Joel Poland slaloms at the 2024 WWS Travers Cup

Poland Sets Back-to-Back World Records at WWS Travers Cup

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Poland sets back-to-back world records at WWS Travers Cup

Joel Poland slaloms at the 2024 WWS Travers Cup

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

By Jack Burden


Joel Poland isn’t just having a good run of form; he’s redefining what is possible in the sport of water skiing. The 25-year-old Englishman had as close to a flawless weekend of water skiing as perhaps anyone in the sport has ever had, breaking the overall world record in both the preliminary and final rounds, taking home yet another professional victory and the season championship on the WWS Overall Tour to cap things off.

Last year, during the final stop of the WWS Overall Tour, Poland broke the world overall record, his first in two years, and the first time a world record had been broken in a professional tournament since 2005. Since that fateful day, it’s been as if a floodgate has opened. He broke the record again two weeks later at the Malibu Open, again in the spring at Fluid, and then, in one of the most remarkable runs ever in the sport, he exceeded the current record over three consecutive rounds—including in both the preliminary and final rounds of the WWS Travers Cup last weekend.

To be clear, not all of these performances will be recorded as official records. Poland’s scores from the Fluid Fall Record are marginally higher than his two pending records from Sunset Lakes, which will only be considered if the first performance is denied upon review. But all three exceed the current world record, set by Poland back in April.

Spare a thought for his competitors. While Louis Duplan-Fribourg, Dorien Llewellyn, and Martin Kolman have all been in incredible form this season, they are tasked with competing against a guy who is breaking world records at a consistency and pace unheard of in the history of the sport.

To put it in context, the entire podium from the finals of the WWS Travers Cup—Joel, Louis, and Dorien—recorded scores higher than Jaret Llewellyn’s “unbreakable” overall record, which stood from 2002 to 2017. Even Martin Kolman, who finished in fourth place, wasn’t far off the pace. The former World Champion recorded a personal best in jump and one of his best-ever overall scores, yet still couldn’t make the podium.

The level of skiing was off the charts all weekend. Highlights included a pending under-17 world record from Jake Abelson, a new French national jump record from Duplan-Fribourg, and countless personal and season bests.

But none of it was enough to threaten Poland, who managed scores midway through 10.25m (41 off), over 12,000 points in tricks, and jumps in the high 60s (220s) across both rounds of the tournament—truly world-class performances in all three events.

We are witnessing something very special indeed. Don’t look away for a minute.

Fluid Fall Record, Joel Poland sets another world overall record

Fluid Fall Record Sees World-Class Performances and Multiple Record-Breaking Feats

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Fluid Fall Record sees world-class performances and multiple record-breaking feats

Fluid Fall Record, Joel Poland sets another world overall record

Image: @joelpoland

By Jack Burden


The recently concluded Fluid Fall Record tournament in Central Florida lived up to its reputation, with several impressive performances and records broken. Although the event is an amateur competition, the shores of the lake were lined with professional water skiers, all vying for big scores at one of the world’s premier ski sites.

Among the standout performances was Joel Poland, who potentially set his sixth world overall record. The British skier delivered a remarkable round that included 1.5 buoys at 10.25 meters (41’ off) in slalom, a trick score of 12,160 points, and a jump distance of 69.8 meters (229 feet). This marks Poland’s fourth world record in the past 12 months. Leading the Waterski Pro Tour in jump and remaining undefeated in the WWS Overall Tour, Poland appears unstoppable.

Poland shared on Instagram that he almost didn’t compete in the tournament, saying “This was a real last minute event, I signed up on Thursday, i just had a feeling this weekend could be the one. 3 days later, another pending world record and legs that feel like stone. No regrets 🤘 I’ll take every opportunity I can get!”

In the tricks category, Nelly Ross of Canada set a pending national trick record with a score of 11,230 points, just 130 points shy of the current world record held by Erika Lang. While there are no major trick events remaining for the 2024 season, Ross’s performance signals that the level of competition in women’s tricks is continually rising.

Meanwhile, Hanna Straltsova set a new personal best with a leap of 58.7 meters (193 feet), further solidifying her status as the best jumper in the world right now. Straltsova, who already leads the Waterski Pro Tour, is now outright the second-farthest female jumper of all time, behind Jacinta Carroll. Previously, Straltsova shared the second position with Natallia Berdnikava, but her latest achievement sets her apart in a class of her own.

Another rising star, Martin Labra, the 2024 Masters trick champion, demonstrated his growing potential with a pending Chilean overall record. Labra posted scores of 5 buoys at 11.25 meters (38’ off) in slalom, 12,190 points in tricks, and a jump of 63.1 meters (207 feet). The performance marks a significant milestone for Labra, as he overtakes his uncle, two-time world overall champion Felipe Miranda. Labra is shaping up to be a strong contender in men’s overall in the coming seasons.

Though not breaking any records, Regina Jaquess delivered another remarkable performance, setting only the second score in 2024 past two buoys at 10.25 meters (41’ off)—both scores belonging to Jaquess. The American skier is still in pursuit of becoming the first woman to run the full pass, with her current best standing at 5 buoys.

With six professional events remaining in 2024, including slalom, jump, and overall, the competition is heating up for what promises to be an exciting finish to the season.

Note: the original version of this article incorrectly listed Straltsova’s jump as a pending European record.

@joelpoland New pending world record!

Poland’s World Overall Record Approved, Fifth Record in Three Years

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Poland’s world overall record approved, fifth record in three years

@joelpoland New pending world record!

Image: @joelpoland

By Jack Burden


Joel Poland’s world overall record, set at the Ski Fluid Classic in April 2024, was officially ratified by the IWWF yesterday, marking his fifth world overall record in three years. The three-event superstar now has the distinction of breaking the most world overall records since official records began in the mid-1990s. He overtakes Regina Jaquess (four) and Patrice Martin, Elena Milakova, and Natallia Berdnikava (three each) with his five world records set between April 2021 and 2024.

His latest mark – 1 @ 10.25m (41’ off), 11,680 points, and 70.3 meters (231 feet) – was just three overall points higher than his previous record set at the 2023 Malibu Open and is still significantly below Poland’s personal bests in both slalom and trick, where he has previously run 10.25m and tricked over 12,000 points.

If the Brit can pull off the perfect round while he is in his current form across all three events, he will have the opportunity to set a generational record, one that will stand the test of time – similar to Jaret Llewellyn’s mark from 2002 which took 15 years for any man to best, or Berdnikava’s mark from 2012 which still stands to this day.

Arguably the hardest record in the sport to break, requiring near perfection in a single round of competition, Poland’s achievements are already historic. With four professional overall events, four jump events, and plenty more slalom events (if he chooses to attend), Poland will look to add more professional titles to his already impressive resume through the second half of 2024.

Meet The Trick Skiers on the Verge of 13,000 Points

Meet The Trick Skiers on the Verge of 13,000 Points

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Meet The Trick Skiers on the Verge of 13,000 Points

Meet The Trick Skiers on the Verge of 13,000 Points

After years of stagnation, men’s tricks has become the fastest evolving discipline in the sport.

By Jack Burden


The year is 2011. Barack Obama is in his first term as US President, LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” is at the top of the charts, and the iPhone has just become the most popular smartphone in the world. In the world of tournament water skiing, the brand new Nautique 200 is in its second year of production, and a 31-year-old Belarusian is challenging one of the longest-held records in the sport.

On the same day that Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot, Aliaksei “Ace” Zharnasek tricked 12,570 points at a record tournament at Lake Hancock in Florida, breaking Nicolas Le Forestier’s decade-long hold on the men’s trick record.

Until 18 months ago, Zharnasek’s mark seemed unassailable. The only skier to come close was Ace himself, who, during one remarkable period, set five pending records from 2015 to 2017. However, each application was rejected by the IWWF after review, where every trick record is subject to immense scrutiny.

Fast forward to 2022. At 42, Zharnasek, now an all time great, has faded into retirement, and the new kid on the block is young Patricio Font from Mexico. On the eve of Halloween, Font eked out an extra 20 points to break the longest-standing open record in the sport, which had stood for 11.5 years.

Since then, it has been as if the floodgates have opened. Font has started to consistently score in the high 12,000s, and a new generation of trick skiers is starting to push up toward 13,000 points. How has the most stagnant event in water skiing, with only a single record broken from 2005 to 2022, suddenly become one of the most competitive and fastest-evolving fields in the sport? To find out, we spoke to skiers at the forefront of this evolution.

Abelson Sets Pending World Tricks Record At Masters Qualifier

Image: @tiaremirandaphotography

Jake Abelson

  • Age: 16
  • Personal Best: 12,970
  • Personal Best Two Years Ago: 11,720

With a water ski pedigree that includes two elite-level skiers as parents and none other than Patricio Font as his cousin, this American-Canadian-Mexican teenager has had a stratospheric rise through the first half of 2024. He broke 12,000 points for the first time to clinch a runner-up finish at the Swiss Pro Tricks and followed that up with two world record-setting performances over the next month.

Abelson draws inspiration from a variety of sources: the speed and efficiency of Font’s hand pass, the boundary-pushing tricks of Joel Poland, and the blistering pace of Matias Gonzalez and Martin Labra’s toe tricking, to name a few. Far from occurring overnight, the sudden rise in trick scores is the product of “the collective knowledge” of generations of skiers and coaches who have laid the blueprint.

With other skiers demonstrating what is possible, the process becomes relatively straightforward. “At a high level, more speed is required to add another trick or upgrade an existing one,” shared Abelson. For him, this has meant “learning to perform my runs at a higher pace without losing composure, as well as building the endurance necessary to trick at a high level for the entire 20 seconds.” On his signature wake-seven-front, “I spent the winter practicing and repeating” to fit that trick in time.

Matias Gonzalez competes at the 2023 Pan American Games

Image: @mati.waterski

Matias Gonzalez

  • Age: 16
  • Personal Best: 12,860
  • Personal Best Two Years Ago: 11,000

Perhaps no skier moves faster on a trick ski than the young Chilean, the current Under-17 World Champion and winner of the 2024 Swiss Pro Tricks. Gonzalez’s toe run plays out like a sped up tape, and now with a whole host of ski line tricks added to his repertoire over the winter he is ready to challenge the best of the best.

“To consistently trick over 12k, the most important thing for me was to focus on speed,” shared Gonzalez. He too is following in the footsteps of those who paved the way before him, learning from past legends such as Cory Pickos and more recent stars like Patricio Font. “Pato showed that 11 tricks on hands were possible, that set the new standard for everyone coming up.”

Trick action at the 2023 IWWF world waterski championships

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

Patricio Font

  • Age: 22
  • Personal Best: 12,770
  • Personal Best Two Years Ago: 12,220

The two-time world champion and former world record holder’s résumé would be impressive for any skier, doubly so for one so young. Patricio Font has been the standard bearer for this new generation of trick skiers, breaking a slew of records on his way up through the junior ranks.

Speaking on how trick skiing has evolved even during his tenure at the top of the sport, Font attributed recent gains to everyone pushing the field higher and higher. He shared on the TWBC podcast, “I think now trick skiing has changed so that to win, you kind of have to do the world record or come close to it because you’ve got everyone chasing behind you.”

Tremendo torneo + tremenda experiencia!

Image: @nicoaguilera22

Martin “Tincho” Labra

  • Age: 18
  • Personal Best: 12,590
  • Personal Best Two Years Ago: 11,710

The Chilean three-event phenom has forged a different path to the top of the tricking world, earning comparatively more points through toe tricks than many of his contemporaries. With innovations like the ‘reverse’ toe-wake-five-back and his metronomic efficiency and speed, Labra is now the highest scoring toe tricker in living memory. Fresh off his victory at the 2024 US Masters, the most decorated skier in the history of the Under-17 Worlds is ready to make his presence felt on the professional circuit.

“In my case, what helped me a lot was being with Mati [Gonzalez] since we were like 4 and 2,” shared Labra, who credits close competition with other rising stars in the sport for the dramatic rise in trick scores. “I think we helped each other to be better… we started pushing ourselves to a better level.” Labra emphasized that this is not solely about competition, but also about camaraderie and friendship. “Starting to know each other and be close to each other helped in a good way to improve the scores in tricking”

@world.water.skiers Florida Cup

Image: @johnnyhayward_photo

Louis Duplan-Fribourg

  • Age: 24
  • Personal Best: 12,510
  • Personal Best Two Years Ago: 12,280

While the proliferation of Latin American trick skiers among the elite ranks is undoubtedly one of the key storylines of the past few years, one skier is working hard to maintain France’s historical dominance in the event. The current world overall champion, Duplan-Fribourg, is perhaps the most well-rounded of the new generation of trick skiers. Capable of both a hand run over 7,000 points and a toe run at 5,500, there doesn’t appear to be any weaknesses in the Frenchman’s routine.

“New trick combinations [are the key] for me,” shared Duplan-Fribourg. This includes both following successful trends, such as the now-ubiquitous mobe-mobe-half jack sequence, and thinking outside the box, like adopting the unconventional “French” run, which seamlessly intersperses big-ticket ski line tricks with a front flip in the middle. Ultimately, it is all about finding sequences that work for you. His other key: speed in toes. For Louis, that is what makes or breaks a 12k trick run.

Jake Abelson's World Trick Record Approved

Teen Sensation Jake Abelson Pushes Water Ski Trick Record to New Heights

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Teen Sensation Jake Abelson Pushes Water Ski Trick Record to New Heights

Jake Abelson's World Trick Record Approved

Image: @karinsidiali

By Jack Burden


Jake Abelson’s world trick record of 12,970 has now been officially approved by the IWWF, bringing the sport to the precipice of 13,000 points. This incredible achievement caps off one of the most rapid ascents in water skiing history, with 16-year-old Abelson transforming from a promising junior to the highest-scoring tricker of all time in just a matter of weeks.

In mid-April, Abelson’s personal best was just shy of 12,000 points, ranking him 6th in the world for Open Men Tricks. At the Swiss Pro Tricks, he set solid scores to qualify for the finals mid-pack before achieving a new personal best of 12,230 points—a US National record. This score secured him a runner-up finish, his second of the year following a photo finish at the Moomba Masters.

The following weekend, Abelson improved his personal best by another 500 points, setting a new world record of 12,720 at the Ski Fluid Classic. This marked the first time an American man held the world trick record since Cory Pickos’ last mark 24 years earlier.

Fast forward another two weeks, and Abelson continued his ascent, setting yet another world record with 12,970 points. Over the span of just three weeks, the 16-year-old lifted his personal best by a full 1,000 points, increasing the world trick record by 280 points—equivalent to the combined progress in the 17.5 years between Nicolas Le Forestier’s last record and Patricio Font’s most recent one.

Abelson further intensified his run in the 2nd round of the Masters Qualifying event, swapping in a ski line seven back (SL7B) for his ski line back-to-back (SLBB). He fell on his last two tricks in that round, but had he landed them, the score would have been another 300 points higher than his current record, comfortably surpassing 13,000 points.

This proof of concept, with both falls occurring in time, shows that it is likely only a matter of time before Abelson or another skier cracks 13k. While Abelson’s record hand run of 7,670 is the highest of all time, there are other skiers with better marks on toe. The Chilean duo of Martin Labra and Matias Gonzalez hold the two highest toe runs in living memory at 5,680 and 5,600 points, respectively.

The men’s trick field, much like slalom, is the most competitive it has been in a long time, with three separate winners across the first three professional events of 2024. With such a large group of skiers capable of tricking in excess of 12,000 points, it is no longer possible for the top seeds to play it safe. Each skier must push as close to the world record as possible to win at any given event.

With two more professional trick events in Europe scheduled for the next month, we are excited to see how the rest of the season unfolds.

His new record score of 12,970 points was set at the Masters Qualifying Series 1

Watch: Abelson’s World Trick Record is Approved | IWWF

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IWWF Open Men Tricks Record Broken Again

IWWF


He has done it again, this time even better!! 16 years old Jake Abelson (USA) has surpassed his previous IWWF World Open Men’s Tricks Record of 12,720 points

His new record score of 12,970 points was set at the Masters Qualifying Series 1, on Lake Ledbetter, Winter Garden, Florida on 10th of May, 2024. This also becomes the new Under-17 Boys and Under-21 Men tricks record. Once again, the new world record was pulled behind the World record-setting Ski Nautique.

@jakeableson World Record 12720!

Watch: Abelson’s World Trick Record is Approved (12,720) | IWWF

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New World Open Men’s Tricks Record Set by 16-Year-Old Jake Abelson

IWWF


16-year-old Jake Abelson from the USA has set a new World Open Men’s Tricks Record with a remarkable score of 12,720 points. This impressive feat has been officially approved by the IWWF World Waterski Council, marking a significant milestone in the world of waterskiing.

Jake Abelson achieved this record-breaking performance during the Ski Fluid Classic held at Lake Grew in Polk City, Florida, USA, on April 28, 2024. By scoring 12,720 points, Jake surpassed the previous World Trick Record of 12,690 points, which was held by Mexico’s Patricio Font.

Jake’s achievement is particularly notable as it not only sets a new benchmark for the Open Men’s category but also becomes the World Tricks Record for Under-17 Boys and Under-21 Men.

Abelson Sets Pending World Tricks Record At Masters Qualifier

Abelson Sets Pending World Tricks Record At Masters Qualifier | USA Water Ski

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Abelson sets pending World Tricks Record at Masters Qualifier

Abelson Sets Pending World Tricks Record At Masters Qualifier

Image: @tiaremirandaphotography

By Scott N. Atkinson

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports


Jake Abelson (Holderness, N.H.) set his second pending men’s world tricks record in the past two weeks on Friday at the Nautique Masters Qualifying Series 1 event at Lake Ledbetter in Winter Garden, Fla.

Abelson scored 12,970 points – the highest score among all competitors in either round of the tournament – in round 2 to earn a spot in the 2024 Nautique Masters. If approved by the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation, the score will eclipse the current world record of 12,690 points held by Mexico’s Patricio Font.

Full article at USA Water Ski.

Nautique Masters Qualifying Series 1 Results

    Abelson sets pending world trick record

    Abelson and Poland Set World Records at Ski Fluid Classic

    News

    Abelson and Poland set pending world records at Ski Fluid Classic

    Abelson sets pending world trick record

    Image: @tiaremirandaphotography

    By Jack Burden


    This past weekend at a record tournament in Central Florida, the season opener on Lake Grew saw the establishment of two pending world records. Fresh off his first score over 12,000 points at the Swiss Pro Tricks, Jake Abelson set a pending world trick record of 12,720. Meanwhile, Joel Poland managed to surpass his current world overall record by the narrowest of margins after delivering strong performances in all three events.

    Abelson, the 16-year-old trick phenom, recorded the highest-scoring hand pass of all time, totaling 7,670 points, which included a crowd favorite wake seven front (W7F) right at the buzzer. His score of 12,720 is 30 points higher than the current record held by Patricio Font, but 50 points lower than the pending world record set by Font at the Swiss Pro Tricks last weekend. Consequently, Abelson’s performance will only be recognized as an open world record if Font’s score is downgraded upon review. Additionally, Abelson’s score has the potential to set the under-17 and under-21 world records as well as the US national under-17 and open records. If approved, Abelson will be the first American to hold the men’s world trick record since Cory Pickos in the year 2000, seven years before Abelson was born.

    Meanwhile, Joel Poland, the super talent from Great Britain, showcased incredible performances across all three events to surpass his current mark by a razor-thin margin. With scores of 1 @ 10.25m (41’ off), 11,680 points, and 70.3 meters (231 feet), Poland scored just three overall points higher than the current record set at the 2023 Malibu Open. While Poland is capable of more, particularly in the slalom and trick events, the pending record was only his second time surpassing 70 meters (230 feet) since he set the British record of 71.7 meters (235 feet) at the 2023 California ProAm.

    Poland shared his elatement with the performances on social media, stating, “Still room for improvement, but I couldn’t be happier! There was a time where I couldn’t even imagine running these scores.” He emphasized, “Some will call it talent, but those around will know it’s a commitment to improving every day.”

    The tournament witnessed countless other notable performances, including Freddy Krueger jumping 71.5m (235’), Patricio Font posting another score over 12,000, and the ‘retired’ Scot Ellis leaping 59.5m (195’) in the master’s men’s division.

    Update: Abelson’s world trick record and Poland’s world overall record were both approved by the IWWF on May 23 and July 24, 2024, respectively.

    Elena Milakova-Thomsen has held the world skifly record since 2002

    Quiz: Longest Currently Held World Records

    Quizzes

    Quiz: Longest currently held world records

    Elena Milakova-Thomsen  has held the world skifly record since 2002

    Image: Swiss Waterski & Wake

    By RTB


    3 minute play

    In this quiz, you need to name the skiers whose current world record has been held for the longest time.

    The list has ten current world records, all set in 2015 or earlier. For the purposes of this quiz, we are including all IWWF records, including world records and world championship records. The list is topped by a ski fly record that has been unbroken for over twenty years. We have mentioned the type of record, score, and the date last set.

    Data updated as of January 1, 2024