My Favorite Aussie.. (Long Read)

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As some may have noticed from my avatar, I was a barefoot water skier. Being from central Florida and the city of 100 lakes (Winter Haven) it seemed natural. There was once a tourist attraction called Cypress Gardens located there. It was where I worked during my high school years. The attraction had paths that wandered through various gardens and scenic vistas with rest areas and restaurants littered throughout. As the gardens were situated on the shore of a lake, the owners created a water ski show as part of the attraction. They built stadium seating along the waterfront and had a scripted choreographed show that performed 4 shows a day. The stars of the show were the barefoot water skiers; or perhaps Corky the Clown. In reality the bathing beauties in the one pieces were drawing more eyeballs. That was the doorway that led me to competitive skiing. The creator/owner of the gardens was a man named Dick Pope. His son Junior was credited with being the first person to ever barefoot water ski. He did so on Lake Howard (a lake I've skied on many times) originally and then added it as part of the ski show at the gardens on Lake Eloise. That history was just part of my growing up. It was through the skiers I worked with that I first heard the name Brett Wing.

Brett Wing was an Aussie that was doing everything that was being done in barefoot water skiing and then inventing new stuff.
He wrote a book called "Every Trick in the Book"
which I consumed. He was a living legend to the small crowds of young men that were bitten by the same bug that had grabbed me. He inspired generations, and those that followed and learned from him did the same. Dick Pope Junior may have been credited with being the first person to barefoot; but Brett Wing was the light that everbody followed. As I grew older I was blessed to have been in boats and skied with several world champions. Rick and Lori Powell.
Ron Scarpa. Mike Seiple. Unfortunately I never had an opportunity to ski with the guy that started it all for myself and others.
He was nothing short of amazing, absolutely dominating the sport for what seemed like forever. Here is a quick read from the Sport Australian Hall of Fame about Brett.


Brett Wing was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1987 as an Athlete Member for his contribution to the sport of water skiing.

Wing began his barefoot water skiing career at the age of eight, when he passed the test conducted by the Australian Barefoot Water Ski Club. After finishing third in the first national title he contested, in 1969, he was never again defeated in state, national or world overall championships.

When he retired from active competition in the late 90s, he had amassed 14 overall national titles and 69 national gold medals. From 1978 until 1982 he established a procession of world records. His barefoot speed world record of 152.8 kph, set in 1979, still stands in Australia.

In 1978 he won the overall world championship in Canberra, after winning gold medals in the slalom and start method and setting world records for tricks, slalom and start method. He defended that title successfully in San Francisco in 1980, winning gold medals for tricks, slalom, jump and start method and setting world records in all four events. Again he defended the world title in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1982, taking gold medals for start method and tricks.

He was overall champion at world Group 3 (South-East Asia) titles in 1975, 1977 and 1981, and retired undefeated as Australian overall barefoot water champion after winning the title every year from 1976 to 1982. At the USA International Masters titles, he was overall champion with gold medals for tricks, slalom and jump in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982.

Brett is a highly regarded coach and exhibition skier, a talent which has taken him to many venues, including a performance for King Hussein of Jordan. Brett has worked to change the attitude toward bare footing from a ski show stunt into a competitive sport, and helped to create the active international competition that we know today.

In 1996, he was inducted into the International Water Ski Federation Hall of Fame -Asian Australasian Region. In 1997 Brett was selected by American Water Ski Hall of Fame as one of the ten greatest skiers in water skiing history.
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I thought everybody's favourite Aussie was Errol Flynn! Or maybe 'infamous'!
 
Errol was a scoundrel and I do like scoundrels. Definitely more famous and infamous than my selection. Sadly many in the sport of barefoot water skiing now don't even know who Brett Wing is much less his impact on there even being a sport of water skiing. Needless to say he is pretty much anonymous to those outside the sport.
 
How fast do you go? How much does it hurt to have the bottom of your foot hit with a stick moving at that speed?
 
The speed is dependent upon the individual's weight as well as what you are trying to do. Most people generally go between 36 and 40 mph. At that speed the water is hard and if you catch a toe it will slap your face faster than you can blink an eye. Going backwards is usually a tad slower as the foot has a bit larger area in that position.
When learning you might feel a burning on the bottom of your foot especially if the driver is pulling you a little too fast. That goes away as your feet become accustomed and toughen up. I've never hit anything while skiing but I always check the water and generally skied on sand bottom lakes as opposed to rivers or reservoirs. Regardless one should always check and be familiar with the water and potential underwater hazards beforehand.
 
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