NEWS THAT MATTERS
Coast with the most on the global stage
The 2023 IWWF World Water Ski Racing Championships is coming to the Central Coast this coming November!
The host region of Gosford and Terrigal will offer all teams, their families and supporters a world-class experience. Gosford was formerly the home of New South Wales’ Zone 2 Ski Racing for nearly 20 years, and this venue was successfully used for the New South Wales’ World Selection Race in 2009. The Race Course, set on a strip of Brisbane Water, offers concrete and rock walls at one end and open water at the other end and will test the IWWF World Championships contenders in a true ski racing battle.
Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch with participants at the recent Australian Water Ski Championship trials, held at Gosford.
6 September 2023
WATER SKI racing is the ultimate water-based motorsport where speeds of 120mph can be achieved by a boat and a team consisting of a Driver, Observer and a Skier. IWWF World Championships events see competitors race four times over ten days in classes for Open Men and Women, Formula 2 Men and Women, and Junior Boys and Girls, with the World Champion awarded by obtaining the most points from 3 out of the 4 races in each class. Races are timed over a 5km course with multiple laps run by competitors.
In the lead up to the IWWF World Water Ski Racing Championships, the Australian Water Ski Championships were held at Gosford over the August 12-13 weekend, where throngs of people from around Australia descended upon the waterfront to witness the spectacle.
During the competition, Australian water skiers battled to secure their place in the IWWF World Water Ski Racing Championships!
Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said the recent Australian Championships represented an ideal ‘test event’ for the region to showcase everything the Coast has to offer.
“For those who watched the races from the various vantage points - Gosford Waterfront, Drifters Wharf, Gosford Sailing Club, along Point Frederick, the marine rescue site at Point Clare, it was a sensational spectacle!" she said.
“The Australian championships were phenomenal! The Gosford waterfront was glistening, on the world stage all weekend, with water skiers bringing their craft, their support teams, and their families. We’ve heard about accommodation being booked up and a tremendous festival atmosphere over the two days that people of all ages were able to experience.
“We look forward to welcoming people from interstate and all around the world to the world championships event this November and showcasing the very finest of our coast– our natural environment, our cafes, restaurants… and of course our warm hospitality.
“This will be a great injection to the local economy over this ten-day event, showcasing the Coast and our beautiful waterways to the world.
“There is still plenty of time to plan a fantastic weekend adventure around this event from November 9-19. I encourage every Coastie to get down and show your support of world-class sport right here on the Coast.”
Jose Antonio Perez Priego, IWWF President, said We are very excited for the ski racing community that Australia will be hosting an IWWF World Ski Racing Championships with the spectacular scenic backdrop of Gosford. It’s been way too long for our finest ski racing athletes to not be competing against each other and the IWWF has made a great effort so this event can proceed. We can’t wait for the action on the water to begin!”
Ski Racing Australia (SRA) Chairman, Jon Horbury said that hosting the IWWF World Water Ski Racing Championships in Australia this year provides a unique, once in a decade opportunity for Australian water ski racers to showcase the sport at the highest level.
"Australian participants have been at the very top echelon for two plus decades now and this great opportunity for us to welcome all participants and visitors with open arms, help grow our sport by assisting all participants in their development and to highlight the magnificent Central Coast as an international destination,” Mr Horbury said.
“We can’t wait to see our many supporters lining the banks and enjoying all this magnificent region has to offer and seeing our competitors on the water in an unrivalled international competition.”
You can keep up to date on this spectacular event here.
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