Morilee U.S. Open Set To Return, Aug. 12-13
by Scott N. Atkinson
The U.S. Open is returning…and it is returning in conjunction with the 2021 GOODE Water Ski National Championships. The 24th Morilee U.S. Open of Water Skiing, presented by OJ Props, will be held Aug. 12-13 at Waters Edge in Wilmington, Ill. Held in conjunction with the 79th GOODE Water Ski National Championships (Aug. 8-14), the U.S. Open will boast the second-largest cash prize purse of the 2021 season, and it will be one of only two pro events to feature all three water ski disciplines for both genders, including the only overall cash-prize event of the season. It will mark the first time since 2016 that the U.S. Open is being held and the first time since 2003 (Santa Fe, Texas) that it is being held in conjunction with the GOODE Nationals.
Waters Edge, south of the city of Chicago, will host both the U.S. Nationals and the U.S. Open. “We are excited to bring the event back after five years, but even more excited to be bringing the U.S. Open back to the U.S. GOODE Nationals for the first time in nearly two decades,” said Jeff Surdej, tournament director. “This is an event many water ski enthusiasts have missed watching during their Nationals competitions the past several years.”
The world's top water ski athletes will compete for U.S. Open titles in slalom, tricks, jumping, and overall during the two-day tournament. The U.S. Open will feature $78,000 in cash prizes, with $12,000 in both men and women slalom, tricks and jumping, and $3,000 in both men and women overall. Preliminary rounds start Thursday, Aug. 12, and the finals will be held Friday, Aug. 13 from 5 p.m. to p.m., including men's jumping under the lights.
All of the action from the Nationals and U.S. Open will be available for viewing via a live webcast from The Waterski Broadcasting Company. On site spectators can enjoy free admission, food trucks, beverage tents, music and more.
For more information on the 24th Morilee U.S. Open of Water Skiing, presented by OJ Props, click here.
For more information on the 79th GOODE Water Ski National Championships, click here.