This year was monumental for Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada (WSWC) as we celebrated 75 years of advancing towed water sports in Canada! Here are some highlights from an action-packed year:
Major National Events
- 2024 Junior Canadian Open: Hosted by Shalom Park, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 2024 Canadian Water Ski National Championships: Safari Lake, Hamilton, Ontario, featuring the induction of 7 members into the WSWC Hall of Fame during the National Championships banquet.
- 2024 Canadian Wakeboard and Wakeskate Boat National Championships: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
- 2024 Canadian Wake Park National Championships: Bluestone Wake Park, Clinton, Ontario.
- 2024 Canadian National Wakesurf Championships: Koocanusa Village, BC
- 2024 Canadian Freestyle Jump National Championships: Hosted by Longford Mills Ski Club, Ontario.
- 2024 Canadian Barefoot National Championships: Canal Soulanges, Les Cedres, Quebec
- 2024 World Water Skiers Canada Cup: Saskatoon Water Ski Club, Saskatoon, Alberta. Canada’s Dorien Llewellyn placed 3rd in Overall.
Major IWWF International Events
- 2024 IWWF U17 World Waterski Championships: Hosted on home soil by Predator Bay Water Ski Club and WSWC in Calgary, Alberta. Canada had 11 athletes competing at the U17 Worlds.
- 2024 IWWF World 35+ Waterski Championships (Sesana, Spain): Canada had a 26-person team representing the maple leaf with 8 medals won.
- Todd Johnson: 2nd place in 55+ Men’s Slalom
- David Bentall: 2nd place in 65+ Men’s Slalom
- Jim Stacy: 1st place in 65+ Men’s Trick
- Bruce Dodd: 2nd place in 65+ Men’s Trick and 65+ Men’s Overall
- Pierre Plouffe: 2nd place in 70+ Men’s Trick and 70+ Men’s Jump, 1st place in 70+ Men’s Overall
- 2024 IWWF World Cable Wakeboard & Wakeskate Championships (Paris, France): Canada had a team of 6 riding at the event, with Jordan Sullivan bringing home the only Canadian medal – bronze in Open Men’s Wakeskate.
- 2024 IWWF World Barefoot Championships (Auburndale, Florida): Canada had 13 athletes representing at the event. Becky Moynes brought home two silver medals including Canada’s first overall medal since 1992.
- 2024 IWWF Pan American Water Ski Championships (Bogota, Colombia): Canadian athletes claimed numerous medals, including a podium sweep in U17 Girls Jump! This event also qualified Canada for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games.
- Ethan Kuntz: 3rd in U14 Boys Slalom
- Kate Pinsonneault: 1st in U17 Girls Jump, 3rd in U21 Women’s Slalom, 2nd in U21 Women’s Jump, and 1st in U21 Women’s Overall
- Sofia Pelkey: 2nd in U17 Girls Jump and 3rd in U17 Girls Overall
- Sophie Lahaie: 3rd in U17 Girls Jump
- Enzo Kristian: 3rd in U17 Boys Jump and Overall
- Hannah Stopnicki: 2nd in U21 Women’s Trick
- Rebecca Ramsay: 3rd in Open Women’s Jump
- Thomas Daigle: 3rd in Open Men’s Overall
- 2024 IWWF Pan American Wakeboard Championships (Auburndale, Florida): Canadian athletes claimed two medals and secured a spot in the 2025 Junior Pan American Games.
- Baye Hoctor-Duncan: 3rd in Junior Women
- Hunter Smith: 3rd in Open Men
- 2024 IWWF World Wakeboard Championships (Xiaoshan, China): Canada had one rider representing at this event – Joey Gurr.
- 2024 IWWF World Wakesurf Championships (Hong Kong, China): Canada sent a team of 7 riders to this inaugural event and 5 medals were won by Canadians.
- Bailey Rush: 2nd in Open Women Skim and 3rd in Open Women Surf
- Lily Anderson: 2nd in Open Women Surf
- Morgan Bateman: 3rd in U18 Women Skim
- Jolene Allen: 2nd in Veteran Women Skim
Water Ski Pro Scene
- Jaimee Bull won the Water Ski Pro Tour, with Whitney McClintock Rini securing second place on the tour.
- After competing in 4 overall events this summer, Dorien Llewellyn placed 3rd on the World Water Skiers Overall Tour.
World Records
- Charlie Ross set another World Record. Running 5@10.25m/41off, Charlie broke the IWWF World U21 Men’s Slalom Record.
- Neilly Ross set the IWWF Open Women’s Trick Record twice this year with a score of 11,380 points and 11480 points.
Hall of Fame Inductees
7 honourees were inducted into the WSWC Hall of Fame, class of 2024. The induction ceremony took place at the 2024 Canadian Water Ski Championships in Hamilton, ON. The honourees were:
- Betty Preece
- Carol Ann Duthie
- Claudia Currie
- David Lean
- George Duthie
- Harold Townsend
- Pierre Plouffe
Thank you to everyone who made these achievements possible – athletes, coaches, volunteers, sponsors and supporters!