Courtesy photoThe Cal Poly water ski team, ranked in the top 12 in the United States, has cut and jumped its way to Nationals this year.
The team will be competing in the National Collegiate Water Ski Association Nationals being held in Zachary, La.
Nationals are from Oct. 25 until Oct. 27 and skiers will compete in slalom, trick or jump courses. This is the team’s second time at Nationals.
The team placed third at the Western Regionals, which qualified them for Division I Nationals. At Regionals, Cal Poly competed against other schools from California, Washington, Oregon and Arizona.
“I am incredibly happy we made it to Nationals; that was our real team goal. To make it to Division I was a huge treat. Our goal is to do as well as we can . I would really like to make top 10, but no matter what we do at this point we have already put our name on the map and have impressed people,” club president Kyle Desautels said.
The team’s next competition is a tournament in San Diego the weekend following Nationals.
“So far we’ve had a really good season. Definitely the best our team has ever had,” said Colin Gibbs, team member and former club president.
In competitions slalom skiers go through a six-buoy course, in which they have to zigzag between staggered buoys at the fastest speed possible. The faster the speed, the more points earned. Once a skier reaches their maximum speed, the rope line is tightened, making it more difficult.
In trick events, skiers earn points based on the amount of tricks completed in a 20-second run. Each trick is assigned a number of points based on difficulty.
Jump skiers are on two skis and go off of a five-foot ramp. Points are given based on how far the skier lands from the ramp.
There are about 35 active members on the Cal Poly water ski team this year, but only about half of the group competes. There are about eight women and 11 men who compete, Desautels said.
Practices are held about four to five times a week at Lake Nacimiento during fall and spring quarter.
“Even though we are a competitive team, we are all about going out and having a good time at the lake too. People who just like to wakeboard or water ski with their families and recreationally . should come out and ski with us . We have events for people who aren’t serious competitors too,” Gibbs said.
To join the team, it costs $210 per quarter for practicing-only members or $350 for competing members. A team boat and equipment is provided through the quarterly dues.
Winter quarter is a time for fundraising and a few snow trips as a team. Depending on the interest, the group goes out to the lake in wetsuits to practice.
The Cal Poly water ski team does not have a rivalry with the wakeboarding club on campus as may be expected.
“I think there are a lot of people that theoretically would want to cross over between the two clubs. We have a lot of wakeboarders on our team and I’ve talked to their president and he said they have some guys that want to go out and ski too. In the future we would like to do some events together,” Gibbs said.
For those who are interested in joining the water ski team, meetings are held every Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Clyde P. Fisher Science room 287.
“To join the water ski team you have to like fun, sunshine and happiness,” Desautels said.