Best young skiers in Australasia descend

UP A GRADE: Hometown girl and former WHS student Lily Meade will be skiing up one division against a stacked Aussie selection in the OZ Kiwi Water Ski Challenge starting Friday on Lake Wiritoa.
PHOTO / Sabrina East

Australia's best under 21 water skiers arrived in Whanganui on Thursday to do battle with New Zealand this weekend in the annual OZ Kiwi Water Ski Challenge.

The competition begins Friday at Lake Wiritoa where the 24-strong Aussie team will be met by the same number of New Zealand's most in-form skiers.

Skiing across three discipline's, trick, jump and slalom and in three categories U21, U17 and U14, skiers will get plenty of time on the water over the four days of competition.
With some of Oceania's best skiers on site and favourable weather conditions it is extremely possible that Australasian records could fall.

One of the possible contenders to take a crack a New Zealand record is South Island's Taine Gibson, with his jumps this season already pushing past 55 metres and tantalisingly close to Alex King's current record of 61.9m.

Slalom skiers are also forecast to be near to record scores as the sheltered waters of Wiritoa are some of the best in the country with competitors often recording personal bests there.

Whanganui skier Lily Meade will be skiing up one division at the request of selectors to help bolster the Kiwi team's overall chances against a stacked Aussie selection.

"They're always tough to beat, many of them are world class skiers with scores that put them in the top 10 in the world," Meade said.

With no charge for spectators and a world class venue it is well worth making the short trip to Lake Wiritoa just south of the city to see some of Australasia's best skiers in action until Sunday.

By Iain Hyndman
Wanganui Chronicle 1/3/18