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Aqua Jays return to the Rock River

Photo

Photo by Kyle Bursaw

The Rock Aqua Jays perform regularly on Wednesday nights in preparation for the upcoming Mercury Open Water Ski Show Tournament on June 27. Here an Aqua Jay pivots on one leg.

Photo

Photo by Kyle Bursaw

A pair of Aqua Jays does a doubles routine. The Rock Aqua Jays perform regularly on Wednesday nights in preparation for the upcoming Mercury Open Water Ski Show Tournament on June 27.

fter the cancellation of 38 water ski shows, the Rock Aqua Jays were worried people wouldn’t attend their June 14 show.

Instead, it was standing room only, said Gerry Luiting, show director.

In addition to the crowd in the bleachers, people sat in lawn chairs and on blankets.

“It was really cool and pretty amazing,” he said.

The local team resumed its water ski shows 22 months after flooding forced them from their Rock River site in Traxler Park.

Since Aug. 8, 2007, the team has skied only in a couple exhibitions—partial shows—in addition to competing and placing second at state and national tournaments in 2008.

Performing again is exhilarating, Luiting said.

“We finally get to just ski,’’ he said.

Flooding

The team—holder of 15 national and 12 Wisconsin ski show championships—has been swamped in the last two years by seven floods—six of which are among the 10 worst ever. Last summer’s devastating 500-year flood completely wiped out the club, Luiting said.

“We’ve had to endure all seven of those floods and still try to survive as an organization. It’s been quite a challenge and a big test of perseverance. It kind of feels like we’ve run a big marathon,’’ he said.

Luiting, a 34-year skiing veteran, said the club has never endured a bigger test.

The August 2007 flooding wiped out the last one-third of the year’s skiing season. Losing revenue from late-season shows was a big financial hit, Luiting said.

“The first part (of the season) pays for overhead,’’ he said.

Impact

The shortened 2007 season and almost non-existent 2008 season cost the team training, income and more than two dozen seasoned skiers.

Joel Shapiro, club president, estimated flooding cost the club more $250,000 in revenue and property damage. Luiting called that estimate conservative.

On top of losing concession stand and boutique sales, the club didn’t get to pass the hat at its semiweekly shows. It also didn’t get to host the Mercury Marine Invitational and Show Ski Nationals tournaments or put on its Fourth of July show.

“It was bad for us and the city economy. Everything spiraled badly,’’ Luiting said.

Reflecting on last summer, Luiting said the club didn’t have a clue what it was in for.

By June 7, 2008, club members had cleaned the show site and installed docks and the jump ramp. Two days later, as the Rock River rose and the current became dangerously swift, the jump ramp had to be pulled to shore.

“We never even jumped on it,” Luiting said.

The park was then under 3 feet of water.

“Trees were sticking out of the water, and there were fish swimming through the clubhouse,’’ he recalled.

Three of the club’s four docks washed away. The wooden stage was ruined.

For this season, the Aqua Jays worked with city engineers to create new masonry and concrete stage.

“That’s good. So if we get flooded again, this area won’t be affected,” Luiting said.

Flooding also resulted in extensive damage to the clubhouse. Water destroyed motors in all of the appliances—freezers, refrigerators and soda coolers. Wooden cabinets and trim had to be thrown away.

“We put stuff up on cement blocks like we always do with every other flood but didn’t know we’d be getting into a 500-year flood,’’ Luiting said.

The clubhouse roof had to be replaced, and club members spent the winter and this spring cleaning mold. Stately shade trees between the parking lot and clubhouse died and were removed.

“It looks pretty naked now,’’ Luiting said.

Recovery

What helped save the club from financial ruin was a business plan written years ago to guide the club’s recovery from catastrophic floods, fires or other trouble, Luiting said.

While still trying to recover, the Aqua Jays are preparing to host the 2009 Mercury Marine Water Ski Show Tournament set for Saturday, June 27.

“It’s been a huge challenge,’’ Luiting said.

“There is still mud everywhere, the grass isn’t growing, and when it rains the water stands even though the river (level) is going down,’’ he said.

Club members worked all weekend and 16-hour days getting ready for the June 14 show.

But they intend to have fun.

The club’s show this year is titled “Skifeld,’’ based on the hit comedy, “Seinfeld.”

The jokes are intended to shake off the troubles of the club’s last two ski seasons, he said.

“We’ll laugh at ourselves and make jokes’’ Luiting said.

The team is excited about the addition of a new Malibu inboard to its boat fleet and a couple new acts, which Luiting wants to keep secret until they are debuted.

The competition needs to look out, Luiting said, because the award-winning Jays are back and aren’t willing to settle for second place.