The FISU Executive Committee met in Torino, Italy last week. They have just announced that the 2008 World University Water Ski Championships will be held in Beijing, China. This promises to be one of the biggest Waterski events ever staged. The home of the 2008 Olympic Games will witness the very best Waterski athletes in the World at a time when Beijing will attract the attention of our entire Planet !

 

FISU, the International University Sports Federation was formed in 1949 and represents 141 National University Sports Federations. The FISU Executive Committee and the IWSF World University Commission have worked closely to bring this event to Beijing in the year of the Olympic Games. The World University Championships attract over 9,000 participants from as many as 90 different countries. The biannual Universiades are second only to the Olympic Games in importance. In 2004, FISU sanctioned the first World University Waterski Championships in Balakovo in Russia.

 

China hosted the highly successful World Water Ski Championships in 2006 at the magnificent purpose built man-made lake at Tianjin. Within easy reach of Beijing, 18 countries competed in excellent conditions. The experience gained makes Beijing the perfect stage for the 2008 World University Water Ski Championships

 

Beijing already has virtually everything in place for the 2008 Olympic Games.  The athletes attending the World University Water Ski Championships will have at their disposal China’s largest international Airport, 10,000 buses, 7 Metro Subway and City train lines, 100 Hospitals, 6 major First Aid Centres and substantial Media focus. Central China TV (CCTV) which has 16 different Channels, is one of the World’s largest broadcasters and also has first class experience in covering major Waterski events.

 

President of the International Water Ski Federation, Kuno Ritschard, and Phil Chase, Chairman of the IWSF University Commission, declared that this FISU decision reflects the enormous interest in the excitement which Waterskiing generates and the attention it will attract in Beijing.

 

 

 

Full details of the dates and Waterski site will be released later. The Web sites to watch for updates include the following :

 

www.fisu.net
www.iwsf.com
www.ncwsa.com