Team USA wins ski show
National Ski Show Association World Show Tournament
Team USA: First place 2,095.23 points
Team China: Second place 1,5356.2 points
Team Canada: Third place 1,505.83 points
Team Australia: Fourth place 1,444.3 points
Team Belgium: Fifth place 1,175.23 points
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JANESVILLE — It was all an all-American day with blue skies, warm sunshine and a huge win for Team USA at the World Water Ski Show on Sunday.
Team USA swept competition away the tournament at Traxler Park in Janesville with a performance Sunday afternoon that garnered a commanding, 539-point lead over second-place China to earn top honors in the weekend-long competition.
It was a win for Team USA, but in a way, a win for the Janesville Rock Aqua Jays, said team USA member and Rock Aqua Jays show director Dave Rezin. Of Team USA's 35 members, eight skiers are active Aqua Jays.
He said the team members meshed well to take on competitors from China, Canada, Australia and Belgium.
"It's not often that you get this caliber of skiers together in one place at one time," he said. There were no egos, and it's been exciting and a big surprise to see what we've been able to throw out there on the water this weekend," Rezin said.
Rezin called the outcome one of the best water skiing experiences his team members have had. "This will go down as one of the top skiing performances of our lifetime," Rezin said Sunday.
The American team had solid ski routines throughout performances Saturday. The group made about 70 jumps with a handful of falls, he said. Rezin said the team hoped to tighten up Sunday, and avoid most spills.
That happened.
Team USA cleaned house in showmanship, individual club acts and in overall show, the three major categories on which skiers are judged.
The tournament was a big draw this weekend. Attendance totals were not available Sunday but estimates for headcounts were at 5,000 to 10,000, a day, according to the Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Sep 18, 2012 at 1:06 p.m.
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I was there too and it was packed. Not sure where everyone was from, but there were definitely thousands!! So proud to be from the USA. Our team really represented us well. All the teams were very entertaining to watch and I hope this event grows each year. Fabulous job on the first ever attempt at a WORLD competition.
Sep 18, 2012 at 10:13 a.m.
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The place was packed late at night...because you have people from 4 other countries camping there also... duh.
Sep 18, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.
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I drove down from Milwaukee for this. Great show and great venue for it. It was packed (I parked and walked down Memorial Bridge since there was no parking left in the park). I hope it becomes an annual event!
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:02 p.m.
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I totally disagree with you. Since you only drove by, you did not partake in the actual viewing of the ski show. My wife and I attended both Saturday and Sunday and there were MANY locals there watching. No parking available so we had to walk several blocks just to get to the gates. A drive by does not qualify to determine whether locals attended or cared to go. It was well attended by all.
Sep 17, 2012 at 9:40 p.m.
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5,000 to 10,000? That is quite a difference...I drove by several times, my guess is that other than the people involved and the immediate friends of, not many locals really cared about this.
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