History

IWSF/IWWF* WATER SKIING FOR THE DISABLED

An Historical Overview

June 2024

WORLD TOURNAMENTS

1987 – The first World Trophy, a non-record event, took place outside London in England with officials from the European, African, Middle Eastern (EAME) Confederation and one from the Pan Am Confederation. There were 40 participants from seven countries. Great Britain won the team title ahead of the USA and Australia.

1989 – The Second World Trophy, a national record capability event, took place outside Perth, Australia with officials from the Asia-Australasian Confederation and one each from the Pan Am and EAME Confederations.  There were 55 participants from 9 countries.  Great Britain won the team title ahead of the USA and Australia.

1991 – The Third and final World Trophy, a world record capability event, took place in Michigan, in the USA with at least two officials from each Confederation.  There were 65 participants from 12 countries. Great Britain won the team title ahead of the USA and Australia.

1993 – The first-ever World Championships, a world record capability event, were held in Roquebrune, France with at least three officials from each Confederation as per the new rules.  There were a record 84 participants from 15 countries. The USA won the team title ahead of Great Britain and Australia.

1995 – The second World Championships were held in Mulwala, Australia with 56 athletes from 12 countries.  Nineteen world records were set. The USA won the team title ahead of Great Britain and Australia.

1997 – The third World Championships were held in Florida in the USA with 66 athletes from a record 16 countries. Sixteen world records were set and one equalled. Great Britain won the team title ahead of the USA & Australia.

1999 – The fourth World Championships were held outside London, at the site of the first World Trophy.  There were 75 athletes from 15 countries. Eleven world records were set.  The USA won the team title ahead of Great Britain and Australia.

2001 – The fifth World Championships were held near Melbourne, Australia. There were 57 athletes from 15 countries, the best attendance to date both in athlete and country numbers in the AA Region.  Eight world records were set.  Great Britain won the team title ahead of the USA and Australia.

2003 – The sixth World Championships, and the sport’s tenth anniversary, took place in Florida, USA.  There were 68 athletes from 15 countries.  Eight world records were set and one tied. The USA won the team title ahead of Great Britain and Italy.

2005 – The seventh World Championships were held in Schoten, Belgium in September with 60 athletes from 17 countries, the latter a record with two new ones participating, Brazil and South Africa. There were ten world records, and the team title was won by Great Britain, ahead of the USA and Australia.

2007 – The eighth World Championships took place in Townsville, Australia in May with 52 athletes from 15 countries, the number of countries tying an AA record for attendance. Eight world records were set; and Great Britain won the team title again, ahead of Australia, second for the first time ever, and the USA. The USA and Great Britain have now each won four World titles.

2009 – The ninth World Championships were held in Vichy, France in early September with 47 competitors from a record 18 countries, the newest country being Austria.  There were four world records set, one of them having stood for 20 years (A jump).  The United States broke its four/four team titles tie with Great Britain to garner the prestigious team title, ahead of Italy and France, both on the podium for the first time ever.

2011 – The tenth World Championships took place in West Chester, Ohio, USA in late August with 38 skiers from 13 countries.  The United States won its second team title in a row; and Italy and France repeated their podium finishes of two years ago in France. There were four world records set and one tied by four different skiers from all three confederations.  For the first time ever, medals were awarded in only three categories:  seated, standing and vision impaired.

2013 – The 11th World Championships, the 20th anniversary event, were held in Milan, Italy in late August with 45 skiers from twelve countries. The United States won its third team title in a row with Italy second for the third time straight and Australia third, back on the team podium for the first time since 2007.  The United States is the first country to ever win three consecutive team titles.  There were five world records set by three different skiers from two confederations.  Nine of the twelve countries in attendance won medals.

2015 – The 12th World Championships were held in Elk Grove, California, USA in September with 49 skiers from eleven countries.  The United States won its on-going record fourth team title in a row with Australia second, one spot up from 2013 (second time on the podium since 2007) and Italy third for its fourth team podium in a row. The United States was the first country to ever win three consecutive team titles. There were three world records set by E&A’s Claire Ellis, and eight of the eleven countries in attendance won medals.

2017 – The 13th World Championships were held in Myuna Bay, Australia with 44 skiers from ten countries. There were 2 jump records set, one each by Canada and Australia, and seven of the ten countries in attendance won medals. After placing third in Italy in 2013, second in the USA in 2015, Australia was victorious by skiing consistently well to win its first ever team title, very satisfying as the host country.

2019 – The 14th World Championships were held in Skarnes, Norway with 43 skiers from 11 Countries. 1st USA, 2nd Australia, 3rd Great Britain.

2021 – The World Championships were cancelled due to Covid 19

2023 – The 15th World Championships were held at Elk Grove, California, USA in September with 46 skiers and 12 Countries. 1st USA, 2nd Canada, 3rd Great Britain. Although fielding a very small team, Australia set two new world records in the Jump Event.