From February 14-19th, 2023, the US Barefoot Waterski Team participated in the 2023 Barefoot Waterski World Championships in Mulwala, Australia. The Elite team finished in third place and the Junior team in first place overall for the US.
The US Elite Team was comprised of Carter Boerman (Salem, WI), Michael “Mikey” Caruso (Delray Beach, FL), Faith Dix (Wisconsin Rapids, WI), Noah Kinnaman (Lake St. Louis, MO), Brody Meskers (Chetek, WI), and Brett Swanbom (Groveland, FL). Alternates were Orval Cyr (Chisago City, MN) and Jerry Kanawyer (Brentwood, CA), with the team coached by Dale Stevens (West Palm Beach, FL) and Andrew Martin (Larkspur, CA) as manager. The team finished in the Bronze position behind Australia with the Gold and New Zealand with the Silver. Dix took home the Bronze in Ladies Slalom.
The US Junior Team included Carter Boerman (Salem, WI), Amara Bruns (Sioux Falls, SD), Noah Kinnaman (Lake St. Louis, MO), and Brett Swanbom (Groveland, FL). Alternates were Orval Cyr (Chisago City, MN) and Cam Patton (Lake St. Louis, MO), coached by Brody Meskers (Chetek, WI) and Andrew Martin (Larkspur, CA) as manager. The Junior Team won the Gold in the team competition, followed by Australia with the Silver and New Zealand with the Bronze. Bruns captured the Silver in Girls Slalom, while for the Boys Swanbom took Silver and Boerman Bronze. Bruns took Silver as well for the Girls Jump event, and the US Boys swept the podium with Swanbom winning Gold, Boerman winning Silver, and Cyr winning Bronze. Kinnaman took Gold in the Boys Trick division with an impressive 10,850 points, and Swanbom won the Bronze in the event. Bruns took the Gold in Girls Tricks as well as the Girls individual Overall, while Swanbom took the Gold in the Boys Overall.
Barefoot waterskiing is an international watersport with competitors around the globe competing in events of Tricks, Wake Slalom, and Jump, all on bare feet on the water. In Tricks skiers have 2 passes of 15 seconds apiece to complete as many tricks as they can. In Wake Slalom they similarly cross the boat’s wake as many times as possible in 15 seconds, completing such crossings either forward or backward, and with the option to cross on one or two feet. And in Jump skiers launch themselves over an 18-inch high fiberglass jump ramp, aiming to fly the greatest distance possible before landing.
For more information check out the American Barefoot Club’s website at http://www.barefoot.org for upcoming events and news.
American Barefoot Club 