Erika Lang sets a pending world trick record

Lang Strikes Back in Texas, Setting New Pending Record After Ross’ Feat

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Lang strikes back in Texas, setting new pending world trick record after Ross’ feat

Erika Lang sets a pending world trick record

Image: @erikalang36

By Jack Burden


GRANBURY, Texas — Just one week after Canadian water skier Neilly Ross set a pending world record, Erika Lang has reclaimed her status as the world’s highest-scoring women’s tricks skier, achieving an impressive 11,450 points at the Timber Cove Record Tournament in Granbury, Texas.

Lang’s score surpasses the current record of 11,360 and edges past Ross’ pending 11,380-point run, potentially restoring the American’s position at the top of the sport. This comeback follows a remarkable week of intense competition and record-breaking, with Lang adapting her strategy after observing Ross’ innovative hand sequence.

Erika Lang's pending world record trick run

Lang’s world record run

“11,450 points!! So excited to have set a pending World Record at the Timber Cove Record Tournament,” Lang shared after her performance. Her response highlights the fierce, fast-paced competition in women’s tricks skiing, where top athletes continually push the boundaries at each tournament.

Ross, 22, had made headlines just days earlier by setting the pending record in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her 11,380-point score was celebrated for its technical precision, featuring an innovative hand run that split her six flips into a series of wake spins and ski line tricks.

Lang, who also competed at the Okeeheelee tournament in pursuit of a world record, seems to have replicated Ross’ record-breaking run, learning and perfecting the sequence in the few days between the two events.

If ratified, Ross’ record would end Lang’s eight-year streak as record-holder, marking a potential passing of the torch in women’s tricks. However, Lang’s recent achievement could keep her at the forefront of the sport.

The escalating rivalry between Lang and Ross brings renewed excitement to the sport, with each record-setting performance intensifying the competition. Both scores are currently pending review from the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation.

Asher with a HUGE 1@43off/9.75m

Asher and Lang Dominate During Water Skiing’s Busiest Week

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Asher and Lang dominate during water skiing’s busiest week

Asher with a HUGE 1@43off/9.75m

Asher is now the clear leader in men’s slalom so far in 2024 (image: @hoskis)

By Jack Burden


Four countries, four tournaments, 10 days, and $150,000 in prize money—the busiest week in water skiing took the best slalom and trick skiers through a whirlwind tour of Europe.

The journey began on Wednesday and Thursday in Marrakech, Morocco, continued on Saturday and Sunday in the foothills of the Alps in eastern France, then moved to the French Riviera just outside of Monaco on Tuesday and Wednesday, and concluded near Madrid in central Spain from Friday to Sunday.

For trick skiing, the professional season has now concluded, while slalom has just crossed the halfway point, with clear leaders starting to emerge from what had begun as an uncharacteristically fragmented season.

In men’s slalom, which saw four different winners across the first four events, a clear leader for 2024 has emerged. The 41-year-old veteran Will Asher picked up three consecutive victories across Marrakech, Fungliss, and Monaco. Asher is now firmly in the lead on the Waterski Pro Tour and has finished no worse than runner-up in each of the six events he has competed in this season. Not only did the Englishman consistently finish on top, but he also did it in style, running 10.25m (41’ off) in both Marrakech and Monaco.

Another major storyline in slalom is the dominance of Team Syndicate, with skiers representing HO Skis claiming over 50% of podium finishes (12 out of 21) and all seven slalom titles across the four-tournament sprint. Jaimee Bull continued her dominance from last season, pulling ahead on the Waterski Pro Tour leaderboard. Rob Hazelwood and Allie Nicholson each won an event, with strong performances from Frenchman Sacha Descuns.

In tricks, world champion Erika Lang returned to her winning ways after a disappointing Masters. The American posted scores over 11,000 points in both Monaco and Spain, finishing her season with four wins out of five and setting a record for the highest score by a female in professional competition. In arguably the best form of her career, Lang has won seven out of nine professional events over the last two seasons, including a World Championship, Pan American Games, and an extension of her world trick record.

On the men’s side, 2024 has been anything but predictable, with intense competition in one of the fastest-evolving fields in the sport. The Chileans dominated the European leg, with 16-year-old Matias Gonzalez claiming his second win of the season in Monaco and 18-year-old Martin Labra following up his Masters title with a win in Spain.

The European leg continues through July, with the 10th edition of the San Gervasio ProAm (July 5-7), the inaugural Oxfordshire ProAm (July 12-13), and the first stop of the WWS Overall Tour for 2024, the WWS Salmsee Cup (July 27-28).

Joel Poland and Erika Lang were named the IWWF male & female waterskiers of 2023.

Lang, Poland Named Skiers of the Year | IWWF

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Erika Lang and Joel Poland named IWWF Waterskiers of the Year

Joel Poland and Erika Lang were named the IWWF male & female waterskiers of 2023.

IWWF


The IWWF is pleased to announce the 2023 IWWF Male & Female Skiers & Riders of the Year, selected by their respective disciplines’ councils.

Images: Camaro/Johnny Hayward

2023 IWWF Female Water Skier of the Year: Erika Lang (USA)

Erika Lang demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the season, securing victories in every trick event she participated in, with just one exception. A fantastic athlete, she set a new world trick record, surpassing her previous record.

  • Female Tricks World Record Holder: Erika set the record during the 2023 season with an impressive 11,360 points on May 19th, 2023, at the Sunset Cup – MLCQ.
  • World Ranking: 1st Place
  • Waterski Pro Tour Leaderboard: 1st Place
  • Pan American Games: 1st Place
  • World Championships: 1st Place

Images: BWSW/Johnny Hayward

2023 IWWF Male Water Skier of the Year: Joel Poland (Great Britain)

Joel Poland showcased outstanding consistency, consistently finishing among the top 10 in all disciplines throughout the season, with only one exception. A fantastic overall athlete, he set two overall world records in 2023. Notably, he became the sole three-event skier to run 10.25 (41′ off) at 58kph (36mph).

  • World Overall Record Holder: Joel set two records during the 2023 season. The first record, with 2664.16 points (1.00@58/10.25 – 11680 points – 69.8m), was established on September 2nd at the WWS Florida Cup. The second record, with 2670.62 points (2.00@58/10.25 – 11680 points – 69.3m), was set on September 16th during the Malibu Open.
  • World Ranking: Slalom 4th Place, Tricks 5th Place, Jump 3rd Place, Overall 1st Place
  • Waterski Pro Tour Leaderboard: Slalom 13th Place, Tricks 1st Place, Jump 4th Place
  • World Championships: 2nd Place Overall

2023 IWWF Skiers & Riders of the Year

DisciplineFemaleMale
BarefootAshleigh Stebbeings (AUS)Keenan Derry (AUS)
Disabled SkiSamantha-Jane Longmore (AUS)Connor Poggetto (USA)
Cable SkiPhoenix Baumgardt (GER)Aviv Levy (ISR)
Cable WakeboardJulia Rick (GER)Oliver Orban (HUN)
RacingNellie McMillan (AUS)Carter Robertson (AUS)
Show SkiGrace Petzold (USA)Peter Hegarty (USA)
WaterskiErika Lang (USA)Joel Poland (GBR)

Please click here to learn more about them. Congratulations!

From this list of outstanding skiers & riders, the IWWF Executive Board then selected the 2023 IWWF Male & Female Athletes of the Year:

2023 IWWF Female Athlete of the Year: Ashleigh Stebbeings (Australia)

2023 IWWF Male Athlete of the Year: Joel Poland (Great Britain)

 

Erika Lang Trick Skiing World Record Holder

Erika Lang Keeps Setting World Records, One Trick at a Time | Team USA

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Erika Lang Keeps Setting Water Ski World Records, One Trick at a Time

Erika Lang Trick Skiing World Record Holder

Erika Lang competes during the preliminary round at the 2023 IWWF World Waterski Championships on Oct. 13, 2023 in Lake County, Fla. (image: Johnny Hayward)

By Bob Reinert

Team USA


Put Erika Lang behind a powerful motorboat, and she can do things no other woman ever has.

That was the case again in May, when Lang nailed another water ski tricks run in Groveland, Florida, to establish a new world record.

Riding under puffy white clouds and a pale blue sky, the Phoenix native performed a dizzying series of turns and spins while connected to the tow rope by her left foot. Then, in her second pass while holding the rope handle with her hands, she flew back and forth over the wake, performing a more impressive flip each time.

It was just another day for the world’s best trick skier.

Full article at Team USA.

World Record Approved! 11,360 points

Lang Breaks World Trick Record as Masters Invitations are Finalized

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Erika Lang sets a pending world record as Master’s invitations are finalized

World Record Approved! 11,360 points

Image: Nautique

By Jack Burden


Erika Lang has surpassed her own world trick record during the Masters Qualifying Series Event hosted at Sunset Lakes in Groveland, Florida. Lang achieved a score of 11,360 points, surpassing her previous record of 11,260 points set in October 2019.

This marks the sixth time the Arizona native has broken the world trick record since her initial record in 2013 at 17 years old. She has now broken the world trick record more times than any other female, surpassing both Natalia Rumjantseva and Anna Maria Carrasco, who each achieved it five times. As the second woman to trick 10,000 points and the first and only to exceed 11,000 points, she has elevated women’s tricking to new heights over the last decade.

The final Masters Qualifying Series Events, featuring several top water skiers looking to qualify for the 2023 Masters, provided a low-pressure environment for Lang. Already qualified as the defending Masters champion, she seized the opportunity to chase a record.

In the Women’s Trick event over the weekend, Paige Rini, Kennedy Hansen, Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya, and Regina Jaquess secured their spots for the Masters. In Men’s Trick, Pablo Font, Edoardo Marenzi, and Tanguy Dailland secured their places. Font, the cousin of world record holder Pato, achieved a score of 11,060 points to qualify, marking his second time over 11,000.

Agustina Varas, Regina Jaquess, Kennedy Hansen, and Paige Rini qualified in the Women’s Jump event. Meanwhile, Jack Critchley, Louis Duplan-Fribourg, and Rodrigo Miranda qualified in the Men’s Jump event with distances of 67.5 meters (221 feet), 67.4 meters (221 feet), and 64 meters (210 feet) respectively.

The Women’s Slalom event saw Jaimee Bull, Neilly Ross, and Brie Carter qualify, each running 11.25 meters (38’ off) to punch their tickets. In Men’s Slalom, there was a five-way tie with 3 buoys at 10.25 meters (41’ off), requiring a runoff for the last four spots. Ultimately, Thomas Degasperi, Adam Sedlmajer, Sacha Descuns, and Jonathan Travers secured their qualification.

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

All eyes now turn to the 63rd Masters Waterski and Wakeboard Tournament, taking place Memorial Day Weekend from Friday, May 26, to Sunday, May 28.

Update: Lang’s world record was officially ratified by the IWWF on June 23, 2023.