The Stillwaters team was delighted to host a Slalom and Tricks League waterski event this summer. Held on 9th August in beautiful weather conditions, the event provided the perfect setting for some exciting skiing and excellent scores.
We enjoyed a strong entry despite several skiers being unable to attend due to holiday commitments. A particular milestone for our club was welcoming competitors from every waterski club in Ireland, making the event a truly national occasion.
The age range of competitors was especially impressive. At one end of the field was 10-year-old Daniel Purdue, competing for the first time and certainly not disappointing with his performance. At the more experienced end was Rick Deegan, proudly representing the Over-75 category. In the Tricks event Daniel Galvin performed some excellent high-scoring passes, throwing in multiple flips.
Several personal bests were achieved throughout the day. Congratulations to Suzanne Purdue, who shortened the line for the first time, and to Sam Keogh of Long Island Ski Club, who delivered an excellent rookie performance.
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the skiers from Meteor Ski Club, Lough Aghery Ski Club, and Cork Powerboat & Ski Club who travelled to support the event.
The tournament was fully homologated thanks to the efforts of Andrew Skelton, Nathan Skelton, and Barry Galvin, whose work behind the scenes ensured the competition ran smoothly and met all official standards.
During the event, Robin Skelton took the opportunity to remember and honour our late friend and club member, James O'Connell. Robin presented the club's annual James O'Connell trophy to Barry Galvin in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport and his tireless efforts in encouraging, training, and supporting the next generation of skiers, both male and female.
Thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and helped make the day such a success.
Roll on 2027!
