Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada is thrilled to announce that Alexander Midena, from Sudbury, Ontario, will be competing at the 2024 IWWF Open, U23, and Junior World Barefoot Water Ski Championships in Auburndale, Florida. Taking place from October 5-12, 2024, this event will see Alexander take to the water as part of the Junior Canadian Team, competing in both the Slalom and Trick events.
Alexander, who has been barefoot water skiing for four years, has personal bests of 5.2 points in Slalom and 800 points in Trick. His participation in last year’s World Championships in Australia fueled his desire to continue pushing his limits, and his goal for the future is to surpass his personal bests.
Reflecting on his barefoot journey, Alexander fondly recalls getting started at Waterski North, where his mother signed him and his brother up for a week of summer camp. After just one week, Alexander was hooked and spent the rest of the summer honing his skills. His love for barefooting grew, inspired by the lessons he received from Joey Cecutti and Joey’s brother.
One of Alexander’s favourite barefoot memories is from those early days of learning from Joey and his brother. Alexander is now excited to reunite with some of the athletes he met in Australia in February 2023 while also meeting new competitors on the global stage. Alexander is eager to return to the water at the World Championships and continue his pursuit of excellence.
Beyond his passion for barefoot water skiing, Alexander is also an enthusiast for all things automotive. Looking back on his journey, he often wishes he had started watersports earlier, but his dedication and love for the sport are clear as he continues to chase new achievements.
For more information about the 2024 IWWF Open, U23, and Junior World Barefoot Water Ski Championships, please visit https://2024barefootworlds.com/.