It started in France, moved on to Russia and now it is the turn of Great Britain. On Saturday, September 4th, Thorpe Lakes in London will host a very special Slalom Waterski World Cup Stop; and this will be the last Stop in Europe in 2004. The battle will commence at 9.00am sharp!

Stops in Singapore, China, USA and Qatar are next in line on this Waterski and Wakeboard World Cup tour.

Firstly, the Thorpe Lakes Slalom World Cup Stop will be one for the history books; no matter what the outcome. Just about every one of the World's top ranked Men and Women Slalom athletes will be present. International Waterski Federation World Cup points are at stake; and so is a total season Cash Prize fund of US$650,000. Rarely will so many of the best Slalom Skiers in the World assemble for a single challenge of this magnitude. The line-up will include two joint holders of the current World Slalom Record, past and present World Slalom Champions and a long list of National Slalom Champions, both male and female.

Secondly, this exceptional array of Slalom talent is also heading for Thorpe Lakes to honor the pending retirement of a truly international athletic phenomenon. It is doubtful if any athlete in any other physically demanding sport anywhere in the World could ever equal his achievements! His name is Andy Mapple. Here are some impressive statistics to give an insight to his extraordinary history of unbroken success.

Andy Mapple was born in Lancashire, England in 1962. He will be 42 this year. After only five years on the water, he was selected for the British National Team. He has been a member of that team for over 24 years. At the tender age of 19, he won his first World Slalom Champion title. This was followed by an unprecedented 10 World Slalom Records, 14 US Masters Slalom Champion titles, 10 US Open Slalom Champion titles, 11 Moomba Masters Slalom Champion titles; plus a ranking of number one in the World for 18 years. In all, this amounts to 163 professional Waterski victories. True to character, to prove that he is not just coasting home, he yet again took the title of champion at last weekend's MasterCraft Pro Championships in Akron, Ohio. In a punishing physical sport which requires total dedication and a grueling training regimen, Mapple's talent may never be equaled in any other sport.

Andy Mapple stunned the world of Waterskiing in May of this year by announcing at the US Masters at Callaway Gardens, Georgia, that this will be his last season of competition. After a lifetime of traveling from his family base in Florida, he is returning home to England for this Waterski World Cup at Thorpe Lakes. Just two years ago, he returned to accept an OBE award from Queen Elizabeth. This time his last competition in his country of birth promises to be a very emotional affair. Waterski supporters from far and near will certainly head for this Waterski World Cup Stop to see if this phenomenal athlete can give the best in the World a run for their money just one last time. History will certainly be made on Saturday, September 4th, no matter what the outcome !

Sponsors Sunsail, the world's leading watersports and beach club provider, promise to bring a special party atmosphere to this Waterski World Cup Stop with laser shows and beach activities. MasterCraft will again supply the competition boats worthy of this historical Slalom event.