Tenth World Games in Wroclaw, Poland to crown champions this week in Waterski Slalom Tricks Jump and Wakeboard

For Waterski and Wakeboard, the 2017 World Games in Worclaw, Poland, begin in earnest on Tuesday, July 25th with the finals on Wednesday and Thursday. Already, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach welcomed Kuno Ritschard, President of the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) and Executive Director Paul Fong, at the spectacular Opening Ceremony.

The World Games are a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the IOC. Over 3,000 athletes will compete in this 10th edition of the Games with 31 sports and 110 countries participating.

For the IWWF events, 34 countries will be represented by 84 athletes in Waterski Slalom, Tricks, Jump and also Wakeboard. These include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Great Britain, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA.

The star studded assembly of IWWF athletes is of such a high standard that highlighting possible winners is almost impossible. However, in Wakeboard, watch out for Shota Tezuka (JPN), David O’Caoimh (IRL), Qiu Han (CHN) and Alice Virag (ITA). Tezuka is rarely off the Podium, O’Caoimh was the 2015 and 2016 Europe Africa Champion, Han is the defending World Games Champion and since taking the Europe Africa Junior title in 2015, rising star Virag could surprise all. 

Waterski Slalom is also loaded with international stars. Defending World Games Slalom Champion and two-time World Champion Thomas Degasperi (ITA), will have to take on another two-time World Slalom Champion, Will Asher (GBR) What a battle that will be. In the women’s event, this could be Manon Costard’s big opportunity to bring a World Games Slalom title back to France.

In Tricks, defending World Games Champion, World Record holder and World Games Athlete of the Month, Aliaksei Zharnasek (BLR), has never been stronger. With pressure from Adam Pickos (USA), Pierre Ballon (FRA) and young Patricio Font (MEX), he is expected to post a score of over 12,000 points this week. For the women, Anna Gay (USA) will be extremely difficult to beat. Last week she took the U21 World Overall title in Ukraine and already has the World Open and World U17 titles. However, past World Record Holders Clementine Lucine (FRA) and Natallia Berdnikava (BLR) will not be easy to beat.

In Jump, Rodrigo Miranda (CHI) took the Silver medal at the last World Games and Igor Morozov (RUS) the Bronze. Both are back to go for Gold and that should be a fascinating battle. Jutta Menestrina (FIN) and Natallia Berdnikava (BLR) have trained together in the past and both are also expected to be on the Podium.

Fans will be fascinated to see how all athletes adjust to the excellent Wroclaw site which none have experienced before. The competition boats will also be new to most – for Waterski the Boesch 625 and for Wakeboard the Malibu M235. 

TIMETABLE

 

Monday July 24

08.00 – 18.00hrs - Familiarisation 

Tuesday July 25

09.00 – Women & Men Slalom Preliminaries

11.30 – Women & Men Trick Preliminaries

14.15 – Women Wakeboard Semi-Finals

16.00 – Men Wakeboard Qr Finals

Wednesday July 26

09.00 – Women Wakeboard LCQ

10.00 – Men Wakeboard LCQ

11.15 – Women Jump Preliminaries

12.45 – Men Jump Preliminaries

14.45 – Women Slalom Final

15.30 – Men Slalom Final

17.00 – Women Trick Final

17.45 – Men Tricks Final

18.45 – Medal Ceremonies – Slalom & Tricks

Thursday July 27

09.00 – Men Wakeboard Semi-Finals

10.45 – Women Wakeboard Final

11.30 – Men Wakeboard Final

12.30 – Women Jump Final

13.30 – Men Jump Final

14.45 – Medal Ceremonies – Wakeboard & Jump  

WATCH “ATHLETE OF THE DAY” HERE : https://www.theworldgames.org

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About the IWWF:  The International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) is the world governing body for towed watersports and has 91 affiliated Federations world-wide. It was founded in 1946 in Geneva, Switzerland. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the sole authority for Waterski and Wakeboard. The IWWF is an affiliate member of the Association of IOC Recognized International Sports Federation (ARISF). The IWWF’s sports disciplines include, amongst others, Tournament Waterskiing (slalom, tricks & jump), Wakeboard, Cable Wakeboard, Cable Waterskiing, Disabled Waterskiing, Show Skiing, Ski Racing and Barefoot Waterskiing