World's best young water-skiers descend on Alberta for IWWF U21 Championships
This year's tournament is the second in a string of three consecutive world championships being hosted at Predator Bay, following the 2024 under-17 competition. Next year, the club is set to host the over-35 worlds. Dickson said the run has helped to attract new sponsors and grow the sport in Canada, estimating this year's competition will bring around $500,000 in international spending.
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CBC Sports will stream the event online, alongside an official livestream on YouTube.
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'This is the first time in 30 years that we've had a major Canadian media outlet come and help us with our events,' Dickson said.
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Water levels at Predator Bay have been unusually high this year due to persistent rainfall, but organizers say conditions are improving. Still, Dickson is keeping an eye on the forecast, which calls for up to 10 millimetres of rain on Saturday.
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'We have the best skiers in the world, so we want to give them as much opportunity to get their best performances, where the venue isn't hampering their ability to be at their best,' Dickson said.
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The competition includes three categories: slalom, tricks and jumping.
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Slalom is about precision, with skiers weaving through buoys as their rope gets shorter. Tricks focuses on rapid spins, flips and technical moves under a time limit. And jumping, a fan-favourite, features big air and the occasional dramatic crash.
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'There will be something exciting to watch, one way or another,' said Dickson.
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First-time spectators can expect to fit right in.
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'For anybody coming out, if somebody looks like a skier, ask them a question and they'll be happy to tell you their story,' Dickson said.
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'It's a very interesting sport that way. You can be a spectator who's never seen anything before, and by the end of the day, you've got somebody to go visit on your next trip to Australia.'
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