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Water ski jumping at the 2025 Moomba Masters

Invitations Sent: 2026 Moomba Field Takes Shape

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Invitations Sent: 2026 Moomba Masters Field Takes Shape

Water ski jumping at the 2025 Moomba Masters

Waterskiing’s finest set to converge in Melbourne (image: Moomba Masters)

By Jack Burden

Water skiing’s longest-running professional event is set to return to the heart of Melbourne, as invitations have gone out for the 65th Nautique Moomba Masters International Invitational, scheduled for March 5–9, 2026 on the Yarra River.

The Victorian Water Ski Association has confirmed a deep and globally diverse field, featuring athletes from across the world and headlined by three reigning individual world champions, all of the 2025 men’s Waterski Pro Tour champions, and another rare Moomba appearance from newlywed world record holder Regina Critchley (née Jaquess). As ever, Moomba blends established stars with emerging talent, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere, where timing and travel continue to shape the competitive mix.

While some Northern Hemisphere absences reflect planning ahead to the 2027 World Championships, the overall roster promises no shortage of intrigue. From elite slalom and jump contenders to one of the strongest men’s trick fields assembled—led by Jake Abelson, Matías Gonzalez, Martín Labra, Joel Poland, and Patricio Font—the 2026 Moomba Masters once again looks poised to deliver five days of world-class competition at the centerpiece of the Melbourne Moomba Festival.

IWWF Reverses ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes

IWWF Reopens Door to Russian, Belarusian Juniors

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IWWF Reopens Door to Russian, Belarusian Juniors

IWWF Reverses ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes

Image: @iwwfed

By Jack Burden

The International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation has taken another step in its slow recalibration of policy, voting to allow Russian and Belarusian youth athletes back into international competition.

Following an International Olympic Committee recommendation issued on December 19, 2025, the IWWF Bureau resolved that athletes from both nations will be eligible to compete in all IWWF-sanctioned youth events—defined as all divisions below Open—effective January 30, 2026. The decision applies to both individual and team competitions and permits participation under national flags and anthems, in line with standard IWWF event protocols.

It is a meaningful shift, even if a carefully bounded one. While senior athletes remain outside the scope of this ruling, the door is now fully open for juniors to contest titles and team medals, restoring pathways that had been largely closed since early 2022.

The move fits within a broader, sometimes uneasy evolution of the IWWF’s stance. After initially imposing a sweeping ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes following the invasion of Ukraine, the federation has gradually softened restrictions—first allowing limited participation under the IWWF flag, and now restoring full national representation at the youth level.

The IWWF emphasized that it will continue to monitor developments in Ukraine and review its position should circumstances change, underscoring the provisional nature of the resolution.

For Russia, the timing is notable. Just days after the IWWF announcement, the Russian Ministry of Sport granted water skiing “core sport” status in the Saratov region—the first such designation in the country. Symbolically at least, it marks renewed institutional momentum at home, even as international access cautiously reopens abroad.

As ever, the federation finds itself walking a tightrope between geopolitics and sport. This latest decision suggests a belief that junior athletes, in particular, should not be indefinitely sidelined by forces beyond their control—while leaving open the question of where, and how, the line will ultimately be drawn.

Jason Seels

Jason Seels Named Florida Southern Head Waterski Coach, Succeeds Curtis Rabe

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Jason Seels Named Florida Southern Head Waterski Coach, Succeeds Curtis Rabe

Jason Seels

Image: Jason Seels

By Jack Burden

Florida Southern College has announced the appointment of Jason Seels as its new head waterski coach, ushering in a new era for one of collegiate skiing’s most consistent programs. Seels replaces Curtis Rabe, who steps aside after an influential 11-season tenure at the helm of the Mocs.

Seels arrives in Lakeland with one of the most decorated résumés in international jump skiing. He burst onto the global stage with a gold medal at the 1997 World Games and went on to win multiple professional titles, podiuming at consecutive World Championships in 2005 and 2007. A long-time standard-bearer for Great Britain, Seels is the joint most decorated men’s jumper in European Championship history, with 11 European titles to his name. In more recent years, he has continued to compete at a high level, finding success on the Big Dawg World Tour and at the Over 35 World Championships, where he claimed dual world titles in 2016.

Beyond the accolades, Seels is an experienced on-water coach excited to step into a larger leadership role. In a statement announcing his appointment, Seels said he was “fired up to take the FSC waterski team to new heights—building a strong, competitive program while developing athletes on and off the water.”

Seels succeeds Curtis Rabe, who guided Florida Southern to ten consecutive top-five finishes at the NCWSA National Championships and helped cement the program as a perennial contender. Rabe’s impact extended far beyond results: a Hall of Famer in the Florida Water Ski Federation, he brought decades of experience as a coach, official, and international competitor to the role.

As Florida Southern turns the page, the program does so with considerable excitement—and a deep foundation—heading into its next chapter under Seels’ leadership.

Remembering Robert Wing

Rob Wing, Beloved Ambassador of Water Skiing, Passes Away at 68

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Rob Wing, Beloved Ambassador of Water Skiing, Passes Away at 68

Remembering Robert Wing

Image: @wingwetsuits

By Jack Burden

The international water skiing community is mourning the passing of Robert Wing, who died earlier this month, at the age of 68.

Wing was a deeply respected figure in the sport—an athlete, entrepreneur, commentator, and tireless advocate whose presence spanned decades and disciplines. Born in 1957, to Bob and Irene Wing, pioneers of barefoot water skiing in Australia, Rob was immersed in the sport from an early age and remained devoted to it throughout his life.

A versatile competitor, Wing participated across barefoot water skiing, tournament waterskiing, wakeboarding, and waterski racing. Even later in life, his passion never dimmed; he proudly represented Australia at the 2022 and 2024 IWWF World Over 35 Waterski Championships.

Beyond the water, Wing founded and led a globally respected wetsuit and water sports accessories company, Wing Wetsuits, becoming a trusted name throughout the industry. He was also a passionate supporter of the sport as a family-centered pursuit, generously backing athletes, teams, and events around the world.

Nowhere was his impact felt more strongly than at the Moomba Masters, where Wing served for many years as a sponsor, apparel provider, and iconic voice in the commentary box. For generations of fans lining the Yarra River, his calm, familiar commentary became inseparable from the event itself.

Tributes have poured in describing Wing as a true gentleman—warm, professional, endlessly generous with his time, and universally liked. As longtime colleague Des Burke-Kennedy reflected, “Everybody liked Rob… I can’t ever remember him having a harsh word to say about anybody.”

Rob Wing is survived by his wife Bronwyn, his children Joel, Amber, and Dominique, and his beloved grandchildren Atheniah, Xander, William, Jamison, Vance, and Audrey.

Team USA left with the biggest haul of titles, sweeping the overall categories.

Team USA Sweeps Overall Titles at Record-Setting Disabled Worlds

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Team USA sweeps overall titles at record-setting Disabled Worlds

Team USA left with the biggest haul of titles, sweeping the overall categories.

Image: @iwwfed

By Jack Burden

MULWALA, Aus. – The 2025 IWWF World Disabled Waterski Championships wrapped this weekend at Max Kirwan Ski Park in Mulwala, Australia, capping three days of standout performances, tight battles, and an impressive nine pending world records across slalom, tricks, and jump.

Team USA left with the biggest haul of titles, sweeping the overall categories. Jana Shelfer claimed the Women’s Overall crown, while Connor Poggetto—who also posted a pending world record in jump at 28.5 meters—secured Men’s Overall. The Americans also topped the Team Overall, ahead of host nation Australia and Canada in third.

Pending World Records

Slalom

  • Eira Dalzell (AUS), A2 W – 4.00 buoys @ 55 kph / 18.25 m
  • Jayden Jobe (AUS), A/L1 M – 4.50 buoys @ 49 kph / 18.25 m
  • Samantha-Jane Longmore (AUS), MP1 W – 2.00 buoys @ 49 kph / 18.25 m (inner course)

Tricks

  • Abigayle Dunn (USA), MP3 W – 1,560 points
  • Jayner Shelfer (USA), MP2 F – 1,340 points
  • Noah Smith (USA), MP1 M – 920 points
  • Richard West (AUS), A/L1 M – 200 points
  • Jason Sleep (AUS), MP4 M – 1,600 points

Jump

  • Connor Poggetto (USA), MP5 – 28.5 meters

A Milestone Event at Mulwala

The Championships, hosted by the Mulwala Waterski Club, marked the final IWWF titled championship of Nautique’s 10-year partnership before Malibu Boats assumes title-sponsor duties in 2026.

Mulwala continues to cement itself as a global waterski hub. This was the second of three IWWF-sanctioned events awarded to the site under a multi-event agreement, with Mulwala set to host the 2027 IWWF Open World Championships—the first time the Open Worlds will be held in Australia since 1965.

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.