In their toughest competition yet the Mulwala Water Ski Club’s Show Team have done it again taking out the National Championships for the fourth time in a row.
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Held every two years the Show Ski National Championships were this year held in Perth on the picturesque Swan River.
Ski Club Ski Team Co-ordinator Peter O’Neill said it was a fantastic result for the team and the club leading into the World Championships which are to be hosted by the club next March, 2020.
“The team did an amazing job despite conditions being very challenging this year,” Peter said.
“The venue is big and open and a far cry from what our skiers are used to here.
“Last time the team went to Perth to compete they were the underdogs and came away with a convincing victory that no one saw coming. This time they were the favourites on paper, but with a host of struggles to overcome.”
Yarrawonga ‘sweethearts’ Boden Strawhorn and Breanna Bailey were in charge of the team and took with them a younger than normal team after injury, new jobs as life got in the way of many of the teams’ regulars.
“If you asked us in November, we had heaps of skiers, but then we lost three great skiers to SeaWorld on the Gold Coast, a few to injury and a number couldn’t make it due to work and university commitments,” Breanna said.
“But the team we took were great, small in number but huge in enthusiasm and we still put on the best show with the most difficult skiing of the competition.”
Boden said the team landed in Perth on Sunday and spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday training and were all getting a bit worn out.
“On Thursday we just rehearsed the show on the water and anything that really needed work, then we went over and over the show to make sure we all had everything from the boat patterns to costume changes worked out,” Boden said.
“The Ski Show Nationals give teams an hour to perform their shows and they are judged on everything from act difficulty to costumes- even music to execution. It is a very challenging discipline to officiate.”
Mulwala has been working hard on bringing its officials up to an international level for next years world championships and were able to provide two judges, two secretaries and Gary “Hooters” Wilson took control of the time keeping duties.
Mulwala’s first show was great without too many falls but with two injuries hitting the team late in the show it meant a big re-working for the second round.
At the end of the first round Mulwala were out in front with Show Ski WA in second followed closely by Southern Waters from Victoria in third.
The team were on a high after doing such a good job in round one but with the changes needing to be made, Boden and Bree had a lot of shuffling to do.
The morning of the second round bought new challenges, another one of Mulwala’s top skiers, Mitch Stedman came down with sickness. His performance that day will go on to inspire the team in years to come.
On top of that conditions had changed with the teams in second and first got the decent water but by the time Mulwala skied it had become so rough that it was going to be hard to do anything.
With ten minutes to go, the show had been changed drastically and Mitch Stedman arrived looking worse for wear.
Pete O’Neill said the team then went to the set up area ready to go. “From then on out it was amazing”.
“The ballet was great, the jump acts stood up and not one of the changes made bought anyone undone. Mulwala were awesome,” Pete said.
“The show they did rated as the second highest show of the competition, which was insane considering the water conditions. The only team to beat was in fact ourselves, from the first round meaning that Mulwala would be crowned champions.
“Mitch Stedman not only stood up his flips, pyramids and running from one end to the other. He did it so well that no one even knew he was sick, except maybe for Beau who skied with him through the gruelling pyramid.
“Mitch finished the show and was out, leaving the event in an ambulance with nothing left to give, it was truly an inspiration and shows the dedication our skiers show to their team and sport,” Pete said.
The event concluded with Mulwala winning the team jump award, as well as a second (Matt May) and third (Robbie Knowles) in the individual jump.
A first to Boden Strawhorn and Kate Green for doubles, not to mention the girls on the swivel ski performing awesome in the individual competition but missing out on the finals.
Attention has now already turned to the World Championships which will be hosted by the Mulwala Water Ski Club.
The team of 35 skiers that will represent Australia will be chosen in the coming weeks with many of Mulwala’s skiers in contention.
The team will be back performing their usual shows in summer. The team would like to thank the Mulwala Water Ski Club board and management, as well as the local community and sponsors for all their support and assistance.