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Patricio Font set a pending world trick record

Font Sets New Pending World Trick Record

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Font Sets New Pending World Trick Record

Patricio Font set a pending world trick record

Image: @neilly.ross

By Jack Burden

Patricio Font has surpassed his own world trick record during the Masters Qualifying Series Event hosted at the Drew Ross Ski Academy in Orlando, Florida. Font achieved a score of 12,690 points, beating his previous record of 12,590 points set in October 2022.

Font’s accomplishment highlights the ever-evolving nature of trick skiing as athletes continue to push boundaries. Before Font broke the record last year, it had been the longest-standing record in three-event waterskiing, remaining unbroken since 2011.

The first of the three Masters Qualifying Series Events, attracting top-tier skiing talent looking to qualify for the 2023 Masters, provided the ideal platform for Font, already qualified as the defending Masters champion, to chase a big score. With his characteristic speed, Font showcased his diverse repertoire of tricks on his way to the world record mark.

We now await the official confirmation of Font’s new record, which will need to be reviewed by a panel of judges appointed by the IWWF tournament council for approval.

Meanwhile in the junior men’s division, Martin Labra set a pending under 17 world trick record of 12,310 points. Notably his toe run exceeded Font’s record run by 5,400 points to 5,130, a sign there may still be room to extend the record by Font.

Also in Men’s Trick over the weekend, Adam Pickos and Louis Duplan-Fribourg secured their spots to the Masters. Pickos achieved a score of 11,870 points, while Duplan-Fribourg followed with 11,300 points, achieving qualification with a 5th place finish because Jake Abelson and Mattias Gonzalez are competing in the Junior Masters. In Women’s Trick, Neilly Ross and Giannina Bonnemann Mechler also secured their places with scores of 10,290 and 9,930.

Taylor Garcia and Conley Pinette qualified in the Men’s Jump event with distances of 67.9 meters (223 feet) and 65.9 meters (216 feet). Hanna Straltsova and Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya, who are both skiing under the USA banner to avoid IWWF restrictions on Russian and Belarusian competitors, secured their spots with 57.1 meters (187 feet) and 52.1 meters (171 feet). Giannina Bonnemann Mechler and Valentina Gonzalez also qualified with their top four finishes.

The Men’s Slalom event saw Will Asher, Dane Mechler, and Robert Pigozzi qualify. Asher completed 5 buoys at 10.25 meters (41′ off), while Mechler achieved 4 buoys at the same line length. In Women’s Slalom, Allie Nicholson top scored with 3.5 buoys at 10.75 meters (39.5′ off). Paige Rini and Luisa Jaramillo also secured their qualification with 2 buoys at the same line length.

These athletes will join the previously qualified participants who earned their spots through winning either the 2022 Masters, 2022 Botaski Pro Am, 2022 California ProAm, or 2023 Moomba Masters.

With a total of eight spots available in each event, all eyes now turn to the second qualifying event at Sunset Lakes. The upcoming competition will determine the remaining spots in men’s trick (3), women’s trick (4), men’s jump (3), women’s jump (4), men’s slalom (4), and women’s slalom (3).

Update: Font’s world record was officially ratified by the IWWF on June 7, 2023.

Sedlmajer received a 15-month ban

Sedlmajer Receives 15-Month Ban Following Positive Doping Test

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Sedlmajer Receives 15-Month Ban Following Positive Doping Test

Sedlmajer received a 15-month ban

The two-time world overall champion received the ban for taking a common blood pressure medication. (Image: @adamdeslmajer)

By Jack Burden

In a recent development, Adam Sedlmajer disclosed that his sample collected during in-competition doping control at the World Championships last year tested positive for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a common medication used to treat high blood pressure. Sedlmajer, who had been taking HCTZ for the past three years under a prescription from his family doctor, revealed that he has been struggling with high blood pressure for most of his adolescent life, due to family history.

While HCTZ is a widely used and FDA-approved medication for hypertension treatment, it is classified as a S5 Diuretic and Masking agent by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). This classification arises from its property of causing increased urine production, making it potentially susceptible to abuse by athletes attempting to flush their systems of performance-enhancing drugs. Consequently, WADA does not grant therapeutic exemptions for such substances.

Despite searching the WADA website for the drug’s status and not finding it listed as a prohibited medication at the time, Sedlmajer acknowledged full responsibility for the outcome. He emphasized that he conducted due diligence and verified the drug’s authorization under WADA rules, though the website has since been updated with relevant information.

Following months of communications, appeals, and hearings, Sedlmajer’s results from the 2021 World Championships have been annulled, and he has received a 15-month ban until April 2023. In light of the situation, he invites individuals to familiarize themselves with the drug or reach out to him for further discussion.

Sedlmajer’s case sheds light on the complexities of anti-doping regulations, emphasizing the importance of athletes remaining vigilant and informed about the substances they are using, even when medically prescribed. As he navigates this challenging period, the waterskiing community stands in support, hoping to see him back on the water soon.

Read Sedlmajer’s full statement below:

Jacinta Carroll 200 Foot Jump

Jacinta Carroll Speaks Out on Nautique Sponsorship Controversy

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Jacinta Carroll speaks out on Nautique sponsorship controversy

Jacinta Carroll 200 Foot Jump

Carroll became the first woman to jump 200 feet at the 2021 MasterCraft Pro. (Image: @jacintacarroll)

By Jack Burden

Last year, Jacinta Carroll etched her name in history by achieving a remarkable milestone – becoming the first woman to jump 200 feet. However, this triumph comes with a bittersweet tale of dreams realized and unexpected setbacks, including being dropped by her major sponsor, Nautique Boats.

The journey to the 200-foot mark wasn’t just a physical feat for Jacinta; it was a deeply personal goal that had its roots in a poignant moment with her coach and mentor Ray Stokes, who was in the advanced stages of a terminal illness. Ray’s words, urging her not to change who she was and to break the barrier of a 200-foot jump, became the driving force behind Jacinta’s aspirations. A hand-drawn poster in her childhood bedroom, asking if she would be the first female to jump 200 feet, served as a constant reminder of this goal.

However, the path to this historic achievement was laden with challenges. Breaking a record demands the convergence of multiple critical factors— the boat, the driver, the site, the conditions, and the athlete’s performance. It’s a delicate dance of precision where all five variables must align perfectly to achieve the extraordinary.

Record-breaking opportunities proved elusive for Jacinta, potentially hindered by the prioritization of the men’s event in terms of the best drivers and conditions. The struggle intensified as she balanced her full-time job with her passion for water skiing, making it difficult to align all the necessary factors for a perfect jump.

Amid the Covid pandemic, international travel posed significant hurdles for the Australian athlete. During her limited stay in the U.S. for the 2021 World Championships, Carroll participated in six tournaments, including two within a single weekend, in her relentless pursuit of breaking the record.

The breakthrough moment unfolded at the Mastercraft Pro, her final tournament of the trip. Despite falling just short of the world record in the finals of the pro event, Carroll approached the officials, presenting her case for a bonus round. Jacinta’s plea was heard, and she seized the moment, achieving a jump of 202 feet – a distance mirroring the first male to accomplish this feat in 1983.

However, the triumph turned into bitterness when Jacinta disclosed that Nautique, her primary sponsor, opted not to renew her contract. This news was delivered to her while she was undergoing a two-week quarantine in isolation upon her return to Australia.

In an emotional recounting of the experience, Jacinta conveyed her disappointment at the absence of congratulations for her historic achievement. Instead, her major sponsor inquired if she regretted her decision to break the record behind a MasterCraft. Feeling disrespected, she questioned whether the situation would be the same if she were a male world record holder, pondering, “Is this just an easy way to get me off the books?”

“I tried and tried, and I just couldn’t get the five stars to align,” lamented Jacinta. “And at the end of the day, in 50 years, I’m not going to look back, I’m not going to regret [breaking the record]. Hell, I don’t even regret it now!”

As Jacinta contemplates her future in the sport, uncertain about competing on the worldwide stage again, her story sheds light on the challenges female athletes face. Not just in their pursuit of excellence but also in navigating the complexities of sponsorship and recognition within the industry.