The First round of the Selection Trials was held earlier in August in Gosford with close racing in all classes over the two races with winners Cooper Robertson (Formula 1 Men), Lachlan Nix (Formula 1 Men), Cameron Nix (Formula 2 Men), Rachael Stapleton (Formula 1 Women), Maddison Boyer (Formula 1 Women), Emma Barnes (Formula 2 Women), Kohdi Cartledge (Junior Boys) and Lelani Cartledge (Junior Girls) all appearing in Mulwala.
Water Ski Racing is the ultimate water-based motorsport where a boat and a team consisting of a driver, observer and a skier can achieve varied speeds and experience different water conditions throughout the race.
Women and men will compete in two categories, Formula 1 and Formula 2, while boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 17 will participate in the Juniors - each skier accompanied by their driver and observer inside the spectacular boats.
The boats can be worth upwards of $400,000 each and the Open category is expected to hit close to 110 miles per hour (177 km/h) through the Five Kilometre course with the skier on a single ski and ropes 90-100 metres behind.
No less than ten current World Champions skiers and crews will participate in this weekend’s Australian Team Selection races, etching their names into the history books, following the last time the World Titles were held in France in 2019.
Of those participating, only one team remains intact from 2019: As current World Junior Boys Champion, Carter Robinson will be piloted by his driver, Brent Wisemantel, and observer, Evan Wooldridge, and will compete in Formula 1 Men.
Nellie McMillan - World Junior Champion - will have her father David and new observer, Brett Armstrong as her team while her 2019 observer Brayden Jameson will compete in Formula 2 Men.
Lachlan Nix - World Formula 2 Champion skier- will be competing in Formula 1 Men while his crew from 2019 - Alex Handley, driver and Jason Cartlidge, observer - will compete in Formula 2 Men.
Ben Gulley, the current World Water Ski Racing Men Ski Champion stays active this weekend as an observer.
The driver is eyes forward to control the throttle and get the team around the course in the quickest time possible, while the observer keeps an eye on the skier and other boats to ensure the skier’s safety and advise the driver on any change of course needed from behind.
The men’s category races will be over a 60-minute (plus one lap) time-period, women’s 45-minutes (plus one lap) and juniors 30-minutes (plus one lap).
It will be the first time a World Championship has been held since the pandemic and since it was announced in April that they were coming to Australia they have been the talk of everyone in water ski racing.
The liveries of the boats and the skill of the competitors on display this weekend are a great spectacle and will showcase the best of the best water ski racers in the World.
Both Saturday and Sunday will feature a race for women in Open and F2; Juniors; and Men’s Open and F2, with racing starting at 9am both days.
The action will continue into the afternoon with races and competitors getting ready to be part of the Australian Challenge Series the support races for the weekend.
As Team Australia begins its selection process, the United States of America last week announced its 50-strong team that will head to Gosford in November, aiming to take on the Australians and the other nations.
Entry to this weekend’s event is free, with outstanding viewing points from the banks of the Lake.
Team Australia Qualifiers Schedule
Saturday, August 26th
9:00am - Women’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 45-minutes + 1 lap
11:00am - Junior Boys & Girls (categories combined) - 30-minutes + 1 lap
1:00pm - Men’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 60-minutes + 1 lap 2:45pm-5:00pm - Support Races (x 3)
Sunday, August 27th
9:00am - Women’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 45-minutes + 1 lap
11:00am - Junior Boys & Girls (categories combined) - 30-minutes + 1 lap
1:00pm - Men’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 60-minutes + 1 lap
2:45pm-5:00pm - Support Races (x 2)
Team Australia Qualifiers Schedule:
Saturday, August 26th
9:00am - Women’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 45-minutes + 1 lap 11:00am - Junior Boys & Girls (categories combined) - 30-minutes + 1 lap 1:00pm - Men’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 60-minutes + 1 lap 2:45pm-5:00pm - Support Races (x 3)
Sunday, August 27th
9:00am - Women’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 45-minutes + 1 lap 11:00am - Junior Boys & Girls (categories combined) - 30-minutes + 1 lap 1:00pm - Men’s Open and Formula 2 (categories combined) - 60-minutes + 1 lap 2:45pm-5:00pm - Support Races (x 2)
