Canadian skiers shine on home water at IWWF World U21 Waterski Championships in Calgary
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The three-day tournament, hosted at Predator Bay Waterski Club just south of Calgary, drew top young talent from around the globe. Despite schedule changes due to rainy weather, Canadian skiers delivered standout performances on home water.
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Ross, a 20-year-old Floridian representing Ontario, defended his men's slalom title in spectacular fashion. In the final, Ross ran an impressive three buoys with the rope shortened to just 10.25 metres, tying a championship record that had stood since 2003.
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'That one meant a lot,' said Ross. 'It's my last time being at an event like that . . . Couldn't have been happier to be a part of it, and a great thank you to Predator Bay for all of the work that went into it.'
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In women's trick, Quebec's Hannah Stopnicki scored 7,460 points in the final round to win gold and bring home the title of world champion.
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Nellie Allard, also of Quebec, added a bronze in women's jump. She led the preliminary round with a personal-best leap of 47.7 metres and landed 46.7 metres in the final to secure her spot on the podium.
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Those individual results helped propel Team Canada to second overall in team standings behind the United States, with Austria finishing with the bronze.
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'We're exceptionally proud of our team,' said Russ Dickson, president of Waterski and Wakeboard Canada. 'They behaved with the utmost sportsmanship, and they all skied to the best of their abilities.'
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Another notable Canadian finalist was Kate Pinsonneault of B.C., who placed fourth in women's jump and seventh overall. Evan Kraus (Alta.) tied for fourth in men's slalom, while Olivia Chute (N.S.) finished fourth in women's trick.
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Australia's Kristy Appleton secured gold, with Maise Jacobsen of Denmark following closely behind. Kate Pinsonneault of B.C. finished just shy of the podium in fourth place with a 42.7 metre jump.
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Dickson said the event was a success in both atmosphere and performance – and a great showcase of the country's depth in the sport.
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'Whenever you host an event on home soil, you're always hoping for at least a few medals, and the team exceeded our expectations,' he said.
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As the water settles at Predator Bay, organizers set their eyes on hosting the world under-35 tournament, featuring some of the sport's top veteran competitors. Dickson said he expects nearly 250 athletes from around the globe.
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