumper, Straltsova has quietly evolved into one of the sport’s most complete athletes—her recent gains in slalom in particular pushing her into new territory. With this record, she doesn’t just add another accolade; she breaks through the old ceiling, potentially opening the door to a new era in women’s overall skiing alongside rising contenders like Giannina Bonnemann Mechler and Kennedy Hansen.

Sergio Font leads the IWWF Trick Committee

IWWF Trick Committee Moves Toward Major Scoring Overhaul

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IWWF Trick Committee Moves Toward Major Scoring Overhaul

Sergio Font leads the IWWF Trick Committee

Image: @pato.font

By Jack Burden

The long-awaited reform of trick skiing’s scoring system is finally gaining momentum.

Meeting in Italy on September 1, the IWWF World Waterski Council received a proposal from the Trick Committee outlining sweeping changes to the sport’s point values—the first comprehensive overhaul in more than two decades.

Led by Sergio Font, the committee’s recommendations would increase the value of 10 high-difficulty flips, including most “super” flips and backflip variations of 360 degrees or more. Several would surpass the long-standing 1,000-point ceiling that has capped trick progression for years. Three non-flip tricks—wake-seven-back, ski-line-seven-front, and toe-wake-line-front—would also see modest increases. No tricks are proposed to decrease in value.

Font said the proposed changes reflect months of collaboration and are designed to make trick skiing “more entertaining” while better rewarding flips that are currently “undervalued.”

Under the plan, the anachronistic double backflip and backflip-stepover would be removed from the rulebook. The committee expects to deliver accompanying rule-change proposals this month, with implementation targeted for December 2026—giving athletes a full year to adapt before the changes take effect.

Council Chair Candido Moz endorsed the measured rollout, saying it will “allow skiers and coaches to consider the implications” ahead of the next World Championships cycle.

The proposals follow mounting criticism from elite athletes, including world record holder Joel Poland, who has argued that the current system “cripples trick skiing” by undervaluing the sport’s most difficult flips.

If adopted, the new points table would mark a historic reset—breaking the ceiling on trick difficulty and potentially reshaping elite runs for years to come.

Jean-Francois Rapp with the Duplan-Fribourg siblings

Tributes Flow for Jean-François Rapp, Mentor Behind the Duplan-Fribourg Dynasty

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Tributes flow for Jean-François Rapp, mentor behind the Duplan-Fribourg dynasty

Jean-Francois Rapp with the Duplan-Fribourg siblings

Image: @poldf

By Jack Burden

The water ski community is mourning the loss of Jean-François Rapp, a French champion skier and revered coach, who passed away aged 69 this week.

Rapp first made his mark as one of France’s brightest young talents. A multiple-time national champion in slalom and overall in the 1980s, he was ranked third in the world when the first official world ranking list was published in October 1979—behind only American greats Bob and Kris LaPoint.

One of the first French skiers to split his time between Europe and the United States, Rapp became a familiar presence at Florida ski schools and eventually forged a lifelong friendship with Jack Travers. That bond brought him to Sunset Lakes, where he became part of the Travers Ski School coaching staff and community for decades.

In recent years, Rapp’s greatest legacy has been as coach and mentor to the Duplan-Fribourg brothers—Louis, Pol, and Tristan—guiding them from juniors to the elite stage. Under his watch, Louis claimed the World Overall title in 2023, Pol captured the University World Overall crown earlier this year along with multiple junior world jump titles, and Tristan has emerged as one of the sport’s most exciting new trick prospects, joining the exclusive 12k club this season. For the family, Rapp was more than a coach—he was family.

Tributes poured in from across the skiing world. Lelani Travers reflected on his lifelong bond with her husband, Jack:

“Jean Francois Rapp has gone on to what we know is a better place. Oh my goodness, the stories those two wild boys could tell. They spent a lifetime loving this sport and the people in it. He will always bring a smile to our faces and have a huge place in our hearts.”

Pol Duplan-Fribourg dedicated his University World title to Rapp:

“This man didn’t just teach me how to be good at waterskiing; he also had to put up with me for many years, never counting the minutes he spent in the boat, always giving his very best every single second. Beyond skiing, he taught me what it means to be a man—how to carry myself, how to make the most of life, and how to seize every opportunity that comes our way.”

Rapp’s influence could be felt in Louis Duplan-Fribourg’s World Championships performances as well, with one friend describing him as a patient craftsman who helped polish one of the sport’s brightest diamonds.

From the heights of the 1970s ranking list to the shores of Sunset Lakes and the world’s biggest stages, Jean-François Rapp dedicated his life to waterskiing. He will be remembered not only for his results, but for his devotion, warmth, and the generations of athletes who carry his lessons forward.

Golden Lake Ski Club in Poti Georgia

Crumbling Concrete, Pristine Waters: Pro Tour Lands in Georgia’s Forgotten Ski Mecca

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Crumbling concrete, pristine waters: Pro Tour lands in Georgia’s forgotten ski Mecca

Golden Lake Ski Club in Poti Georgia

Image: TWBC

By Jack Burden

The Waterski Pro Tour lands in Georgia this weekend, bringing world-class skiing to Poti — a city steeped in history, now staging its sporting revival on the Black Sea. Golden Lake, surrounded by the crumbling concrete shells of a bygone empire, will host slalom and jump finals under the lights on TWBC.

Just two hours inland lies Gori, birthplace of Josef Stalin, and Poti itself was once a Soviet naval hub before years of neglect left its infrastructure to rot. Today, the aerial view looks like something from a post-apocalyptic film: vegetation reclaiming vast concrete blocks, with a pristine waterski lake cutting through the middle.

“The city of Poti, it was a cradle of water skiing,” said Mikheil Gioradze, the tournament’s executive director. “The sport in this country started from right here. People around here consider water skiing almost part of their identity.”

He didn’t shy from the region’s turbulent history. “As it happened in all the countries of the former Soviet Union, after the collapse of that evil empire the countries went through very hard times. Everything went down, nobody was looking after this place. And here we are today, trying to revive it… to bring this historical place and this sport back to life.”

Gioradze calls this first Poti Pro the beginning of a larger rebirth: “We really want this place back on the sports map of the world, and we very much hope this Pro Tour will be the start of a new era.”

Fifteen skiers have made the journey to Golden Lake despite a modest prize purse and a clash with the WWS Overall Tour in Austria. Italy’s Thomas Degasperi and Brando Caruso headline men’s slalom, while New Zealand’s Jamie Metcalfe and Ukraine’s Danylo Filchenko bring international firepower to women’s slalom and men’s jump.

For Poti, and for water skiing, the symbolism is undeniable: a sport nearly forgotten here is rising again, in Stalin’s homeland, from the shadows of the Soviet past.

Andy Mapple is still the oldest world champion of all time

Andy Mapple’s Record Still Untouched as Youth Rule World Championships

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Andy Mapple’s record still untouched as youth rule World Championships

Andy Mapple is still the oldest world champion of all time

Image: driftpointmedia.com

By Jack Burden

RECETTO, Italy — Andy Mapple’s benchmark continues to stand tall. Despite a World Championships stacked with veterans — including seven serious title contenders over 40 — the younger generation of water skiers emerged decisively on top.

Only six athletes have ever claimed a world title past the age of 35, and Mapple’s 2001 triumph at 38 remains the high-water mark. With the likes of Regina Jaquess, Thomas Degasperi, Will Asher, and Ryan Dodd still in the mix, many expected that record to finally fall. Instead, the oldest champion crowned last week was Nate Smith at just 34 years, 9 months, while the average age of the winners was a youthful 27.

Time and again, youth edged experience. Jaimee Bull, 25, toppled 40-year-old Jaquess in women’s slalom. Joel Poland, 27, outshined Dodd, 40, in men’s jump. In the men’s slalom final, a field stacked with veterans — Degasperi, Vaughn, Asher, Travers, and Winter — produced just one top-five finish from the over-35s, courtesy of Asher. The sternest challenge to Smith came instead from the youngest skier in the final, 20-year-old Charlie Ross. In women’s jump, Hanna Straltsova (30) delivered as expected, but it was the younger duo of Brittany Greenwood Wharton and Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya who narrowly kept Jaquess (40) and Jutta Menestrina (38) off the podium.

Even in tricks, long a proving ground for the next generation, the pattern held. Teenagers Matias Gonzalez and Jake Abelson claimed the top of the podium, while 24-year-old Neilly Ross took down world record holder Erika Lang (29).

Sports science, training, and recovery may be prolonging careers, but for now Mapple’s mark remains untouched. Nearly a quarter century after his last title — also here in Recetto — the sport’s ultimate prizes still belong to the young.

Neilly Ross signs with Goode Skis

Neilly Ross Joins Team Goode

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Neilly Ross joins Team Goode

Neilly Ross signs with Goode Skis

Image: @neillyross

By Jack Burden

After a cryptic Instagram teaser — including a blurred-out ski shot — Neilly Ross has made it official: she’s now riding for Goode. The Canadian star announced the move with clips of her both slaloming and trick skiing on Goode skis, adding the caption: “Change is Goode.”

Goode Skis returned the sentiment: “Welcome to Team Goode! Can’t wait to see what the future holds! 💪🏼🔥”

The switch marks the end of a decade long partnership with Reflex, the European-based brand best known for its hardshell bindings but also a boutique producer of high-end skis. For Goode, it’s one of the biggest signings in recent memory.

Ross is arguably the hottest property in world water skiing. No athlete has stood on more pro podiums in 2025, her rapidly improving slalom form complementing her well-established dominance in tricks, where she’s been trading the world record with Erika Lang. She’s also one of the sport’s most marketable names, with a social media following of close to 350,000 across Instagram and TikTok.

For Goode, the move bolsters a growing presence in trick skiing. Since launching trick skis in 2019 under founder Dave Goode in collaboration with Martin Kolman, the brand’s designs — including the 2022 Avalon, crafted by Jimmy Siemers and Richard Abelson — have gone from experiment to world-record machines. Jake Abelson’s historic run of record scores was set entirely on Goode.

Now, with Ross joining an already stacked roster, the Utah-based manufacturer has a superstar capable of winning at the very top level in both slalom and tricks — and turning heads on and off the water.

IWWF President José Antonio Pérez Priego

IWWF President Strongly Hints at Towboat Shakeup: “We’re in the Process of Moving On”

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IWWF President strongly hints at towboat shakeup: “We’re in the process of moving on”

IWWF President José Antonio Pérez Priego

Image: IWWF

By Jack Burden

CALGARY, Alberta — It’s not official, but it might as well be.

Speaking during an episode of the TWBC Podcast last weekend at the Under-21 World Championships, IWWF President José Antonio Pérez Priego all but confirmed that Nautique’s time as the federation’s official towboat partner is over.

“Our relationship with Nautique will end at the end of the year,” Pérez said. “They have been a great partner to us… but we’re in the process of moving on.”

While Pérez stopped short of naming the successor, his comments added fuel to long-circulating rumors that Malibu Boats is set to take over the coveted contract starting in 2026.

When pressed directly about whether Nautique would continue, Pérez replied, “Nothing is cast in stone. It could change, but at this moment it doesn’t look like that.”

The IWWF issued a tender earlier this year to six major boat manufacturers, receiving three bids—among them, it’s widely assumed, Malibu, MasterCraft, and Nautique. According to Pérez, the bids were reviewed not only for boat performance but also for financial support, global reach, and logistical capacity across all disciplines, including wakesports.

All boats under consideration have already been approved by the IWWF Tournament Council, Pérez said, and an announcement will come “in the next few weeks.” But the federation will do no more than announce its next partner until Nautique’s contract expires on December 31.

“For us, honoring our commitments is extremely important,” Pérez added. “We will not make any other comments until the first of next year.”

Despite the formality of that timeline, the writing seems to be on the wall. And for many within the sport, it’s the worst-kept secret on the circuit: Malibu is back.

2026 Ski Nautique

New Ski Nautique to Make Competitive Debut at California ProAm

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New Ski Nautique to make competitive Debut at California ProAm

2026 Ski Nautique

Image: @nautiqueboats

By Jack Burden

The California ProAm returns for its 23rd edition next weekend at Shortline Lake in Elk Grove—now the longest-running professional waterski event in the world outside of Moomba and the Masters. But this year brings a notable first: the competitive debut of the all-new 2026 Ski Nautique.

Billed as the largest professional slalom tournament in the country, the three-day event also features pro jumping and amateur competition. On-site displays will showcase Nautique’s new flagship model, giving West Coast fans their first look at the next generation of tournament towboats.

On paper, this should be one of the biggest events of the year: head-to-head slalom, a rare pro jump field (one of just five in 2025), and a $60,000 prize purse—second only to the Masters in the U.S. It’s also the final professional stop before August’s World Championships, a last chance to preview key matchups on the sport’s biggest stage.

And yet, the slalom field is surprisingly thin.

As of publication, only one woman from the Waterski Pro Tour’s top five is entered, with just three from the top ten. The men’s side is slightly stronger, but still missing most of its stars: just four of the top ten, and only one from the top three, are confirmed.

Whether that’s down to fatigue after a long European stint, the looming Worlds in Italy, or the ProAm’s absence from this year’s Pro Tour calendar is unclear. There’s still time for late entries—but the message feels unmistakable: something is missing.

Still, fans will be treated to a rare jump showdown, a significant boat debut, and one last look at the world’s best before the biggest event of the season.

Oscar Domino jumps at the 20th International San Gervasio

Jolly Ski Celebrates 20 Years of the International San Gervasio

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Jolly Ski celebrates 20 years of the International San Gervasio

Oscar Domino jumps at the 20th International San Gervasio

Oscar Domino of Denmark jumps during the XX International San Gervasio

By Michela Luzzeri

Jolly Ski

SAN GERVASIO, ITALY — From June 20th to 22nd, the 20th edition of the International San Gervasio took place at Jolly Ski in San Gervasio Bresciano. This historic three-event tournament (slalom, tricks, and jump) has been attracting young talent from across Europe—and beyond—for two decades. 62 athletes from 10 different countries competed in a weekend full of excitement and unforgettable performances.

As tradition goes, the first day of the tournament concluded with the awarding of the Trofeo Josè, given to the junior slalom skier who comes closest to the Italian National in their age group’s. This year’s sixth edition of the trophy went to U14 German skier Maja Leonhardt, who scored an excellent 1@12m. During the awards ceremony, we also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the event with a toast and refreshments, joined by athletes, coaches, officials, and friends who’ve been part of this journey.

Among the standout performances, Austria’s Lili Steiner impressed with a 47-meter jump, confirming her status as one of the top contenders for the upcoming U21 World Championships in Canada. Austria showed up strong this year, having selected the International San Gervasio as one of its official qualifiers for the national youth team ahead of the European Championships.

Many athletes set new personal bests. Among them was local athlete from Alfianello, Edoardo La Malfa, who scored a personal best in tricks (8120 points) and a new overall personal best, thanks to a strong slalom score of 1.5@11.25m and a 55.5m jump.

One of the most emotional moments came from Ukrainian athlete Mykhailo Mykhailichenko, who has found a second skiing home in Italy since the beginning of the war. At just 15 years old, he delivered an outstanding slalom performance with 1@10.75m.

Oscar Domino of Denmark also celebrated a major milestone by qualifying for the U21 World Championships with a new personal best of 54.9m jump. Another strong U21 Worlds prospect is hometown skier Florian Parth, who showed great form with 5.5@10.75m. 

Last but not least, promising signs from the Italian National Team: both Matteo Luzzeri and Nicholas Benatti showed grit and determination, bouncing back after injury-plagued seasons in 2024. The road to the Open Worlds is officially underway!