The 2006 Asian Australasian Water Ski Wakeboard & Barefoot Championships came to a successful conclusion. Held between 8-10th December the event saw some 78 skiers and riders taking to the aquamarine lakes at the Mulwala Twin Lakes, Australia for some hot competition. With temperatures rising to 45C it was not only the skiing that was hot!
The first time the regional championships have included barefooting the event was considered a great success by all participants.
Brian Price Chairman of the AA Barefoot Council and his fellow committee members were all delighted in being able to showcase barefooting to the Asian federations, which saw China compete and win an AA barefoot bronze medal for the first time.
The tournament event saw Emma Sheers back on the water after giving birth earlier in the year. Her 1/55/10.75 set the goal in the prelims but was not repeated in the finals. She finished instead with a silver medal behind Karina Nowlan (Aus). Nowlan also won jump. Joel Wing won men’s slalom. The Japanese dominated the Asian slalom events after injury ruled out Kim Keyyoung in the women’s event. Hiroyuki Kurisawa won slalom. Saaya Hirosawa won the women’s Asian overall with Jihoon Min the men’s. When it was needed Ryan Green excelled in tricks and jump to win gold and take the overall AA title.
In wakeboarding Caitlin Blaauw (Aus) held off the challenge of Chen Li-li (China) whilst Wan Ka-choi (Hong Kong) had to settle for Bronze beaten by the two ‘ozzies’ Chris Oshea and Harle Clifford. Kim Youngil took the Asian gold for Korea.
Barefooting proved an exciting spectacle particularly the jump finals. Bevan Kelly (NZ) took the jump title with his final jump of 23.7m. Brendan Wright (Aus) took slalom and overall and Brenton Crouch (Aus) tricks. Ashleigh Stebbings again excelled demonstrating why she’s ranked No 1 junior in the world with gold in tricks jump and overall. Jia Tao (China) clinched the first AA barefoot medal for Asia taking bronze in women’s jump.
Max Kirwan, IWSF Vice President, was delighted with the event and particularly the success of combining the 3 disciplines.