Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada is proud to announce that Duane Godfrey from Mississauga, Ontario, will be competing at the 2024 IWWF Open, U23, and Junior World Barefoot Water Ski Championships in Auburndale, Florida. A seasoned athlete with 25 years of experience, Duane is set to compete in the Open category as part of the Canadian Team, focusing on the Slalom and Trick events.
Duane’s barefoot water skiing journey began in 1998, when Roy Chidgey, who later became one of his closest friends, taught him his first back deep start. Since then, Duane has continuously pushed the boundaries of the sport, achieving personal bests of 15.2 points in Slalom, 5700 points in Trick score of 5700 points, and 10.2 meters in Jump.
A notable highlight of Duane’s career came in 2012, when he contributed to Team Canada’s bronze medal win at the World Championships. Among his favorite memories in the sport is the time he performed TBTF with Jim Forster and Ben Groen.
Duane is really excited to meet up with international friends, skiers, and officials at this year’s World Championships. The barefoot community means a lot to him and being able to connect with them while competing is one of the best parts of the experience.
Aside from his love for the sport, Duane is also passionate about music and enjoys hiking when he’s not on the water. His goals moving forward are simple: keep going and continue doing what he loves.
The 2024 IWWF Open, U23, and Junior World Barefoot Water Ski Championships taking place from October 5-12, 2024, promises to be an exciting event. For more information about the 2024 IWWF Open, U23, and Junior World Barefoot Water Ski Championships, please visit https://2024barefootworlds.com/.