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Hickman
U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team named team of the month
For immediate release:
Feb. 5, 2002
POLK CITY, Fla. - USA Water Ski today named Michael Caruso (Delray Beach, Fla.) and Ashley Shewmaker (Oakley, Calif.) its Male and Female Athletes of the Month for January. The U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team was named USA Water Ski’s Team of the Month. The athletes and team will now be considered for the United States Olympic Committee's Male and Female Athletes and Team of the Month awards.
Caruso, 16, claimed gold medals in slalom (17.6 wake crossings) and jumping (79 feet), and the silver medal in tricks (5,500 points) while scoring 2,729.48 overall points to win the Junior Boys overall gold medal at the Junior & Senior Barefoot Water Ski World Championships, Jan. 22-28, in Otaki, New Zealand.
Shewmaker, 16, earned 1,000 overall points in slalom, tricks and jumping to easily claim the Junior Girls overall title at the Junior & Senior Barefoot Water Ski World Championships. Shewmaker scored 1,900 points in tricks and jumped 24 feet to claim gold medals in each event, while scoring 9.2 wake crossings to earn the silver medal in slalom.
The U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team scored 5,694.60 points to claim the Junior Worlds gold medal at the Junior & Senior Barefoot Water Ski World Championships. The U.S. Team, comprised of Caruso, Shewmaker, Colt Mahan (Westlake, Texas) and Brandon Pye (Boca Raton, Fla.), dominated the competition, finishing 793 points ahead of second-place Australia, while tallying nine individual medals. In addition to the six medals won by Caruso and Shewmaker, Mahan earned the silver medal in Junior Boys jumping and Pye claimed bronze medals in Junior Boys overall and slalom.
“The members of the U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team were at a disadvantage going into the Junior & Senior Barefoot Water Ski World Championships because the event was held during the North American winter,” said Steve McDermeit, USA Water Ski’s executive director. “But as their great performances show, they were able to shake off the winter rust and become world champions.”
For more information contact:
Justin Campfield
(863) 324-4341, ext. 123
Scott Atkinson, ext. 122
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