WaterSki Magazine

Kristin
2008-06-06 06:09:27 | 14 views | 0 Comments

Malibu Boats is bringing its signature ski event back to American waters for 2008. The Malibu Open, which has been held in France for the past two years, will showcase the world's top slalom and jump skiers at the Pontiac Lake Recreation Area outside Detroit July 18-20. And for the first time in its 10- year history, the event will also feature a professional wakeboarding competition and the Quake on the Lake, one of the nation's premier hydroplane races. It will be a water-sports weekend that mixes speed and spray with Midwestern enthusiasm. And all the proceeds go to benefi t the Rainbow Connection, a Michigan charity that grants wishes to children suffering from life-threatening illnesses.

“This is the event's 10th anniversary, so we've been trying to fi nd the perfect home,” says Malibu national event director and team manager Lani Farmer. “We looked all over and really the most support we've seen is coming out of this area. It's hopefully going to be the permanent home for the event.”

Malibu skier Drew Ross is happy to see the event back home in the United States. “We've been spending the last few summers largely in Europe, so it's going to be great to have more events in America,” he explains, “Plus, there's no better place than Michigan in the summertime.”

And with more than 800,000 registered boat owners residing in the state, Michigan can all but guarantee big crowds to watch the sport's best male and female slalom athletes and men's jumpers compete.

“I've never been somewhere that showed more enthusiasm for what we're doing,” Farmer says. “When you talk to people in the Midwest, they know what water skiing is and many of them know who our superstars are, which is pretty unique.”

According to Quake on the Lake chairman Dale Hampshire, blending boat racing with water skiing is a natural marriage. The hydroplanes, which can reach speeds of up to 170 mph on the one-mile oval course, put on the type of show that ski fans will appreciate, and vice versa. And the event site, despite not being a purpose-built tournament ski lake, has produced record-breaking conditions over the history of the Quake.

“In the first eight years, we've broken 15 world records, which is unheard-of in boat racing,” says Hampshire. “The boat racers have been fl ocking to our race over the years because it's become known as the fastest glass in North America.”

“Let's face it,” says Ross, “anybody who likes speed and water is going to love slalom skiing.”

The daily schedule will send the skiers out in the morning, with boat racing to follow midday and the wakeboarders closing the show each night. It's a format based on nonstop action that is sure to please the expected 40,000 spectators.

“Back in the late '90s, when I first started skiing, we were always on tour with the wakeboarding event, and it was consistently a really good time,” says Malibu slalom pro Natalie Hamrick. “I will never turn down the chance to have some extra spectators.”

And with the largest purse of the season — $120,000 — up for grabs, there is extra incentive for the pros to really push their performances.

“It's going to be nice seeing checks with five digits on them,” Ross says. “It shows Malibu's commitment to the professional side of the sport.”

“The extra cash should also encourage a more talented field,” says Jason Seels, who will compete in jump and slalom.

“This year, being that there are a lot more tournaments, especially in June, I think a lot of skiers will make the effort to attend because of the increased prize money,” Seels explains.

Over the years, that commitment has been rewarded with seven world records set over the history of the Malibu Open, a trend that Hamrick predicts will continue.

“With the Malibu Response LXI pulling the event, we can expect records to fall,” she says. “It has become almost the rule with the Malibu Open in the past, so I have great expectations.”

But the big question surrounding this crossover event has nothing to do with prize money, top speeds or broken records: Who will be throwing the biggest sprays, the skiers or the hydroplanes?

“The fans cracking beer cans are going to throw the biggest sprays,” answers Ross. “And at the end of the day, that's what it's all about.”