Water Ski Fall 2015

If you participate in or follow amateur tournament skiing, you might know Ted McColley of Napoleon, Ohio. I got to know Ted earlier this year when he escaped the cold of winter with some sets at Okeeheelee Park here in Florida. What a guy — lots of positive energy and a pleasure to be around. I remember watching him ski with Becky Lathrop and Nate Smith in the boat, and we all had a chuckle when he pulled out for the gates and realized that his fin protector was still on his ski. Ted has participated in every Nationals since 1990, and he’s always wanted to win. “I was second to Ed Hickey three times since 2001,” says Ted. “I‘ve been knocking on the door for a long time.” I…

After four qualifying events in three countries, each producing a different winner, the Nautique Big Dawg finale will be held in conjunction with the U.S. Open on Oct. 24 at downtown Orlando’s Lake Ivanhoe. One of the favorites to claim the season title is Big Dawg rookie Frederick Halt, winner of the Sesena, Spain, event. “There are so many talented skiers in this series,” he says. “To win is a huge challenge.” Halt, who has only recently re-emerged in the sport, might have youth on his side — he’s under 40 — but he will be facing a full slate of veterans like Greg Badal, Andy Mapple, Chad Scott and Jeff Rodgers. “I might not be an outwardly competitive person,” Halt admits, “but I thrive on the challenge of finding…

Want to make your summer the envy of friends, family, and strangers the world over? Sorry, all those Instagrammed sunrises from your morning set just aren’t going to cut it. No, the only way to properly tell the story of your summer is through video — and we’re not talking about a Vine of your buddy rounding 3 ball at 35 off for the first time. For guidance, we turned to Marcus Brown, who has spent the past two years churning out the best long-form video in the water-ski business through his FlowPoint TV project (marcusbrown.net/flowpoint-tv). It’s OK to Start Small Don’t feel like you need a full arsenal of equipment to document your experience. For a recent episode of FlowPoint TV, Brown headed to Bullards Bar with little more…

LOVE ON THE WATER We love water-ski weddings, which is why we had to share the beautiful day between Jesse and Jennifer Shekleton, who were married this July in Dubuque, Iowa. As active members of the Dubuque Water Sports Club, these two lovebirds are passionate about turning buoys and sharing the sport with friends. “As subscribers and total junkies of WATERSKI, we thought it would be fun to share a photo of our day with other water-ski enthusiasts.” HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUDE Larry Frederick has enjoyed the sport for half a century. He jumps at the chance to teach anyone — regardless of age or ability — to hit their next level. His wife, Donna, says, “On his 70th birthday, Sept. 1, we’re celebrating his 50-plus years of skiing. For the…

1. What is your approach to a good gate and never missing it? There are five steps: Have an accurate pre-gate mark; be wide on the boat; spend about three seconds in the glide; keep the height of the hands no lower than the thigh and no higher than the rib cage; and be in motion before the nose of the boat hits the gates. As for making gates, turn in earlier at a wider point so the angle can be set proportional to the pull. 2. What is a common mistake your students struggle with and how do you address it? Too often people’s hands are away from them, so they can’t keep them close, proximity wise, to their hips. I teach them how to move and take the…

Kids these days! You’ve probably heard their names: Anna Gay, Neilly Ross, Samantha Dumala, Nick and Erika Lang, Taylor Garcia, Brooke Baldwin, Robert Pigozzi. “It is unreal to see the level that the current batch of juniors are achieving,” says pro skier and coach Trent Finlayson. “From the kids to the Under 21s, today’s juniors are skiing at unreal levels.” Performances from Ross, who is only 14, are off the charts. Her Junior Masters trick win point total this year was only 710 points behind the women’s pro division winning score. Then you have her friend, 14-year-old Baldwin, who became the youngest skier ever to run 38 off at 34 mph. Shortly after that feat, she placed third in her fi rst pro event. Erika Lang is another stunning example…