Marie-Anne Persoons

Secretary Cableski Com.

Collegelaan 8

2140 Antwerp - Belgium

tel : 32 3 2711959

fax : 32 3 2353097

The highlight for Cableski this season was the First World Championships Cableski in August 1998, held in St.Leon-Roth, near Heidelberg in Germany. The superb leadership of the Chief Judge, Colin Ellison from Australia, proved that there is Cableski experience also in Australia.

Most of the other realisations were done in support of this competition or in relation of this competition.

The first World Cableski Technical Rule book was published early this season.

On the occasion of the World Championships Cableski, a meeting of the World Cableski Commission was held, at which for the first time, all members were physically present. At previous meetings, always one of the members at least had to be contacted by phone.

The 1997 Cableski Standings List included Cableski competitions from other regions than just Region EAME and thus it became the first World Standings list for Cableski.

And last but not least, the first World Records Cableski have been set, at the Worlds and also at the Region EAME Championships Cableski later on the season.

After a lot of work, negotiations and discussions, the First World Championships Cableski were held. The date was August 21-23^rd 1998 and the place to be, to watch all this was St.Leon -Roth, near Heidelberg Germany. The opening ceremony was held on the Thursday before the competition and all had the impression that the whole village was out to come and welcome the skiers, coming from all over the World. A total of 72 skiers, out of 16 different teams, participated at this World Championships. Especially welcomed were the teams of Australia and the USA. The South-African team, unfortunately had problems with their flight and could not come.

The Chief Judge for the event was Colin Ellision from Australia. The superb way he ran the competition just shows how much experience in holding Cableski competitions there already is outside Europe. Colin brought some new view points in the competition and brought accents back to important items, yet almost forgotten in Europe. The result was a perfect competition of high standard as well in skiing as in judging.

For the Sunday finals, as expected, a big crowed watched the competition and supported the skiers. Nerves played its part, but the importance of the competition, made that results were of very high standard.

The first World Champions Cableski are :

Overall women : Julia Meier-Gromyko from Byelorussia (2665.9 pts)

Overall men : Michal Cerny from the Czech Republic (2239.9 pts)

Slalom women : Sabine Haberle from Germany (3/55/11 = new co-world rec.)

Slalom men : Nir Shinuk from Israel (1/58/10.25)

Tricks women : Olga Pavlova from Byelorussia (6810 pts)

Tricks men : Aleksei Zernosek from Byelorussia (8470 pts)

Jump women : Britta Llewellyn from Austria (38.2 m)

Jump men : Manfred Hintringer from Austria (53.2 m = new world rec.)

Do not think that Australia and the USA did not play an important role in this event, men slalom skier, Kai Fusser of the USA became 14^th and men jumper Peter Welch from Australia was 17^th.

Since this were the First World Championships Cableski, World Technical Rules for Cableski had to be made. The basis for these Technical rules was the Region EAME Technical Rule book. During the last winter, lots of e-mails over the world and discussions had been held in order to produce this World Technical Rule book for Cableski. This rule book was finished just before the start of the season in the northern hemisphere and had been used earlier the season at other Cableski competitions. On Friday evening at the World Championships Cableski, an informal meeting with all skiers was held to get feed back on these rules and to discuss how Cableski should further proceed.

Since all the members of the World Cableski Commission were present at these World Championships Cableski, for the first time a Commission meeting was held at which all the members were physically present. The future of Cableski, wakeboard on the cable, the skiers meeting and the World Technical Rule book were items, amongst others that were on the agenda.

Last year, when preparation for this World Championships Cableski was already taken place, some skiers and federations were asking, what about specialist skiers in this Championships, will they be allowed to enter and under which conditions. To solve this, the World Cableski Commission agreed on producing for the 1997 season a World Standings List Cableski, which included competitions in the USA and in Australia as well as those held in Region EAME. Specialist skiers, being amongst the top eight in this Standings List were allowed to enter as specialist for the World Championships Cableski.

An other item agreed, was to set all the records, made under the conditions as are in the World Cableski Technical Rule book, as World Records. This results in the following list of World Records Cableski.

Slalom women : 3/55/11.25

Lisa Adams Great-Britain 24/08/97

Sabine Haberle Germany co-record : 23/08/98

Slalom men : 2/58/9.75

Alexander Graw Germany 24/08/97

Tricks women : 8090 points

Julia Meier-Gromyko Byelorussia 25/06/96

Tricks men : 8710 points

Juri Rikter Byelorussia 27/08/95

pending Juri Rikter (Byelorussia) : 9300 points 22/08/98

Jump women : 38.70 m

Julia Meier-Gromyko Belorussia 13/08/95

pending Irina Tourets (Byelorussia) : 39.8 m 19/09/98

Jump men : 53.1 m

Daniel Resl Czech Republik 24/08/95

pending Manfred Hintringer (Austria) : 55.4 m 20/09/98

Having a World Championship Cableski finally, gave the Cableski skiers, extra spirit to train hard, to ski and to continue competitions. A broad basis of skiers is arriving and can only be a benifit for our sport.

Some Tournament skiers participated at the World Championships Cableski and at other Cableski competitions. They all came back with the same story : Cableski is definitely different from Tournament but it is of great help as part of my training.

Marie-Anne Persoons

Secretary World Cableski Commission