With a total of 21 Waterski and Wakeboard World Cup Stops already completed, competition for places in the 2008 starting list is at an all time high. In simple terms, each Skier or Rider must be ranked in the top 20 in the World by the International Water Ski Federation (IWSF) to have any chance of success. In spite of this, the selected athletes will represent nineteen countries this season. The line up of spectacular venues also makes it a truly global event again this year with Stops confirmed in Russia, Egypt, Singapore, India, Malaysia and Qatar.
The disciplines involved will be Slalom, Jump, Shortboard and Wakeboard. Eight Women compete in the Waterski disciplines. Eight Women will compete for the Wakeboard title. As in many sports today, the specialist has an advantage. The result is that very few Waterski athletes can now achieve the standard required in more than one discipline. Reflecting the high standards, of the 54 Waterskiers selected, only SIX have qualified this year for more than one event. Slalom is now totally dominated by specialists. Some on the waiting lists may alter this if injuries or cancellations arise. Also, no country this year has produced more than one double contender. The very talented SIX double Waterski qualifiers from six different Nations are :
Natalia Berdnikova (BLR) - Shortboard and Jump
Clementine Lucine (FRA) – Shortboard and Jump
Ageliki Andriopoulou (GRE) – Shortboard and Jump
In Wakeboard, virtually all of the top World Cup competitors from the 2007 season are back again to take on the new challenge. These will include Dallas Friday and Raimi Merritt (USA), Andrea Fountain (NZL) and Chen LiLi (CHN). Missing is the talented Sunni Ann Ball (CAN) who was forced by injury some months ago to retire from the sport.
In Waterskiing, all of those who hold the number one place in the latest IWSF Ranking Tables have been selected. In Jump these will include Ageliki Andriopoulou (GRE), in Slalom Karen Truelove (USA) and in Shortboard Clementine Lucine (FRA). IWSF World Wakeboard Champion Dallas Friday (USA) will also participate. Bringing this level of talent to the major population centres around the World this year promises to further expand the growing fan base of both Waterskiing and Wakeboard.
The first two World Cup Stops of the season will be at Dubna on the Volga River in Russia for Waterskiing and at Palm Hills Development at Hacienda Bay Beach in Egypt for Wakeboard. While Dubna has delivered spectacular World Cup events each year since 2004, this will be the first World Cup Stop in Egypt. Further details will be announced on each of the six Waterski and Wakeboard World Cup Stops in the coming weeks.
MasterCraft, the official boat and technical support sponsor from the start of this series in 2004 , is faced with quite a challenge this season. Containers loaded with these precious craft must be in place and on time in Russia, Egypt, Singapore, India, Malaysia and Qatar. Already these Containers are on the high seas and the MasterCraft team are closely monitoring progress by the day.
To secure your DVD of the entire 2007 Waterski and Wakeboard World Cup season, plus copies of the 2005 and 2006 seasons, details are available now at http://www.sportsactiondvds.com A DVD will also be available of the entire 2008 season later this year.
