The Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup Series comprises the disciplines of both Waterski and Wakeboard. Last weekend saw the final Stop in the global tour for the Waterskiers in Enniskillen in Northern Ireland. The final Stop for the Wakeboard Riders will be in Singapore on September 30th / October 1st. So far Stops have been completed in Qatar, France, China, Russia and Northern Ireland.

This was by far the most successful World Cup season to date. Bigger numbers of spectators, wider TV coverage, oversubscribed entry lists at all venues, greater performances from all the athletes involved plus a host of committed Sponsors, all combined to create a spectacular series. The plans for 2007 are also at an advanced stage and further expansion is anticipated.

WORLD CUP 2006 SHORTBOARD WINNERS :
Of all events in the 2006 World Cup series, Shortboard showed the biggest improvements in terms of performances. Spurred on by World Cup exposure, both the Ladies and Men’s World Records have been broken in the past twelve months. The 2006 World Cup Finals best score for Men rose from 11,280 points last year to 11,670 this year. The increase for the Ladies was from 7690 points to 8530 points. The individuals responsible for these increases are also those who broke the World Records in the past year and are now the World Cup 2006 winners – Mandy Mightingale (USA) and Nicolas LeForestier (FRA). Nightingale, from Sapulpa, Oklahoma, started skiing at the age of three, played Basketball at the University of Colorado and was drafted to the WNBA. She trains at Utopia Lake in San Marcos, Texas. LeForestier started skiing at the age of six in Nantes in France and lives in South Africa. He combines a professional Waterski career with that of a computer engineer. He has been a member of the French team since 1987 and has invented several of the Flips now seen in Shortboard events around the world. He has broken the World Record five times.

WORLD CUP 2006 SLALOM WINNERS
Slalom in the past year has had a major British influence. In the World Championships in Tianjin in China in 2005, British athlete William Asher took the Men’s title. This year Jodi Fisher (GBR) and Sarah Green (GBR) took both Slalom titles in this 2006 World Cup series. Strong performances in Russia and Northern Ireland proved unbeatable for both. This was Fisher’s second World Cup Slalom overall title. He was born close to Sherwood Forest in the North of England and runs his own successful Ski School in Orlando, Florida. His Waterski career started at the age of seven. Green was born in Wimbledon in England, started skiing at the age of four and now runs a successful Ski School with her husband Ryan in Perth in Western Australia. She took the Masters Slalom title in the USA last May. Her stock of titles also includes those of European Slalom Champion and British Slalom Record holder.

WORLD CUP 2006 JUMP WINNERS
In Jump the World Cup battle has been an enthralling one.  Three women dominated throughout – World Champion Ageliki Andriopoulou (GRE), June Fladborg (DEN), and Clementine Lucine (FRA). Both Andriopoulou and Fladborg took first places along the way, giving them the edge. The final points tally in Enniskillen in Northern Ireland delivered the 2006 World Cup Jump title to June Fladborg by a margin of just 48 points. She also took the Masters Jump title in the USA in Callaway Gardens last May. Born in Copenhagen in Denmark, her Waterski career began at the age of ten. She trains with Coach Ray Stokes in Queensland, Australia. Past titles include European Jump Champion and National Jump Champion. The reigning World Cup Men’s Jump Champion, Jaret Llewellyn (CAN), also became the World Jump Champion in Tianjin, China last year. However, a third place in the World Cup Stop in Dubna, Russia, cost him dearly and allowed Freddy Krueger (USA) to take first in both Russia and Northern Ireland. The 224 points overall lead was a clear victory for the athlete from Winter Garden in Florida. Born in Decatur, Illinois, Krueger began his career at the age of three. He is a four time World Record holder, four time Masters Champion in the USA and three time US Open Champion.

Following the World Cup Stop in Singapore on September 30th / October 1st, the Wakeboard World Cup Champions details will be announced.

SHORTBOARD – LADIES
1. Mandy Nightingale (USA)
2. Clementine Lucine (FRA)
3. Danyelle Bennett (USA)
4. Ageliki Andriopoulou (GRE)

SHORTBOARD – MEN
1. Nicolas LeForestier (FRA)
2. Aliaksei Zharnasek (BLR)
3. Jaret Llewellyn (CAN)
4. Oleg Deviatovski (BLR)

SLALOM – LADIES
1. Sarah Green (GBR)
2. Clementine Lucine (FRA)
3. Karen Truelove (USA)
4. Natalie Hamrick (USA)

SLALOM – MEN
1. Jodi Fisher (GBR)
2. Jamie Beauchesne (USA)
3. Aaron Larkin (NZL)
4. Drew Ross (CAN)

JUMP – LADIES
1. June Fladborg (DEN)
2. Ageliki Andriopoulou (GRE)
3. Clementine Lucine (FRA)
4. Jaklyn Hunter (GBR)

JUMP – MEN
1. Freddy Krueger (USA)
2. Jaret Llewellyn (CAN)
3. Ryan Fitts (USA)
4. Sebastien DiPasqua (SUI)