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WATERSKI MagazineBy now we should have forgotten about Brett Wing. He supposedly left our consciousness after winning his third straight world barefoot tournament in 1982. Only 22 at the time, Wing immediately left the site in Acapulco and flew back to his home country, Australia, where he took all of a week to embark on a three-event career.
“I'm surprised so many people remember me back here,” Wing said when he landed in the States for the 10 Greatest ceremony.
Truth is, nobody in the skiing world could possibly forget Wing. Several judges called him the most versatile skier ever. Current world barefoot champion Ron Scarpa says, “If you had a competition with every event, Brett Wing would win and it wouldn't be close.” Bruce Neville, the world record holder in men's jump, says simply, “All-around, he's still the best in the world.” And Dave Reinhart, regarded as the best all-around skier in the U.S., doesn't hesitate when he says, “The best ever was Brett Wing, there's no doubt in my mind.”
Why does such a widespread chorus still sing praises of Wing 15 years after he supposedly retired? For one, his invincibility. In 13 years of barefoot tournaments, he lost exactly twice. At the 1980 Worlds he won a record six gold medals. But Wing's exploits didn't stop when he retired. Since 1982 he has established himself as one of the greatest show skiers ever. He spent 15 years at Marine World in Vallejo, California, and for the past four years has been the headline performer at the Sea World on Australia's Gold Coast, where he also operates a ski school.
“Everybody who gets into show skiing wants to be the next Brett Wing,” says Australian Matt Dance, who now skis at the Sea World in San Antonio, Texas. “There's nothing he can't do.”
If you go back in time, Wing actually won some titles on the junior ski race circuit and once barefooted at 115 mph. He's one of two skiers among the 10 Greatest (Liz Allan is the other) to be nominated in more than one specialty event – barefooting and show skiing.
The world's premier show skier and perhaps the greatest barefooter ever is now a national three-event champion too. At the 1996 Australian Nationals, Wing swept all three events in his division. On a good day he can nearly run 38 off in slalom, trick over 7,000 points and jump almost 190 feet.
“It's quite an honor to be selected for this group,” says Wing, 37. “And to be remembered.”
- Robert Stephens
