Barefoot Skiing

The information I have complied below is one of a bit of research and hit and miss. Please if you have any information to add I might have gotten wrong or missed let me know. It is well and truly a 1st attempt to get the History of our Sport especially Australia into some perspective and accuracy for the future of the sports skiers.

The sport of barefoot Water skiing has been around for quite a few years now. Here in Australia we are one of the top Nations in the World in this spectacular of all sports. I suppose we need to go back to 1963.The 19th February in fact. This is when the Australian Barefoot Water Ski Club (ABWSC) as we know it today was formed. At a meeting in the home of a gentleman called Bill Burns in Forestville, New South Wales, Brian Neale became the 1st President of the club we know today. John Hollands was elected to the secretary's position. He later became the President for a number of Years. The club was primarily NSW based and run and interest gathered in the other States when interstate Skiers started to attend the National Championships which up until 1971 were all held in New South Wales. In 1971 The Championships were held in Adelaide. Since then Championships have been held in every State and Territory with the exception of Tasmania and the Northern Territory. The ABWSC evolved into a Nation wide club with all States forming their own divisions of the ABWSC and electing their respective Presidents and committees. The President of ABWSC who was Ken Matthews then became known as the National President. At the same time an affiliation was formed with the Australian Water Ski Association. The Barefoot Club still retained their individual identity which it still does in Today's climate. Through the affiliation came the added benefits of IWSF affiliation and representation on a National and Regional level. The only change now is that Barefoot plays a much larger role in the day to day running of the Australian Water Ski Federation. The AWSF came to be as a result of continuing insurance problems and the need for the Ski Racing fraternity to form their own association. AWSA was disbanded and the Federation formed. The Relevant Directors from the Active Divisions of Water skiing constituted the board as it is structured today.

The ABWSC has evolved into a major force in Barefoot Skiing not only within our own region but overseas as well. The qualified success of our skiers in International competition make it possibly the largest single innovator in the sport. The American Barefoot Club are also a major player and it can be argued who is the greater. We obviously think that we are. The 1st International Competition was held in 1978 in Canberra, Australia. This was the 1st World Barefoot Championships as we know it today. It all started in 1975 when the IWSF then known as the World Water Ski Union (WWSU) ratified and accepted a set of rules. There were now over 20 countries throughout the world running competitions and a bid was made at the September 1977 meeting of the World Congress of the WWSU. It was successful; and so all was now in readiness and anticipation of the !1st World Barefoot Championships.

The 1st World Barefoot Championships came to be in November 1978 in Canberra where 10 Nations, Australia, New Zealand, USA, France, Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium and Austria competed. Barefoot Water Skiing had arrived and was looking good. The Patron Chief was the Governor General of Australia Sir Zelman Cowan and the Patron the Prime Minister Malcolm Frazer. The President of the WWSU Mr. JJ Finterswald from Switzerland was in attendance from Switzerland. The Championships attracted large crowds and according to the WWSU President were the best organized and run championships he had been to in over 30 years involvement with water Skiing. The Championships were dominated by Australians who won the Team event Gold and all other medals with the exception of  3rd place in Men's jump to a New Zealander and 3rd place in Women's Slalom which went to a USA Skier. Brett Wing of NSW became the 1st Men's Overall Champion and Colleen Wilkinson of NSW became the Women's Champion. Official from around the World in attendance were Rita Ramsey, Netherlands; Stew McDonald, USA; Mary Taylor, New Zealand; and Ken Port, Great Britain. The Chief Judge was Ron Ferguson from Australia.

More to come........................Please feel free to send me information at:   barefoot@awwf.com.au