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KristinA fresh faced 20-year-old named Wade Cox – a virtual unknown – turned up on the starting dock at the 1989 Coors Light Pro Water Ski Tour in St. Louis. The ESPN film crew was there, and the shoreline was crowded beyond capacity. In that setting, Cox coolly made his mark, besting a field chiefly comprised of his childhood heroes, including the normally unbeatable Andy Mapple. That day marked the start of a brand-new era of slalom dominance. Cox did far more than gather 47 professional wins; he single-handedly changed the face of the sport. Setting a standard in a style still regarded as the benchmark today, cox made slalom cool, as the industry clamored to promote his lifestyle along with his buoy count. On April 21, Cox became the 62nd inductee (alongside 1991 world jump champ Sherri Slone) into the USA Water Ski Hall of Fame, further cementing his place in the history of the sport.
