World-best waterskiers

set to wow Brisbane Water

A stunning strip of Brisbane Water, near Drifters’ Wharf will be abuzz with activity from November 9-19 when competitors from around the world put their waterskiing prowess to the test at the IWWF 2023 World Waterski Racing Championships.

8 November 2023

 

MEMBER for Gosford, Liesl Tesch MP said the 10-day event would give Coasties and visitors the opportunity to witness the thrill and adrenaline of world-class waterski racing.

 

“It was a real coup when the Central Coast hosted the Australian Team Qualifying Selection Races, and it’s fantastic for the Coast to be the destination for the waterskiing community’s ‘best of the best’ – along with their friends, families and teams in Gosford next week,” Ms Tesch said.

 

World Waterski Racing Championships, Chairperson, Stewart Smith further says the Championships are a brilliant opportunity to showcase the natural beauty of the Brisbane Water, "I think this will showcase the Gosford waterfront that has been so under-utilised for so many years. It's such a great opportunity for the local community to appreciate the beauty of their waterfront and highlight Gosford to the world.”

 

Hawkesbury River lifelong local - and fourth generation waterskier Nellie McMillan (19) – current holder of the title of IWWF Junior Girls World Champion – will be competing in the Open Women’s category for the first time next week, when the 10-day competition commences on November 9.

 

“In the Open Women’s Class I’m hoping to come away with the World Title”, said Nellie, who describes the challenge as hugely exciting.

 

"I'm both nervous and excited to give the Open Women’s World Title a crack here on home soil,” says Nellie, who competed against the world’s best waterskiers back in 2019 as a Junior competitor in World Waterski Racing Championships in Vichy, France.

 

“This represents a big step up for me, coming straight from the Junior Class and it’s an amazing opportunity.”

 

The Hawkesbury River has been Nellie’s home all her life and she describes herself as having waterskiing in her blood.

 

“I’m so fortunate to have the Hawkesbury River as my very own backyard,” says Nellie who lives on the water and first jumped onboard a waterski at Lake Budgewoi at Toukley at the age of 5," Nellie said.

 

“I’m a fourth generation waterskier and my family has been competing all their lives. I have raced at Lake Budgewoi at Toukley for over 12 years now and I absolutely love travelling up to race around on the lake five weekends a year.

 

“My mum and dad have been crazy passionate waterskiiers all their lives. My great grandmother,  Mary McMillan, is a legend of the sport. Mary competed in the 112-kilometre Bridge to Bridge Ski Race on the Hawkesbury 50 times in a row and at the age of 82 she completed her last Bridge to Bridge.

 

“So with role models like my great grandmother, there are definitely no questions about where my determination and passion for ski racing originates from.”

 

Nellie is particularly fond of the time she gets to spend with her waterskiing family.

 

"There is so much to love. There is a strong sense of family – and community – in the waterskiing fraternity. There aren’t many sports that allow you to travel with your entire family – my dad David drives the boat!” Nellie said.

 

In the 2023 IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships, competitors will race four times over 10 days in classes including Open Men and Women, Formula 2 Men and Women, Junior Boys and Girls. The World Champion is awarded by obtaining the most points from three out of the four races in each class. The race course in Gosford – that starts at the Gosford end of Brisbane Waters, next to the Council Wharf area (near Drifters’ Wharf - offers concrete and rock walls at one end and open water at the other end.

 

Nellie described the body of water at Brisbane Water in which she would be competing as an ideal testing ground for all kinds of skiers’ abilities.

 

“As far as bodies of water go it can be very difficult to read. If it’s cloudy, the water could be dead smooth. If it’s windy it could be the roughest body of water you've ever seen! The competition ground at Brisbane Water is a great venue because it provides so many different types of water, and varied water conditions,” she said.

 

The course will start at the Gosford end of Brisbane Waters next to the Council Wharf Area (near Drifters Wharf). The course will then proceed 2.5 kilometres down towards the Noonan Point and Point Frederick area and will turn and come back towards Gosford Wharf with another turn outside Drifters and the Gosford Wharf.

 

The Course is a 5 kilometre lap in total and competitors will do consecutive laps for the duration of their timed event. These are: Men’s Open (60 minutes), Women’s Open (45 minutes) and Juniors (30 minutes). There are also 2 x 20 minute ‘International Challenge Display Races’ taking place in the afternoon, featuring Under 14’s Junior and Over 40, 50 & 60 age classes.

 

Nellie, both a waterskiiing champion and full time Medical Science student, is excited to be staying in nearby Terrigal for the duration of the Waterskiing Championships. She is practicing tirelessly, skiing for about an hour several times a week in numerous bodies of water such as at Brooklyn, in Sydney Harbour, in Botany Bay and of course on her home ‘turf’ on the Hawkesbury River.

 

“One of my favourite things to do on the Central Coast is to shop. On the days when we’re not competing I’m really looking forward to sightseeing around the Central Coast checking out all the excellent cafes and restaurants,” she said.

 

Liesl Tesch encourages locals and visitors alike to make a beeline for the Gosford Waterfront to attend the 2023 IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships.

 

“It’s all set to be a grand spectacle down at Gosford Waterfront between November 9 and 19, so I encourage people to get behind this world-class event and witness some spectacular world-class waterskiing,” Ms Tesch said.