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WATERSKI MagazineWinter Haven, FL—The 15th annual Blairfoot
Bananza for barefoot water skiers around the country will be held
October 5 & 6 on Lake Silver in downtown Winter Haven,
Florida.
This will mark the
eighth year that the increasingly popular tournament will be held
on Lake Silver. In past years, the very successful event attracted
competitors from over 25 different states and 4 countries, making
it an international event.
The event is hosted by the city of Winter
Haven Leisure Services Department of Polk County, Central
Florida’s Marketing, and Lakeland Ski Club. It is sanctioned
by USA Water Ski.
Male and female
barefooters of all ages will compete in two events. The endurance
event will test strength and stamina, as the skier competes against
the clock. The figure-eight competition pits two barefooters
against each other as they are being pulled at approximately 36 mph
behind a single boat going around a figure-eight course.
The Endurance champion
and the Figure Eight champion will challenge each other for the
prestigious title of World Endurance Champion. The winner of last
year’s World Endurance title was Bob Mahnke from Stoughton,
Wisconsin.
The Blairfoot Bananza
also offers a special Jr. Boom and Pig tail event, allowing
up-and-coming younger barefooters a chance to compete in
Bananza.
The Blairfoot Bananza
is named after the ambassador of barefooting, Banana George Blair.
Banana George is a member of USA Water Ski, American Barefoot Club,
and is also in the water ski hall of fame. He took up the sport of
water skiing to help overcome a back injury in 1955 when he was 40
years old. He went on to become the only man to barefoot on all
seven continents. Banana George, who turned 87 in January, is still
an active competitor in barefooting and competes every year in the
Blairfoot Bananza.
If you haven’t
encountered Banana Beorge in person, you’ve likely seen him
in the world of print and television advertising swathed in yellow
and barefoot water skiing for Chevrolet, Nike, Armor-All, Chiquita,
Sea-Doo, or the Florida Lottery. And you’ve undoubtedly
George during one of his many TV appearances with Regis and Kathie
Lee (now Kelly), NBC Today Show, David Letterman, Discovery
Channel, “Atmospheres” for the Weather Channel, CNN,
ESPN, or CBS This Morning and the American Health Network. Banana
George Blair was also featured in the July-August Sports
Illustrated For Women naming him among the 81 sexiest men in
sports, the only one in the water skiing world and the only one
over the age of 48!
The Blairfoot Bananza
is open and free to the public. The competition will begin on
Saturday, October 5 at 9am with the Endurance competition. On
Sunday, the Head-to-Head competition will take place with a start
time of 9am.
Come out and enjoy the
day and watch some of the best endurance water skiers in the world
battle it out.
