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WATERSKI MagazineDespite a strong attempt to wreak havoc on the event by Hurricane Irene, the 1999 USA Water Ski Pro Am Challenge, presented by Kysor-Medallion and Accuski, proved to be a great success Oct. 16-17 at Summer Bay Resort in Orlando, Fla.
The second annual USA Water Ski Pro Am Challenge was a team slalom and wakeboard competition pairing professional water skiers and wakeboarders with champions, organizers and participants of USA Water Ski's National Ski League (NSL) and National Wakeboard League (NWL)series. Eight 10-person teams participated in the event, and all of the athletes competed under a handicapped scoring system.
“With the participation of 10 of USA Water Ski's largest NSL/NWL series organizers and competitors, this year's Pro Am Challenge was a huge success despite a bit of inclement weather dealt to us by Hurricane Irene,” said Mike King, USA Water Ski's director of competition. “Based on the feedback and the huge interest in grassroots water ski and wakeboard events, we expect this program to double in size by next year.”
Members of the winning team were: Mark Qualkinbush; Doug Close; Mark Harvat; Gordy Bubolz (professional wakeboarder); Chuck McCloud; Seth Rosenthal; Zack Worden; Robbie Lund (professional water skier); Travis Schmahl; and Jim Davies. “It was a fantastic time,” says Qualkinbush, who also participated in the 1998 Pro Am Challenge in West Palm Beach, Fla. “The weather hindered the water skiing, but I enjoyed getting together with all of the people from around the United States and discussing ideas on how to make the NSL and NWL better. That was the best part. My hat's off to USA Water Ski. They're really making this thing work.”
Ben Favret, Mark Crone, Drew Ross, Doug Ross, Tara Hamilton and Ryan Wynne were some of the professional water skiers and wakeboarders who participated in the event. Drew Ross recorded the tournament's top slalom score, running 3 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off.
Earlier in the weekend, the American Wakeboard Association (AWA)held a junior development wakeboard clinic and trained judges clinic. Twenty junior wakeboard athletes participated in the junior development clinic and 19 adults became trained wakeboard judges. In addition to the Pro Am Challenge and clinics, more than 61 trophies and prizes were
awarded to participants throughout the weekend.
The NSL debuted in 1998 to provide water skiers and wakeboarders with a chance to compete against others of their own ability. This year, combined with the NWL, the NSL consisted of more than a dozen states, 90 tournaments and an estimated 2,000 water ski athletes. Twenty-one NSL/NWL series coordinators and champions from 10 states qualified for an expenses paid trip to this year's Pro Am Challenge.
For information on an NSL or NWL event in your area, E-mail Jennifer Calleri at: jcalleri@usawaterski.org, or contact USA Water Ski Headquarters at (863)324-4341.
