Sophia Rivera earned the bronze medal in Women's Formula 2 at the 2023 IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships.
United States Earns Silver Medal At 2023 IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships
by Scott N. Atkinson
The United States earned the silver medal at the 22nd IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships, Nov. 11-18, in Gosford/Terrigal, NSW, Australia. Australia won the gold medal and New Zealand earned the bronze.
Water ski racing athletes from Australia, Belgium, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States competed in six divisions – Men's Formula 1 and Women's Formula 1; Men's Formula 2 and Women's Formula 2; and Junior Boys and Junior Girls – for world titles at the biennial event, which consisted of four races. Men's Formula 1 and Men's Formula 2 competitors raced for 1 hour, plus 1 lap; Women's Formula 1 and Women's Formula 2 competitors raced for 45 minutes, plus 1 lap; and Junior Boys' and Junior Girls' competitors raced for 30 minutes, plus 1 lap.
The federation overall standings were determined by the top-four placements (regardless of division) from each of the four rounds of racing. Individual overall placements were determined from the athletes' three best rounds of the four rounds of racing.
Members of the 2023 U.S. Formula 1 Water Ski Racing Team were: Mason Goldsmith (Los Alamitos, Calif.), Rayson Normandin (Huntington Beach, Calif.), and Cheryl Ruston (La Palma, Calif.). Goldsmith and Normandin placed sixth and seventh, respectively, in Formula 1 Men, while Ruston finished seventh in Formula 1 Women. Australia’s Carter Robertson won the gold medal in Formula 1 Men with Australia’s Dan Graziano and Jack Coaldrake earning the silver and bronze, respectively. Australia also swept the Formula 1 Women division with Nellie McMillan, Maddison Boyer and Rachael Stapleton winning gold, silver and bronze, respectively.
Members of the 2023 U.S. Formula 2 Water Ski Racing Team were: Ty Cheshier (Valenica, Calif.), Jason Davison (Long Beach, Calif.), Sean Davison (Long Beach, Calif.), Levi Frederick (Mesa, Ariz.), Sophia Rivera (Seal Beach, Calif.), Amy Threlfall (Palmdale, Calif.) and Julia Williams (Long Beach, Calif.). Rivera earned the bronze medal in Formula 2 women, while Williams and Threlfall placed sixth and 10th, respectively. Cheshier, Sean Davison, Frederick and Jason Davison placed ninth, 12th, 13th and 15th, respectively, in Formula 2 Men. Australia’s Emma Barnes and Molly Palser won gold and silver, respectively, in Formula 2 Women, while Australia’s Brendan Tidswell, Aiden Cuff and Jake Clancy won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, in Formula 2 Men.
Members of the 2023 U.S. Junior Water Ski Racing Team were: Gage Goldsmith (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and Ryder Tovatt (Huntington Beach, Calif.). Tovatt and Goldsmith placed sixth and seventh, respectively, in Junior Boys. Australia swept the top-three placements in Junior Boys with Khodi Cartledge winning the gold and Zak Armstrong and Jaali Walsh earning the silver and bronze, respectively. Australia also swept the top-three placements in Junior Girls with Leilani Cartledge winning the gold medal after winning every race. Kianna Walsh earned the silver medal and Charlotte Neal earned the bronze.
Jared Cooper (Huntington Beach, Calif.) served as the U.S. team captain.
For complete results, visit https://www.facebook.com/IWWFED.