Water Ski National Championships Begins Tuesday | Sports Destination Management

Water Ski National Championships Begins Tuesday

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Aug 13, 2013
World’s Largest 3-Event Water Ski Tournament Returns to Okeeheelee Park

More than 600 water ski athletes from across the United States will descend upon Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach, Fla., this week for the 71st annual GOODE Water Ski National Championships. The Ski Club of The Palm Beaches is hosting the Nationals, which will be held Tuesday through Saturday. Action begins at 8 a.m. each day.

The Ski Club of The Palm Beaches has hosted 12 Water Ski National Championships, five Southern Regional Water Ski Championships, two Florida State Water Ski Championships and the 1989 Water Ski World Championships – in addition to a handful of professional cash-prize tournaments and hundreds of other amateur water ski tournaments – over the past 30 years. It most recently hosted the 2012 GOODE Water Ski National Championships. For more information on the Nationals, visit www.waterskinationals.com.

The nation’s top water ski athletes will compete for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective age divisions and two Open divisions. Advancement to the Water Ski National Championships – the world’s largest three-event water ski tournament – is primarily earned through placement on the national rankings list. Athletes also can qualify for the Nationals by placing in the top five at Regionals or by placing in the top-five at the previous year’s Nationals.

The first national championships was held in 1939 at Jones Beach in Long Island, N.Y. Except for three years during World War II (1942-1944), the Nationals has been held every year since 1939.

About USA Water Ski: USA Water Ski was formed in 1939 as a non-profit organization promoting water skiing in the United States. USA Water Ski is affiliated with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (world governing body) and is recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and Pan-American Sports Organization as the national governing body of organized water skiing in the United States.

About GOODE: In 1994, GOODE Skis developed the world's first carbon fiber water ski. All world champions and world record holders now use carbon fiber skis. Over the past 15 years, GOODESkis have won more U.S. national medals than all other manufacturers combined.

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