FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 18, 2016
CONTACT: Scott N. Atkinson
(863) 874-5682
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
U.S. 35+ Water Ski Team Wins Gold Medal
At 2016 35+ Water Ski World Championships
26 U.S. athletes earn individual medals at biennial event
POLK CITY, Fla. – The U.S. 35+ Water Ski Team won the overall team gold medal and 26 U.S.
water ski athletes combined to earn 40 individual medals, including 14 gold medals, in respective events
at the 4th 35+ Water Ski World Championships, Sept. 14-18, at the Seseña Water Ski & Wakeboard
Complex in Toledo, Spain. The United States tallied 12,239.46 points in winning the gold medal at the
biennial event. France earned the silver medal with 10,228.02 points and Canada earned the bronze
medal with 9,721.30 points. Athletes and teams from 28 countries competed in the five-day event as the
world team title and world individual titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall were at stake.
Members of the 2016 U.S. 35+ Water Ski World Championships Team were: John Burris (West
Point, Miss.), Janie Fausold (Pleasant Grove, Calif.), Mitch Grau (Carrollton, Texas), Renee
Jaquess (Miramar Beach, Fla.), Joy Kelley (Loudon, Tenn.), Tony Knight (Jacksonville, Fla.), Lori
Krueger (Martindale, Texas) and Kelly Zoellner (Jacksonville, Ill.). The American Water Ski
Association’s International Activities Committee selected the team earlier this summer based on
qualifications criteria previously approved by the American Water Ski Association's board of directors.
Christy Kingsmill (Roselle, Ill.) was the team manager for the U.S. contingent.
Fausold earned silver medals in Over 55 Women jumping (69 feet) and overall (2,605.41 points),
and the bronze medal in slalom (3 buoys at 35 feet off); Grau won the gold medal in Over 55 Men
jumping (145 feet) and the bronze medal in overall (2,240.51 points); Jaquess earned the bronze medal
in Over 35 Women jumping (120 feet); Kelley won gold medals in Over 55 Women slalom (3 buoys at 38
feet off), jumping (109 feet) and overall (3,502.36 points), and the silver medal in tricks (3,260 points);
Knight won the gold medal in Over 45 Men overall (2,526.45 points); Krueger won gold medals in Over 45
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Women slalom (5 buoys at 35 feet off), jumping (115 feet) and overall (3,297.08 points), and the silver
medal in tricks (2,990 points); and Zoellner won the gold medal in Over 35 Women jumping (130 feet).
Fifty-five U.S. athletes also competed as independents.
In Over 35 Women, April Coble-Eller (Lillington, N.C.) won the gold medal in slalom (1-1/2
buys at 38 feet off) and Jill Smith (New Carlisle, Ind.) earned the bronze medal in tricks (4,390 points).
In Over 45 Men, Greg Badal (Brentwood, Calif.) earned the silver medal in slalom (1 buoy at 41
feet off) and Forest Fisher (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) earned the silver medal in tricks (5,210 points).
In Over 45 Women, Connie Bergmark (San Diego, Calif.) earned the silver medal in jumping
(95 feet) and the bronze medal in overall (2,355.24 points); Lydie Robsham (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
won the gold medal in tricks (5,370 points); and Stephanie Stange (Sherman, Texas) earned the bronze
medal in slalom (3 buoys at 35 feet off).
In Over 55 Men, Dee Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) earned the silver medal in overall (2,281.44
points); Kris LaPoint (Windermere, Fla.) won the gold medal in slalom (5-1/2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off);
and Greg Tate (Auburn, Wash.) earned the silver medal in slalom (2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off).
In Over 55 Women, Anne Bennett (Zachary, La.) won the gold medal in tricks (3,360 points);
Carol Brooks (Canyon Lake, Calif.) earned the silver medal in slalom (4 buoys at 35 feet off); and
Diana Parker-Olson (Canyon Lake, Calif.) earned the bronze medal in jumping (61 feet).
In Over 65 Men, Steve Raphael (Southlake, Texas) won the gold medal in slalom (5-1/2 buoys
at 38 feet off) and Bob Hardeman (Livermore, Calif.) earned the bronze medal in slalom (1-1/2 buoys at
38 feet off).
In Over 65 Women, Brenda Cavenaugh (West Point, Miss.) earned silver medals in jumping
(38 feet) and tricks (1,560 points), and the bronze medal in overall (1,739.12 points); Janet Piercy
(Ashland, Neb.) earned the bronze medal in tricks (1,070 points); Janice Prociw (Carter Lake, Iowa)
earned silver medals in slalom (4 buoys at 22 feet off) and overall (2,063.82 points), and the bronze
medal in jumping (35 feet); and Donna Switzer (Mulberry, Fla.) earned the bronze medal in slalom (3
buoys at 22 feet off).
For complete results, visit http://www.iwwfed-ea.org/classic/16IWWF02/.
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
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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.
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NOTE TO MEDIA: This press release, as well as other water-skiing information, is available
on our Web site, www.USAWATERSKI.org, © 2016 USA Water Ski. All Rights Reserved.
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