Once again the Goode Water Ski National Championships will return to Okeeheelee Park next month.
The 71st Goode Water Ski National Championships will be hosted Aug. 13-17 by the Ski Club of the Palm Beaches.
More than 600 of the nation’s top water-ski athletes from across the United States will compete for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective age divisions and two open divisions.
The first national championships was held in 1939 at Jones Beach on New York’s Long Island. Except for three years during World War II, the nationals have been held every year since then.
The Ski Club of the Palm Beaches has hosted 12 national championships, five southern regional championships and the 1989 Water Ski World Championships.
Among the local competitors will be Wellington’s Samantha Dumala, who won the 2010 Girls 2 national slalom title. She found herself on top of the world in February, winning the Junior Girls world slalom title at the 14th Junior Water Ski World Championships held Feb. 20-24 in Mulwala, Australia.
In her first water ski tournament at age 7, Dumala scored 1 buoy at 15 miles per hour long line. Today, at age 16, she won the girls’ slalom gold medal — following a runoff with fellow U.S. athlete Erika Lang.
Dumala looks forward to competing at Okeeheelee Park next month.
For more info., visit www.skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com.
