The 2020 USA Junior Barefoot Team is on top of the world!
In a year when most major athletic competitions were canceled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the International Water Ski & Water Ski Federation and the World Barefoot Council found a way to let the 2020 Junior Barefoot World Championships go virtual.
The 2020 IWWF Junior Barefoot World Championships were supposed to take place in Sydney, Australia in April of 2020. Instead, it became a video tournament that took place across four months, three continents and several lakes between August 16 and December 31, 2020.
And our USA Team dominated winning five of the six events and the team gold medal! Despite competing on two different sites: Florida and Wisconsin.
“I am super proud of how everyone performed so well considering this was a non-traditional world championships,” says USA Junior Team Coach Jason Lee. “Everyone stuck their runs… the right team and the right barefooters won.”
Leading the charge for the USA was Megan Adams of Center City, Minnesota. Megan swept both rounds of the tournament in the girl’s division winning gold in Slalom, Tricks, Jump and the Girl’s Overall. Her performances, which were all personal best scores, helped propel the USA to the Team Gold. Yes… five gold medals for Megan!
Complete List of Scores CLICK HERE.
Brett Swanbom of Land O’Lakes, Florida was the standout in the Boys Division winning the gold in Tricks, the silver in Wake Slalom, 8th in Jump and the Boy’s Overall Champion. Look for Brett to do even better in 2022!
“The weight of the USA Barefoot Water Skiing now sits squarely on the shoulders of these young guns and I am expecting great things,” says Coach Jason Lee who is also a Former Junior, Elite and Senior Barefoot World Champion.
Brice Storman of Saint Petersburg, Florida captured the Gold Medal in Wake Slalom and the Silver in Tricks, finishing 9th Overall.
Orval Cyr of Chisago City, Minnesota won the bronze in Tricks, helping the USA Boys sweep the podium in Tricks. Orval also finished 10th in Jump, 12th in Wake Slalom and 10th Overall. Orval will be eligible to compete in 2022.
Ellis Osborn of Fort Lauderdale, Florida grabbed 6th in jump, the top American in Boy’s Jump. He also finished 6th in Tricks, 8th in Jump and 6th Overall.
Michael Sousa of Moultonborough, New Hampshire was a member of the USA Junior Team but was not able to compete in either of the U.S. Video Tournaments due to travel restrictions.
2020 USA Junior Team Members Megan, Michael, Ellis and Orval were part of the USA Junior Development Team in 2018. The 2020 USA Junior Development Team also made some serious statements performing in their very first world championships. Look for these Juniors in 2022!
Amara Bruns of Sioux Falls, South Dakota finished 4th in Girls Slalom, 8th in Girls Tricks and 5th Overall.
Martin Cyr of Chisago City, Minnesota finished 7th in Tricks, 12th in Jump, 15th in Wake Slalom and 13th Overall.
Carter Boerman of Salem, Wisconsin finished 9th in Boys Tricks, 10th in Wake Slalom and 14th Overall.
Cole Stellmacher of Ponte Vedra, Florida was unable to attend the video tournament.
There were two Junior World Video Tournaments held in the U.S. Ellis Osborn, Brice Storman and Brett Swanbom competed for the camera at Lake Grew, Polk City, Florida on August 16th.
Megan Adams, Carter Boerman, Amara Bruns, Martin Cyr and Orval Cyr competed on August 22 at the Blue Moo in Alma Center, Wisconsin. Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain all held their tournaments after the USA.
The videos submitted for each barefooter’s events were one unedited piece from the skier’s call to the end of the second pass. The videos were then compiled and sent to a private server. All of the videos were judged at the same time by the same three judges from three different federations at the beginning of January 2021.
We can’t wait for the next Junior World Championships in 2022! We are looking forward to a bright future in USA Barefoot Water Skiing! Stay Tuned!
American Barefoot Club 