Malibu Open Waterski Championship Returns to Veteran’s Park Lagoon, Featuring Summer Festival & Wate

[Horton]

http://www.ballofspray.com/images/2015/Malibu-Open-logo.gif

MILWAUKEE – The Malibu Open Waterski Championship and Summer Festival is returning to Milwaukee's lakefront Veteran's Park Lagoon for the sixth consecutive year on August 28th and 29th. Waterskiing's top professional and junior athletes will compete in traditional slalom and long-distance jumping for more than $64,000 in prize money. Free-style jumping, barefoot skiing, show skiing, picnic areas, food trucks and outdoor activity vendors round out the exciting two day event, which is open and free to the public.

 

The Milwaukee Parks and Recreation is estimating 10,000 spectators will come to observe the extreme water sports competition and interact with the athletes during the Friday and Saturday event.

 

For the sixth year in a row, the Malibu Open Festival is attracting athletes and spectators from across the globe to the lakefront lagoon set against the backdrop of the busy city of Milwaukee.

 

"Athletes from 28 countries around the world will be in Milwaukee competing during the festival for cash prizes and elite world ranking points," event organizer and competing athlete, April Coble Eller said. "Fans will have an opportunity to interact, take photos, ask questions and get autographs with the skiers while enjoying festival activities, food and music. Former Malibu Open Champion Will Asher of England, two time World Champion Thomas Degasperi of Italy and World Slalom Record holder Regina Jaquess of the USA, will be just a few of the top athletes making a splash in Veterans' Park Lagoon."

 

In slalom skiing, athletes carve around a six-buoy course while the boat travels at a constant speed of 36 mph with an initial 43-foot line. After completion of each pass, the rope is shortened by a specified length to increase difficulty. Whichever athlete rounds the most buoys at the shortest line length, wins. In the long-distance jumping event, skiers race toward a 6-foot high ramp reaching speeds of 70 mph and fly distances over 200 feet. The athletes get three approaches at the ramp. Whoever goes the furthest, wins.

 

The Malibu Open is a free event for family, friends and all to enjoy. The event is produced by the Pro Ski Tour and sponsored by Malibu Boats. Concessions and parking will be organized by the Milwaukee County Parks Department.

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[ALPJr]

Great to see a pro tourney coming up. Yea sponsors! Seems like a slim schedule this season. Would be nice to have a couple events per month. And at least one in the northeast. Webcast?

[Kelvin]

Yes, we will be doing the webcast again this year. When I get the link set up I will post it here.

[Than_Bogan]

@Wish must be happy that the announcement says how long the rope *is*.

 

Great little blurb. Makes it seem accessible and interesting.

[Ilivetoski]

Why is open men's the first event? Seems like you would put that in the middle when the most spectators will be there

[Than_Bogan]

@Ilivetoski Open men slalom is first, middle, and last. Definitely they are trying to showcase it.

[Chad_Scott]

@Live2ski somebody has to be first. As Than pointed out. It is a showcased event. April Coble is one of the organizers of the event which must get started at 730. Lots of moving pieces to getting an event like this going. Media on site early in the morning doing interviews and promotions for the event. On top of helping to put the tournament on and get it going, April also competes in the event. So we have plenty of time to get the event up and running before April has to go ski. Hope this answers your question. And btw lots of spectators at the event all day. It's a great venue for this professional event. Very well supported by the water skiing community. Hope to see everyone there

[jhughes]

The family and I make a whole weekend out of this every year. Milwaukee is a great city and the venue could not be any better. We set up a blanket and chairs and just hang out all day. There is nothing like it in the world right now so my advice would be to GO!!! Do what you can to get there and support the sport. Truly a great event. As far as the schedule it looks great to me! We'll take all the slalom and jump we can get.

[Horton]

@jhughes beware of short haired guy in BallOfSpray T-Shirt walking around with camera gear...

[foxriverat]

I was there last year and it was awesome. Plan on being there Saturday this year.

[Wolfeie]

For those of you that don't recognize the "ball of hair" without hair....I will point him out for you. Yes your buddy from the lake next door already has his airline tickets and hotel reservations for Milwaukee. Do you have an extra baller hat I can wear?

[Horton]

@Wolfeie I should have a Baller hat for you. Remind me this weekend.

[Wish]

@Than_Bogan its how it should be and about time someone woke up and recognized the audience at hand. I mean really, don't you think the rest of the skiing WORLD looks at the US with a little eye roll thinking..."you're idiots for measuring a rope by what's not there and then saying it out loud". I'll be watching and listening to see if they do announce that way or revert back to telling everyone how much more rope is laying in the bottom of the boat.

[MattP]

@Wish I'll text Dano when he is at the event....

[Wish]

@MattP and tell him what....?

[MattP]

@Wish https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wltpUaC_-oNJGHec6iBpdPbQb6R_Mz7pdbZViWs5sng/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true

So I don't have to read your complaining.

[Wish]

Oh PLEASE text him that. It was embarrassing at the Orlando stop listening to them try and do the math to end up announcing.... ... er..ah..well I don't know the math on that but it's petty dang short. . .

[rq0013]

I'm getting married friday night about 30 min west of the event. I will be at the open Friday morning- might not leave haha. Coming back Saturday too

[Skoot1123]

Of all the times I won't be able to go and @horton will be there! However - if you want to stop down at our place ~4 hrs away your welcome to!

[Horton]

@mattp @wish see the skier animation on the right side of the forum? click it

[MattP]

@Horton yes yes, but too many metric numbers there for Dano to get confused with. I made that sheet just for him for Malibu Cup so WISH would stop complaining...

[Wish]

No no no...not a complaint. Just a really really strong suggestion in a bitchy manner.

[Than_Bogan]

@MattP THANKS! It's also a pet peeve of mine that they keep announcing that 39 off is "a foot and a half shorter" than the distance to buoy, when in fact is it within an inch of TWO and a half feet shorter.

 

Hardly matters in the grand scheme of things, but I see no reason to make it sound any easier, when I know from experience it is absolutely impossible.