Barefoot water skiing: Athletes from the German Water Ski and Wakeboard Association prove themselves
BOOTE
· 17.05.2023
Cancelled competitions and limited training opportunities are pandemic history. The DWWV barefoot squad is once again full of enthusiasm and euphoria - and ambition. Some of the barefoot enthusiasts flew to Florida in March and April to prepare for the new season in the "world capital" of this water sport: Winter Haven.
The world's best trainers also compete there. For example in Barefoot Etc.probably the oldest barefoot and waterskiing school in the world. The Austrian barefoot virtuoso Robert Teurezbacher founded it in 1982. The World Barefoot Centre (WBC) is also based in Winter Haven. Its instructors include a pair of world champions: New Zealander Ben Groen and Australian Ashleigh Stebbeings. Training with the best of the best - an opportunity that members of the German barefoot team seize whenever it presents itself. An excellent basis for preparing for the European Championships from 2 to 5 August in Wallsee/Austria. On the oxbow lake of the Danube, the DWWV team wants to defend its European Championship title, which it won in Chartres/France in 2022.
Exciting new start for the barefoot artists
The restart of the international competition after the forced break turned out to be more exciting than ever before. Looking back: fantastic conditions (a week of mirror-smooth water) combined with excellent organisation on the part of the French federation. On two training days, nine teams were able to observe the competition and their status. For defending champions Germany, it could have been close, very close indeed.
A young team from Italy surprised with a high standard in all three disciplines and the English with their superstar Tom Heabs (world and European champion) seemed unbeatable. The best individual results in slalom, tricks and jumping were therefore in demand. No less important were the combination points for the team ranking. The Germans were missing two guarantors of success from 2019: Svenja Hempelmann and Steffi Kirsch have ended their active careers. However, both were on board in a different role. Svenja represented the DWWV as head of the barefoot department and Steffi threw all of her 30 years of experience into the arena as team captain.
Many reasons to celebrate - including the anniversary of a barefoot water skiing pioneer
It was supposed to work: Germany won again, albeit narrowly, ahead of Italy and England. Thanks to outstanding individual performances from Ben Zinn (Junior Boys, gold in all three disciplines and overall), Jacky Kirsch (Open Women, gold in slalom and tricks, silver in overall) and Kenneth Eissler (Open Men, 4th place in slalom and jumping, 5th overall). After graduating in medicine, Kenneth literally jumped into the deep end at the last minute without any training. The old warhorse Frank Zinn (Senior 1 Men) achieved gold in his favourite discipline, jumping, with 12.50 metres despite the pain of his injury! He also took bronze in slalom and tricks and silver in overall. There were excellent placings and several personal bests in the youth category, so the team can rightly hope to defend their title. Bonnie Zinn took silver in slalom and overall and bronze in tricks in the junior girls' category, while Alessa Pieroth took silver in tricks. The complete Results of the 2022 Europe & Africa Barefoot Championships - the official international title of the European Barefoot Championships in Chartres/France - can be found on the website of the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF).
Many reasons to celebrate - and there was one more. Franz Kirsch, pioneer of barefoot water skiing in Germany, turned 80 during the European Championships in Chartres. He still skis barefoot across the lake from time to time. And thus emulates the American barefoot legend "Banana George". George A. Blair was still gliding across the water on bare soles at the age of over 90!
In order for the German barefoot team to realise their dream of a title hat-trick in 2023, a further training session has been organised on the European Championship course in Chartres. Ben Groen and Ashleigh Stebbeings planned by the WBC. And just before the start of the European Championships, the DWWV has booked training sessions with another world-class coach: Stefan WimmerEuropean barefoot champion, directly on site at the Wallsee beach and water sports centre.
Further dates: The open national championships of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, which have been organised jointly for several years - 2022 in Maurik/Netherlands, here the Results - will take place in Belgium this year: from 25 to 27 August at Barefoot Beach Lommel.
"Come & try": Children and young people who would like to try out this special type of water sport will have the opportunity to do so from 14 to 17 August at the sighting course in Wetzlar on the Lahn. If you are interested, please write to Svenja Hempelmann, e-mail: Svenja.Hempelmann@hotmail.de.
Franz Kirsch
