Six U.S. Water Ski Teams Win Gold At IWWF Pan American Senior Waterski Championships

All six U.S. Senior Pan American Championships Teams won overall gold medals and 42 U.S. athletes combined to earn 81 individual medals at the 2023 IWWF Pan American Senior Waterski Championships, Sept. 21-24, at Skyview Lake in Harmony, N.C. The U.S. teams consisted of 32 water ski athletes from six – 35+, 45+, 55+, 65+, 70+ and 75+ – age divisions.

The U.S. 35+ Pan American Championships Team won the gold medal by tallying 7,949 points. Canada earned the silver (2,862 points) and Mexico earned the bronze (1,518 points). Members of the U.S. 35+ team were: Brian Ansel (Sun Prairie, Wis.), Rebecca Bartlett (Wolfeboro, N.H.), David Carter (Vero Beach, Fla.), Jazmine Gagner (Pelham, Ala.), Dana Hinman (New Hartford, Conn.) and Ryan Ripley (Ingleside, Ill.). Ansel won gold medals in men’s jump (148 feet) and overall (2,623.2 points); Bartlett won the gold medal in women’s jump (89 feet) and earned silver medals in tricks and overall (2,053.3 points); Carter won the gold medal in tricks (4,840 points) and earned the bronze in slalom (4-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off); Gagner won gold medals in women’s tricks (2,390 points) and overall (2,816.5 points), earned the silver in jump (81 feet) and the bronze in slalom (4 buoys at 28 feet off); and Ripley earned silver medals in jump (86 feet) and overall (2,233.9 points).

The U.S. 45+ Pan American Championships Team won the gold medal by tallying 8,280 points. Canada earned the silver (3,999 points) and Mexico earned the bronze (1,006 points). Members of the U.S. 45+ team were: Patricia Burt (Greenacres, Fla.), Chris Eller (Lillington, N.C.), Darin Montgomery (Lake Worth, Fla.), Seth Stisher (Johns Island, S.C.), Jeff Surdej (Wilmington, Ill.) and Jennifer Wood (Central, S.C.). Burt won the gold in women’s slalom (3 buoys at 35 feet off); Eller earned silver medals in men’s jump (135 feet) and overall (2,108.7 points) and the bronze in tricks (1,280 points); Montgomery earned the silver medal in men’s slalom (1-1/2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off); Stisher earned the bronze in men’s slalom (3 buoys at 38 feet off); Surdej won gold medals in men’s tricks (2,920 points), jump (142 feet) and overall (3,000.0 points); and Wood won gold medals in women’s tricks (2,890 points), jump (57 feet) and overall (3,000.0 points) and earned the silver in slalom (2 buoys at 35 feet off);

The U.S. 55+ Pan American Championships Team won the gold medal by tallying 8,283 points. Canada earned the silver (3,360 points) and Mexico earned the bronze (3,092 points). Members of the U.S. 55+ team were: Marc Bedsole (Orlando, Fla.), Carol Brooks (Greenacres, Fla.), Mitch Grau (Carrollton, Texas), Jane Greenwood (Little Rock, Ark.), Hutch Haines (Avon, Conn.) and Tina Lindsey (Martindale, Texas). Bedsole won the gold medal in men’s tricks (5,030 points); Brooks earned silver medals in women’s slalom (1-1/2 buoys at 35 feet off) and tricks (2,160 points); Grau earned silver medals in men’s jump (134 feet) and overall (2,457.8 points); Greenwood won gold medals in women’s tricks (4,040 points), jump (114 feet) and overall (3,000.0 points) and earned the bronze in slalom (1 buoy at 35 feet off); Haines won the gold medal in men’s jump (147 feet) and earned the bronze in slalom (5 buoys at 38 feet off); and Lindsey earned silver medals in women’s jump (90 feet) and overall (2,169.0 points).

The U.S. 65+ Pan American Championships Team won the gold medal by tallying 5,599 points. Canada earned the silver (4,785 points). Members of the U.S. 65+ team were: Janie Fausold (Pleasant Grove, Calif.), Joy Kelley (Loudon, Tenn.), Eric Lee (San Diego, Calif.), Ted McColley (Napoleon, Ohio), Jack Mills (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Amador Ramirez (Miami, Fla.). Fausold earned silver medals in women’s slalom (3 buoys at 32 feet off), tricks (2,470 points), jump (0 feet) and overall (2,113.6 points); Kelley won gold medals in women’s slalom (2-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off), tricks (3,350 points), jump (97 feet) and overall (3,000.0 points); Lee earned silver medals in men’s tricks (2,700 points) and overall (2,201.3 points) and the bronze in jump (42 feet); McColley earned the silver medal in men’s slalom (1/2 buoy at 39-1/2 feet off); Mills earned the bronze medal in men’s slalom (3-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off); and Ramirez won the gold medal in men’s overall (2,315.6 points).

The U.S. 70+ Pan American Championships Team won the gold medal by tallying 6,358 points. Canada earned the silver (3,558 points). Members of the U.S. 70+ team were: Sharon Baker Brown (Orlando, Fla.), Brenda Cavenaugh (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.), Sandra Cummings (Lapeer, Mich.) and Bruce Kistler (Winter Haven, Fla.). Baker Brown earned the silver medal in women’s slalom (4 buoys at 22 feet off); Cavenaugh won gold medals in women’s tricks (1,020 points), jump (36 feet) and overall and earned the bronze in slalom (0 buoys at 15 feet off); Cummings won the gold medal in women’s slalom (5 buoys at 28 feet off) and earned the silver in tricks (1,000 points); and Kistler earned the silver medal in men’s tricks (2,490 points).

The U.S. 75+ Pan American Championships Team won the gold medal by tallying 4,910 points. It was the only team in the division. Members of the U.S. 75+ team were: Joe Blair (Greenwood, Ark.), Donna Switzer (Mulberry, Fla.), Stan Switzer (Mulberry, Fla.) and Dennis Longo (Coral Gables, Fla.). Blair earned the silver medal in men’s tricks (1,230 points); Longo won gold medals in men’s slalom (2-1/2 buoys at 28 feet off), jump (54 feet) and overall and earned the bronze in tricks (690 points); Donna Switzer won the gold medal in women’s tricks (740 points); and Stan Switzer won the gold medal in men’s tricks (1,370 points) and earned the silver in slalom (2 buoys at 22 feet off).

The teams were selected by the 35+ Sub Committee of the American Water Ski Association’s International Activities Committee.

Several U.S. independent water ski athletes also competed and earned medals.

In 35+ women, Erin Peckham (Cato, N.Y.) won the gold medal in slalom (3 buoys at 35 feet off) and Deanna Cowger (Frisco, Texas) earned the silver (2-1/2 buoys at 35 feet off).

In 35+ men, Jason Peckham (Cato, N.Y.) won the gold medal in slalom (3-1/2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off) and Cody Sharkey (Mishawaka, Ind.) earned the bronze in tricks (2,590 points).

In 45+ men, Barton Rachwal (Orchard Lake, Mich.) won the gold medal in slalom (2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off).

In 55+ women, Ellen Begley (Jacksonville, Fla.) won the gold medal in slalom (2 buoys at 35 feet off) and Sandee Kovacs (Winter Park, Fla.) earned bronze medals in jump (49 feet) and overall (1,410.8 points).

In 55+ men, Greg Badal (Clermont, Fla.) won the gold medal in slalom (1/2 buoy at 39-1/2 feet off) and Jeff Lindsey (Martindale, Texas) earned bronze medals in tricks (2,180 points) and overall (2,425.2 points).

In 65+ women, Lisa Eastman (Elverta, Calif.) earned the bronze medal in tricks (1,350 points).

In 65+ men, Alfred SanFanandre (West Palm Beach, Fla.) earned the bronze medal in tricks (1,940 points).

Complete Scores and Placements.