The World Cup Series of the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) first came to this rapidly developing city of Linyi in 2011. With it’s 2,400 year history and a population of over 10 million, the September 26/27  World Cup Stop will again attract thousands of spectators to enjoy the skills of  the world’s most talented Wakeboard riders. At that first event here four years ago, a spectacular grandstand was constructed on the banks of the Yi River to celebrate the occasion. This has since become a significant water-sports centre. Linyi is located south of Beijing on the main Beijing-Shanghai Expressway.

MasterCraft will once again provide the competition boats and technical support for this World Cup Stop. They have mastered the global logistics challenge from the very start which is an extraordinary achievement considering the fact that 44 Stops have been completed by the IWWF since the birth of this Series.

The current male and female IWWF World Wakeboard Champions will both join those athletes from 17 countries in Linyi, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Sweden, Thailand and USA.

Last year, Australian riders in Linyi took four of the six available World Cup medals. Can they repeat this outstanding achievement ? Looking at their lineup for September 26/27, they might just do that. Certainly, the Pro Men will stand a good chance of dominating with 22 year-old World Wakeboard Champion Harley Clifford from Queensland,18 year-old Cory Teunissen from Brisbane and 19 year-old Tony Iacconi from New South Wales. Clifford, regarded as the most talented rider in the world today, captured both the coveted Moomba Masters and US Masters gold medals this year with an unprecedented perfect score at the Masters. He also won eight World Cup gold medals in recent years, including two at Linyi. Teunissen had a major victory last March when he beat all to take the Mandurah Western Australia World Cup gold medal. He already has a Junior Rookie of the Year title.  Iaconni took the silver medal in Linyi last year and added gold medals at both the Asia Oceania Wakeboard Championships and National Wakeboard Championships. This Australian trio will pose an enormous challenge to the others. However, Australia might struggle with the Pro Women. Their super stars Amber Wing and Bec Gange cannot attend. Wing and international rider Dean Smith recently celebrated the arrival of their baby boy William and Gange is recovering from injury. That will leave an interesting challenge for the very talented 17 year-old Australian Chloe Mills to fill the gap on the World Cup podium.

Pro Men Riders from Japan, Ireland, USA, Russia and others will certainly push hard to topple the Australian dominance of last year. Watch especially for Shota Tezuka JPN, David O’Caoimh IRL, Daniel Powers USA and Nikita Martyanov RUS. All are capable of getting on to that World Cup podium at this YiHe Open Wakeboard Championships. The Pro Women will also be very competitive with Raimi Merritt USA, the defending Linyi World Cup and World Champion, Nicola Butler USA, the 2015 Mandurah World Cup Champion and Caroline Djupsjo SWE, the Europe Africa Champion, having all performed well this season. The enormous number of cheering spectators in the grandstand and on the banks of the Yi River will certainly make this a very special event for all.

The local area weather forecast is good with temperatures expected to be a comfortable 25C / 77Fh.

Facebook & Twitter : #LinyiWorldCup

TV SHOWS – Immediately following the September 26/27 event, details of this YiHe Open / #LinyiWorldCup TV show will be announced on WaterskiandWakeboardWorldCup.com

Photo Albums & Updates – will be available here :

https://www.facebook.com/IWWFED

Results – will be available here :

http://www.iwwfed-ea.org/boatwake/competitions/2015

END

This really is almost beyond what humans can achieve ! When Jaret Llewellyn CAN set one of the first Ski Fly World Records on Robin Lake at the US Masters, I was there and could hardly believe my eyes. To see a human body hit a Jump Ramp and then fly that far is an extraordinary experience.

So, when WORLD CUP JUMP CHAMPION Freddy Krueger USA, announced that he would attempt to break 300ft for a new SKI FLY RECORD to be honest my first thought was for his safety. This is very dangerous stuff !

Just minutes ago, the world headline news announced the impossible. FREDDY AWESOME KRUEGER today jumped a distance of 312ft at the MasterCraft Throwdown and survived. His take-off speed from the Ramp was over 80MPH !

What an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations seems to be too small a word – but Congratulation +++ to Freddy. Take a look at this Promo to get a sense of what its all about https://youtu.be/rMDXZGtBKY8

MasterCraft and Freddy Krueger USA will go live for 90 minutes in the USA on Saturday August 8th on ABC at 14.30hrs EDT.

If you are living in the USA, whatever you do, DO NOT MISS THIS.

Here is the story – in old fashioned feet and inches !

In May 2000, on Robin Lake in Callaway Gardens GA at the US Masters, Canadian Jaret Llewellyn did what was then considered impossible. He scored a Jump distance of 299ft. on a SkiFly Jump Ramp. That involves a hang-time in the air which seems to go on for ever. SkiFly is a hybrid version of Waterski Jumping – and the danger element increases exponentially as a result ! Few have the skill to even attempt it. DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR LAKE ! Critical adjustments are needed – Boat Speed of 45mph – and increase of 10mph over Waterski Jumping, The 75ft tow rope is increased to 105ft to boost the severe pendulum impact. The ski pylon in the MasterCraft will be raised by 18ins. Finally, the Jump Ramp itself will be altered by making it slightly lower by 2ins from the usual 6ft and also lengthened by 2ft 6ins to a total of 24ft 6ins.  It then become a launching pad. When all of these factors are combined, the speed at which the Skier hits the base of the Jump Ramp will be close to 70mph. The timing of that half second on the SkiFly Ramp must be perfect to be able to absorb over 3G’s pressure – and then the long flight in the air will be a whole new experience for the few who will ever try to make this happen. What a prospect – wish we could all be there to support our World Cup Star.

CAN OUR WORLD CUP AND WORLD JUMP CHAMPION FREDDY KRUEGER DO THE IMPOSSIBLE ?

To find out we will have to wait for August 8th – and wish Freddy Safe Jumping and a perfect landing on the water. We will post the details moments after he lands – so do watch this space.

With our Mandurah World Cup Stop successfully completed last week in Western Australia,

we now look forward to the thrills and spills of our following Stops in

MANDURAH WESTERN AUSTRALIA

LINYI CHINA

SHANGHAI CHINA

PUTRAJAYA MALAYSIA

Watch out for our World Cup TV Shows, News Reports and Photo Albums along the way.

Details will be posted here

also on our IWWF Facebook Page

IWWF FACEBOOK

It has been an extraordinary Friday and Saturday here in Mandurah, Western Australia. Following a very impressive Press Conference with live TV cover and a wonderful Opening Ceremony featuring the Traditional Owners, athletes from 21 countries battled for Finals places. The Riders still have a phase to complete tomorrow morning, Sunday. For the Jumpers is was a different matter !

A tropical cyclone hit the coast north of Perth on Friday. This impacted the Waterski Jump conditions. The courage of eight women was tested but they impressed all with some truly gutsy performances. Jacinta Carroll AUS continued her winning ways with 48.8m to come out on top. Next came Natallia Berdnikava BLR 46.6m, Jutta Menistrina FIN 46.1m, and June Fladborg Asher DEN 46.6. As the top four, they now go to the Sunday Finals.

With the 43rd Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup Stop scheduled for this weekend in the beautiful Indian Ocean City of Mandurah in Western Australia, approaching weather systems are causing some concerns. Only once in it’s successful history has the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) had to alter it’s World Cup programme. That was in Changshu China almost ten years ago ! The weekend Action Sports Games activities will also include FMX, BMX, Scooter and Skate.

With thunderstorms and rain forecasted for this coming Saturday and Sunday, one option being considered is to bring forward part of the World Cup schedule to Friday, March 13th. Temperatures are set to drop from 33C to 25C. An announcement is expected shortly. The Official Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 18.30hrs onsite on Friday. This will be attended by Hon Dr Kim Hames, MLA, Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Tourism, the City of Mandurah Mayor Marina Vergone and many other dignatories.

Waterski and Wakeboard athletes from 21 countries will take part, including Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Thailand and USA. Following their gold medal successes in last weekend’s Moomba Masters in Melbourne, the entry will include Freddy Krueger USA, Jacinta Carroll AUS and Harley Clifford AUS. Krueger and Carroll took the Waterski Jump titles in Melbourne and Clifford the Wakeboard title. All will push hard to make it two major successes in a row, weather permitting. As it happens, all three will also defend their 2014 Mandurah World Cup titles this weekend. Raimi Merritt USA will also take part as the Mandurah Wakeboard 2014 defending champion.

Mastercraft have provided the competition boats and support services for all 42 World Cup Stops to date and will do so once again this weekend.

The provisional World Cup timetable still stands till further notice :

FRIDAY

07.00 – 14.30  Official Practice

SATURDAY

09.15 – 13.45  Semi-Finals Men & Women Jump

13.45 – 16.15  Quarter-Finals Men Wakeboard

16.15 – 17.45  LCQ Wakeboard Women

18.00 – 18.30  Show Ski WA Display

SUNDAY

08.30 – 10.30  LCQ Wakeboard Men

10.30 – 11.20  Final Women Jump

11.30 – 12.30  Final Men Jump

12.30 – 14.30  Semi-Finals Wakeboard Men

14.30 – 15.30  Finals Wakeboard Women

15.30 – 16.30  Finals Wakeboard Men

17.00 – 17.30  Award Presentations

#MandurahWorldCup

#ActionSportsGames

Live scores will be available throughout at : http://www.iwwfed-ea.org/classic/competitions/2014

Website : WaterskiandWakeboardWorldCup.com

Website : www.IWWFED.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/IWWFED?ref=hl

This is just a sample of the quality field of Waterski Jumpers  heading for Australia.

Many will first take on the challenge of the Moomba Masters in Melbourne

and then head straight for the first WORLD CUP STOP of 2015

in the beautiful City of Mandurah in Western Australia

#MandurahWorldCup

#ActionSportsGames

WATCH OUT FOR PHOTOS AND REPORTS RIGHT HERE

#ActionSportsGames

At this time, our very best  World Cup RIDERS and WATERSKI JUMPERS are packing their bags for the journey to the beautiful City of Mandurah ! Some will also compete in Melbourne’s Moomba Masters on the previous weekend. ‘Located right on the pristine shores of the Indian Ocean and a short drive south of Perth in Western Australia, our athletes will share the water with the local Dolphins and Pelicans and they may even drop by to watch the action. Last year, Dolphins came right in to share in the competition area !

The #MandurahWorldCup and #ActionSportsGames Timetable is a hectic one. Somehow, we must also squeeze in a major Press Conference near Perth. Last year, this was covered in Prime Time TV and hopefully this will again ensure that the 100,000 plus spectators will return to share in the fun. The Channel 7 Crab Fest will also boost the numbers on site over the holiday weekend.

FRIDAY MARCH 13th

07.00 – 14.30 – Practice – JUMP & WAKEBOARD

SATURDAY MARCH 14th

08.00 – 09.15 – Semi-Finals – WOMEN JUMP

09.15 – 11.15 – Semi-Finals – WOMEN WAKEBOARD

11.15 – 13.45 – Semi-Finals – MEN JUMP

13.45 – 16.15 – Quarter Finals – MEN WAKEBOARD

16.15 – 17.45 – LCQ – WOMEN WAKEBOARD

18.00 – 18.30 – SHOW SKI WA

SUNDAY MARCH 15th

08.30 – 10.30 – LCQ – MEN WAKEBOARD

10.30 – 11.20 – Jump Finals – WOMEN JUMP

11.30 – 12.30 – Jump Finals – MEN JUMP

12.30 – 14.30 – Semi-Finals – MEN WAKEBOARD

14.30 – 15.30 – Finals – WOMEN WAKEBOARD

15.30 – 15.30 – Finals – MEN WAKEBOARD

16.00 – 16.30 – Double-Up Comopetition

17.00hrs – AWARD CEREMONY – JUMP – WAKEBOARD – BMX – SKATE

PLEASE NOTE : LANGKAWI MALAYSIA MOVED TO 2016

With WORLD CUP number 43 just a few weeks away in the beautiful City of Mandurah in Western Australia #MandurahWorldCup and #ActionSportsGames, this is the start of a very exciting adventure which is heading our way this year. Who knows, we may even reach the magical 50 Stops mark very soon and that will be a really historical “first” for our sport as far as global events are concerned.

Here are the confirmed #WORLDCUP Stops as of February 10th 2015 – and we may even see more as we move ahead !

It is also great this year to see the fantastic mix of events – Wakeboard, Slalom, Shortboard, Jump, Cable Slalom, Cable Tricks and Cable Jump, and Cable Wakeboard.

Watch out for some interesting action Photo Albums on our Facebook Page :

https://www.facebook.com/IWWFED?fref=ts

Another great #WORLDCUP season is about to begin. It is hard to believe that a total of 42 World Cup Stops have already been completed. What a fantastic adventure this has been with so many outstanding performances by our Skiers and Riders in so many exotic and exciting locations.  With our first 2015 #WORLDCUP Stop scheduled for March 14/15, #MandurahWorldCup will lead the way. Watch out for all the updates on this soon.

NOW IT IS TIME FOR OUR ATHLETES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR OFFICIAL REGISTRATION

ATHLETES REGISTRATION

http://www.iwsfranking.com/WSWC/skierlinks.htm