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WATERSKI MagazineFor the first 15 years of WaterSki, Bob LaPoint was about as regular a feature on these pages as a thumbprint. LaPoint's first world slalom title in Milan, Italy, during the fall of 1977 came about six months before our premiere issue. He went on to win four more world championships, the final one in 1987 at Thorpe Park in England to become the only five-time world slalom champ.
Today LaPoint spends most of his time with youngsters. He has two daughters, 12-year-old Kaci and 10-year-old Kara, and operates a Lake Tahoe ski school that's geared toward kids.
“I enjoy teaching kids and showing them a good time,” says the 42-year-old LaPoint, who many people forget was an accomplished jumper when he appeared on our cover in September 1981. “Their first experience will determine if they continue in the sport.”
LaPoint says he has a renewed energy for water skiing after he “burned out on it” five years ago. “I might try one last hurrah,” says the younger brother of 45-year-old Kris LaPoint. “There's a good chance I'll ski on tour this season(1999). Age makes a difference, but it's still a skill sport and those skills don't go away.”
