Ellison Hollands of Tauranga is New Zealand’s latest world champion. Ellie, 14, is the IWWF World Junior Girls Champion in the sport of Water Ski Racing. Ellie, along with her Dad, Gene, who was her boat driver and her observer, Jeff Weake won 3 out of the 4, 30 minute + 1 Lap races in the World Water Ski Racing Champs in Belgium. The week-long event took place in late August, and Ellie is only the 3rd ever Kiwi to be crowned World Champion. The title of World Champion is even more impressive given the juniors class at a World level is an Under 17 competition and Ellie is young enough to be able to defend her title in 2 years’ time.
Along with Ellie, Amos Ratuki, 15, from Hamilton, also had success, picking up a Bronze Medal for the World Champs along with his team Greg Dutton (Driver) & Brad Dutton (Observer). Amos had to call upon help from an Austrian boat and driver, Gunter Schmutz, as the boat the team was borrowing smashed a gearbox in another race, towing another skier. This meant Amos and Brad had to jump in a foreign boat, with a new driver on race day at the world champs and still managed to get on the podium.
The 3rd NZ team member was Kyle Taylor from Palmerston North, who skied in Mens Formula 2. Kyle placed 8th for the week in a very competitive class, skiing consistently without any falls or issues. At the World Champs, the men race in gruelling conditions for 1 hour + 1 Lap, and in the final 5 minutes of the final race, Kyle performed a very heroic act, throwing his own race away to help a fellow competitor who had fallen off and was face down in the water. Kyle was awarded an Outstanding Sportsmanship Award by the IWWF for his act of kindness.
Overall, a very successful campaign by a small, young New Zealand team. The team would like all thank all their sponsors and supporters. The NZ series kicks off at Lake Karapiro on the 4th & 5th of October, with NZ’s largest ski race, the Yamaha Rollo’s Marine Bridge to Bridge, hitting the Waikato River on the 8th & 9th of November.
