FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jacob Kuntz Unable to Compete at 2026 IWWF World U17 Waterski Championships
March 29, 2026 – Conestogo, ON — Jacob Kuntz will be unable to compete at the 2026 IWWF World U17 Waterski Championships after sustaining an injury during training leading up to Team Canada’s departure for Argentina.
Kuntz, 16, had been selected as a Wild Card athlete and was set to compete in the Slalom and Jump events at his first World Championships. Despite the setback, he will still travel with the team to Córdoba to support his teammates throughout the competition.
The Championships will take place April 1-5, 2026, at Lago Ahumada Nautical Stadium, bringing together more than 110 athletes from over 18 countries to compete in slalom, trick, and jump.
Kuntz has been competing for five years and has achieved strong results at both the provincial and national level. His accomplishments include a Canadian silver medal in Overall, along with multiple Ontario gold medals in Overall and Jump. He holds personal bests of 2 buoys at 13m (32 off) in slalom and 103 feet in jump.
He was introduced to the sport through his family. “My sister got me into it when I was younger. I always loved wakeboarding, and after both siblings started it, I decided to start too,” he said.
Some of his favourite moments in the sport come from time spent training close to home. “Training with my friends at our cottage,” he shared.
Although he will not be competing, Kuntz remains part of Team Canada’s presence at the event and is looking forward to supporting the team and spending time with teammates in Argentina.
He will be joined at the Championships by his brother, Ethan Kuntz, marking one of two sets of siblings representing Canada at the event.
Team Canada wishes Jacob a smooth recovery and looks forward to seeing him back on the water.
For more information, including event details, start lists, and results, visit:
Event Website: https://ahumadaesquinautico.com/
IWWF Event Page: https://iwwf.sport/world-title-events/u17worlds2026/
Start Lists & Results: https://www.iwwfed-ea.org/classic/26IWWF02/
Media Assets/Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12QdBU0-Hnz_WK6DUHTztNe4GFrin4UZq?usp=sharing