OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES BY OUR WORLD CUP STARS

With World Cup Stops number 31 and 32  just weeks away in Kuching City, Sarawak, Malaysia and Linyi City, China, it is interesting to remind ourselves that the whole purpose of our Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup series is to bring our very best athletes to large audiences in areas of major population around the world. Every two years, these athletes are tested in World Championships. One of the most successful World Waterski Championships ever staged was in Dubna, Russia, just a week ago. With the very best from 37 countries involved, it is no surprise that yet again our World Cup Stars rose to the very top.

Natalia Berdnikova Star of the Worlds

Four particular World Cup Stars really did catch the headlines and the applause from the packed grandstands ! These were Natalia Berdnikava BLR, Thomas Degasperi ITA, Aliaksei Zharnasek BLR and Freddy Krueger USA.

Natalia Berdnikava was the very special athlete in this 2011 World Championships. She took Tricks Gold with a score of 9720 points, Jump Gold with a distance of 51.2m, Overall Gold with a score of 2820 points – and was also the major contributor to the very first Belarus Overall Team Gold Medal. What an extraordinary set of performances ! The celebrations at Jack Travers Sunset Lakes Training Centre in Central Florida still continue ! Congratulations Natalia and we look forward to seeing you soon in China.

Thomas Degasperi ITA takes back Gold

Thomas Degasperi ITA, one of the World’s most talented Slalom Skiers, also put in an extraordinary performance. Having already taken a Gold Medal in past World Championships, he had to accept the Silver Medal last time around, just behind Will Asher GBR in Calgary, Canada. To return once again and take back that Gold Medal was an exceptional achievement in Dubna. As he stated, defending is a lot more difficult than being a contender ! Next time around in Santiago, Chile, Thomas will have to defend this one more time. Congratulations Thomas.

Aliaksei Zharnasek BLR retains Gold

Aliaksei Zharnasek BLR is very well known to our World Cup fans around the world. Much of his fame till recently has been somewhat in the shadow of that other great World Record and World Champion  Tricker, Nicolas LeForestier FRA. This all changed for our World Cup Star in Calgary, Canada, at the 2009 World Championships when he took his first World’s Gold Medal. This time around, he had the more difficult task of defending that title in Dubna against the great Nicolas LeForestier. It was a fantastic battle of skills. Nicolas beat the field with a whopping score of 10,450 points. However, Aliaksei stunned the cheering fans at the very end with a spectacular 11,570 points victory and a Gold Medal. Congratulations Aliaksei.

Freddy KruFreddy Krueger USA shares Podium with Tim Bradstreet AUS and Rodrigo Miranda CHI

As the packed Dubna, Russia, Water Stadium awaited the Jump contest, the very last event, the name of World Cup star and World Record holder Freddy Krueger USA was the one in the spotlight ! However, all did not quite go to plan. The young Rookie star, Tim Bradstreet AUS, amazed all.  As the first on the water on the lower Jump Ramp, his distance of 67.5m set an extraordinary challenge for all. In fact, none could actually beat this even on the higher Ramp. Freddy Krueger was last out and even he could not do it after jumps one and two. It took a true World Cup star’s total effort to eventually steal that Gold Medal with a final distance of 69.5m. What a performance ! Congratulations Freddy – and watch out for both him and Tim Bradstreet in Linyi City, China, next month at World Cup Stop number 32 – the last one of 2011.