Fourteen Athletes Win Titles On Final Day Of 79th GOODE Water Ski National Championships

Nearly 700 athletes competed in world’s largest three-event water ski tournament

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The 79th annual GOODE Water Ski National Championships concluded Saturday at Waters Edge in Wilmington, Ill., with 14 athletes winning national titles in respective divisions and events. Nearly 700 water ski athletes from across the United States competed for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective age divisions and two Open divisions during the seven-day tournament.

 

Advancement to the world’s largest three-event

water ski tournament was primarily earned through placement on the national rankings list. Athletes also could qualify by placing in the top-five in the previous year’s event or at respective 2021 regional championships.

 

The American Water Ski Association, a sport discipline organization of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, and Waters Edge Ski Club hosted the tournament.

 

Among the highlights on Saturday, three of the four slalom events taking place needed runoffs to determine the national champions. Megan Lambert (Brownsburg, Ind.) won the Women 2 national slalom title following a runoff with Jenna Gilbert (Fort Wayne, Ind.). After both skiers tied with 1 buoy at 35 feet off, Lambert won the subsequent runoff, scoring 2-1/2 buoys at 32 feet off to Gilbert’s 2 buoys at 32 feet off. Carter Eaton (Anchorage, Alaska) won the Men 1 national slalom title following a runoff with Hunter Duffy (Center City, Minn.). After both skiers tied with 3 buoys at 38 feet off, Eaton won the runoff with a score of 3 buoys at 38 feet off to Duffy’s 2-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off. Casey Contos (Anderson, Ind.) won the Masters Men national slalom title following a runoff with Bryan Reinke (Johnstown, Colo.). After both skiers tied with 3 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off, Contos won the runoff with a score of 3 buoys at 38 feet off to Reinke’s 2 buoys at 38 feet off.

 

In the fifth national team competition, Florida won for the fifth consecutive time, tallying 20,440 points. Illinois finished second (15,555 points), followed by Minnesota (13,330 points). 2016 marked the inaugural year of team skiing in which states and areas form 3-event teams of five men, five women, and five junior skiers competing in a placement-based NOPS format like collegiate water skiing. The team competition did not take place in 2020 due to COVID-19.

 

Saturday’s (Day 7) National Champions

 

Women 2 Slalom: Megan Lambert (Brownsburg, Ind.), 1 buoy at 35 feet off; Women 2 Jumping: Kayla Herstad (Fort Wayne, Ind.), 105 feet; Women 2 Overall: Keri McClure (Scott, Ohio), 2,596.80 points; Men 1 Slalom: Carter Eaton (Anchorage, Alaska), 3 buoys at 38 feet off; Men 1 Jumping and Overall: Garrett Stallings (Rossville, Tenn.), 184 feet/3,337.50 points; Masters Men Slalom: Casey Contos (Anderson, Ind.), 3 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off; Masters Men Tricks: Eric Lee (San Diego, Calif.), 3,100 points; Men 2 Slalom: Ryan Nason (Yuba City, Calif.), ½ buoy at 39-1/2 feet off; Men 2 Tricks: Jared Sharkey (Waukesha, Wis.), 5,100 points; Men 2 Overall: Cale Burdick (Brighton, Mich.), 3,212.00 points; Women 5 Tricks: Mary Koenig (Groveland, Fla.), 2,340 points; Women 5 Jumping and Overall: Tina Lindsey (Martindale, Texas), 79 feet/2,670.10 points; Women 1 Tricks and Overall: Taylor Grathwohl (Martindale, Texas), 5,490 points/3,206.10 points; and Women 1 Jumping: Charlsey Newman (McDonald, Tenn.), 124 feet.

 

Complete results and recaps can be found at www.waterskinationals.com.

 

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.

 

The 80th GOODE Water Ski National Championships will be held in August 2022 at Mystic Lakes in Maize, Kan.

 

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is affiliated with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (world governing body) and is recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and Pan-American Sports Organization as the national governing body of organized water skiing and wakeboarding in the United States.