Nineteen Athletes Win Titles On Day 1 Of 79th GOODE Water Ski National Championships

World’s largest 3-event tournament continues Monday at 7:00 a.m.

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The 79th annual GOODE Water Ski National Championships kicked off Sunday at Waters Edge in Wilmington, Ill., with 19 athletes winning national titles in respective divisions and events. Nearly 700 water ski athletes from across the United States are competing for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective age divisions and two Open divisions during the seven-day tournament that culminates next Saturday. A live webcast is available at www.waterskinationals.com.

 

Advancement to the world’s largest three-event

water ski tournament is primarily earned through placement on the national rankings list. Athletes also can 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 are hosting the tournament.

 

Sunday’s (Day 1) National Champions

 

Women 6 Slalom: Joy Kelley (Loudon, Tenn.), 1-1/2 buoys at 35 feet off; Women 7 Slalom: Shann Mills (Jacksonville, Fla.), 5 buoys at 32 feet off; Women 8 Slalom: Verna Clark (Crosslake, Minn.), 2 buoys at 22 feet off; Women 9 Slalom: Janet Piercy (Ashland, Neb.), 2 buoys at 28 feet off; Women 3 Slalom: Tiara Blackwood (Austin, Texas), 4 buoys at 32 feet off; Men 3 Slalom: Tyler Boyd (Cypress, Texas), 1 buoy at 39-1/2 feet off; Women 4 Slalom: Kelli Kerns (Dublin, Ohio), 1-1/2 buoys at 28 feet off; Men 6 Tricks: Stephen Miller (Marysville, Wash.), 2,490 points; Men 7 Tricks: Alfred Sanfanandre (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 2,770 points; Men 8 Tricks: Daniel Morea (Clarklake, Mich.), 660 points; Men 9 Tricks: Stan Switzer (Mulberry, Fla.), 1,280 points; Men 10 Tricks: Carrol “Bud” Piercy (Ashland, Neb.), 670 points; Men 11 Tricks and Jumping: Elgin Faulkner (Houston, Texas), 470 points/0 feet; Women 4 Jumping: Jane Greenwood (Little Rock, Ark.), 112 feet; Men 6 Jumping: Mitch Grau (Carrollton, Texas), 130 feet; Men 7 Jumping: Paul Armour (Plano, Texas), 122 feet; Men 8 Jumping: James Hooker (Mansfield, Ohio), 50 feet; Men 9 Jumping: Dennis Longo (Coral Gables, Fla.), 48 feet; and Men 10 Jumping: Bruce Kunde (Sterling, Ill.), 46 feet.

 

Competition continues Monday at 7:00 a.m. (CDT). A live webcast, daily scorebooks, schedules, recaps and additional information on the Nationals 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.