Premier Ski Club Coaching Clinic at Pentney Lakes

Continuing my East side of England Coaching Tour, I moved on to Premier Ski Club at Pentney Lakes near King Lynn for my Sunday's Coaching Clinic. The beautiful weather was set to continue for the day and really set the stage for another perfect day on the water. It has been 5 years since my last coaching day at Premier and I was most excited to be back on their site working with their members. Kelly & Nigel who run the site, are extremely keen to support the sport and create an amazing facility to enjoy our sport. Premier is the tournament lake opperating with a club boat, running along side a larger boat owners lake with skiers of all levels enjoying towed sports and the lakeside lifestyle many beautiful sites like this around the UK offer year round.
Pentney Lakes has one of the largest collections of amazing cabin a log style lodges and homes I have ever seen on my travels, I can't think of a better environment to raise and enjoy time with your family in. The is nothing like Lake-Life to bring and keep families together whilst creating a life time of memories that will last for ever!

Kelly and son Will getting ready for his first coached set of the day, Will took part in the Cutting Edge event at Ten-80 a few weeks ago and did fantstic.
Well Done Will, keep up the great skiing!



It was a pleasure to have Steve Kick come over from the Boat owners lake and take a lesson with me, after having Steve change a couple of key things in his technique he was soon starting to feel the rewards of taking a lesson and being pointed in the right direction. Taking a coaching season or two each season, will only ensure progression in your skiing and raise enjoyment and safety levels no end.



Mike Hornagold skiing great with his new keys and approach to his slalom in the course. Mike is now setting himself up wider for the gate turn and following his ski more in his goodside lean, this will allow Mike to bring the high intencity lean down that he previously adopted and will give far more control over the speed he carries over to his offside turn greatly increasing his balance, confidence and consistancy in his weaker turn. This will only promote better buoy count performace and scores.

Congatulations to Mike Hornagold Junior for taking the Silver medal at this years Europeam Senior Championships!

Congratulations Jon Wilkinson

I was stoked to hear that Jon Wilkinson had won the Senior 2 European Championship Title this weekend, Jon joined me this year on my UK coaching clinic Tour stop at Ten-80 and we were also Pro-Am team mates at the Wigan Grandprix Team event at the beginning of September. Jo has steadily been improving his practice performance this season through good training drills and that training is now paying off with great tournament performances. Great skiing Jon!
Great Britain is proud of you.
Jon Wilkinson on the Right with Team Paul McDonald at the Wigan Pro-Am Grandprix, great event look out for the dates of this event next season.

Bluebird Ski Club, Norwich

I was very excited to be going back to Norwich after more than 10 years have past since my last visit, where does the time go. Simon Wooldridge the Chairman of the Bluebird Club and I talked about putting another coaching day after his trip out to our school in Orlando last Easter. I was very Intriged about being to work with some deaf skiers after learning that the club catered for the deaf which accounted for arround 30% of BlueBirds membership.
I was able to catch up and stay with a good friend of mine Matt Becker from Lotus Cars who also skis at the BlueBird lake, although is a member of the Norwich Ski Club who share the water with Bluebird. Both clubs use the lake three days a week each and have alternate use on the 7 day, amazing really that two clubs have found away to share one piece of water for the enjoyment and sport of water skiing.
There is a tramendous enthusiasum at this club and a broard spectrum of performance and age which really high lights the history in a club and the love for the sport gained by all involved.
I feel extremely privilaged to have had this opportunity to work with some of the deaf skiers and thurily enjoyed my visit to this wonderful club.
I will deffinately be returning next season to coach if Bluebird are keen to host another fantastic day on the water continuing to build and strengthening the foundation of this sport in the UK as they have for so many year to date.
Great work Bluebird, keep up your fantstic efforts in the sport!

Mike and the members of Bluebird enjoying the beautiful British summer atleast for that day!


We couldn't have asked for better weather for the clinic, roasting in September, more of that please!


Malcolm,a deaf skier and a new comer to the sport and could not get enough of it. Fanastic to see Malcolm, keep up the great skiing my friend!
Thank you to Sue for the sign language, I would have deffinately struggled with the coaching without your great help!

2009 Southampton Boat Show

Sunday was my first ever visit to the Southampton Boat Show and I thurliy enjoyed it. I was representing MasterCraft Boats and having a great time doing it. I have to say that this is how boats should be shown, outside in the open air and right by the water! Very cool!

MasterCraft UK doing a great job of showing the new X2 to a customer


Showing the bow of the brand new 255 Saltwater Series MariStar

Coaching Clinic at Cotswold Water Park Ski Club

6.00am Saturday morning and it was time head down to the Cotswold Water Park Ski Club, I had stayed the night with family in Doncaster and I had a 3 hour drive ahead of me. The beautiful weather was forecast to continue over from what was a perfect Friday on the water, when I arrived at CWWSC Saturdays weather was no exception.
Another glass calm day on the water in brilliant sunshine.

I met all the excited kids booked in for the clinic and we got started.

Could the conditions be any better!


I held a question and answer session over the lunch break and we set out a different understanding and thought process.


Bring it on!


We are already planning more days at the CWWSC

Two clinics in one day

My day started with leaving Princes at 4.30am to arrive in Wigan by 8.00 am, stopping to get fuel at the services I was thinking how cool the air felt as you could see your breath in the air when breathing. I was a beautiful crisp morning thought and I got future toward Wigan the air temp was rising, the sun was shunning nicely and the air was a still as could be. I could not tell you the last time I had seen it so still, a huge contrast to the 3 Sister Pro- Am Grandprix event were it rained hard all day long with temps representing the arrival of winter. The 11th of September was a different story though and maybe we might behave this informas Indian summer they always talk about! This would be my fourth day coaching at the 3 Sister this season and the members are all having great fun with their skiing.

3 Sister Wigan looking and feeling like Orlando



1.30pm and it was time to head over to the Weaver Water Skin Club in Frodsham to coaching for the afternoon. This would be my first visit to the River Weaver being no stranger to river skiing in my youth I was really looking forward to it. I arrived on site and the weather could not have been more beautiful, sun shunning, everyone in swimware and the water was like a sheet of glass. The MasterCrfat Nightmare boat from the London Night jump was on loan for the day and the skiers were pumped for skiing. Simon Sharp who had put the day together with the members, had spent a great deal of time building a wire and boom slalom course strong enough to withstand the current of the river and three years ago created a whole new challenge for he members. I got to see more fresh young talent on the water that day and feel privileged to have been invited to another ski site in the UK that I had not been to before. I had an amazing time that day and very much look forward to returning next season for more coaching tips.

Sun setting on the Weaver


Jonathan and Jemma Richards spending quality time together, look out for Jemma in the future of British Water Skiing.

2009 National Kidz Cutting Edge Championships

I had the privilege of being invited to Ten-80 Waterski Center Tamworth to do a demo and present the winners prizes along with the Major of Warickshire. It was amazing to see more than 65 kidz having a blast on the water taking part in slalom tricks wakeboard kneeboard and Barefooting. The thought of seeing the stars of the future of British Water skiing getting started in their competitive carriers. Wel done to all the kidz taking part, I remember such strong emotions of nerves and excitment all rolled into that first major event.

All the excited Kidz getting ready to receive their winners prizes


Simon James the site owner welcoming all the kidz to his site and introducing the Matt Crowhurst The Major and Myself

UK Wiz Kids

Aaron Davies from 3 Sisters Wigan just coming back strong from an ankle injury, he is going to be great in the slalom course!


Pam Foxx 3 Sisters Wigan a great little slalom and trick skier to look out for in the future of British skiing

Ten-80 Coaching Clinic

I have another fantastic time coaching at Ten-80 near Tamworth, once again Simon James and Ollie Dunn welcomed me to their site and took great care of me whilst there. It was very cool to see more young talent from the area really doing well and having put what they had learnt on last years clinic into to action.

Ed Blundel taking to the water


Great weather at Ten-80 today


Members hanging out on the deck at Ten-80

National Cutting Edge Kids Champioship

I had the privilage of join the Major of Warwickshire to present the winners trophies at this years National Kids Cutting Edge Championship at Ten-80 Tamworth. An honour for me as this is really how I got involved in competing in the sport a few many years ago, at the age of 12. The were more than 60 Kids from all over the country competing in there reagoinal teams as well as in individual competition in Slalom Tricks Wakeboard Kneeboard & Barefooting. There is an amazing amount of talent starting to get involved in towed water sports in the UK and seeing these kids have the first chance to ski infront of a crowd and their piears was very cool to see and be part of. This event will stick with these kids for a life time as my fist competition has done with me. I have to say that these kids did amazingly as I remember not getting past the first buoy in my first event, if their score are anything to go by we will many World Champions to follow and be proud off in the future of water skiing.

Ten- 80 watersports center the venue of the Cutting Edge Nationsl Cgampionships 2009



The Future of British water skiing getting their first taiste of copetition


Ten-80's members chilling after a great weekend on the water

3 Sisters Pro-Am Grandprix, Wigan

The Inaugural midweek 3 Sisters Pro-Am Grandprix, Wigan September 2nd 2009

Stuart Lillis, Andy Finley and all the members of the 3 Sister perfect man made ski site in the North of England are all about the sport of water skiing, after only having the lake completed for 3 years, they set out to host the worlds best slalom skiers and hold a cash prize Pro-Am event of their own. Following the Princes Pro-Am now in its 12 year, this young club full of enthusiasm and volunteers have worked tirelessly over the past twelve months to pull this new Tournament together in style. The format would involve 12 teams of Amateurs and after drawing the 12 Pro skiers names out of a hat, they would join the Amateurs and become a team for the entire competition that would consist of combiner scores in Go Karting, Clay Pigeon Shooting and Slalom Skiing. This is the first time this format has been used and the Amateurs and Pro skiers alike were very excited to be taking part in this brand new format. The weather was not playing ball though and in true British summer style, the rain was coming down hard all day long. This did not seen to dampen the spirits of the Teams that has skiers from all over the UK and the World taking part together. Once the team were placed together and they were given their Team number, this is how they would stay and compete throughout the event. They would all go to the start dock together, the Pro would ski first and then both Amateurs would follow their Pro Skiers and this would be the same for the shooting and Karting alike. This gave unique opportunity for the Amateurs to stand on the start and compete along side a Pro skiers and proved a great opportunity to create some fun banter to ease the tournament nerves. Seeing the Professional Water Skiers in Go Karts on a race track, you have never seen competitive spirit like it!

Pictures and results to follow shortly.

King of the Course Princes Pro-Am

The Princes Pro-Am King of the Course Final scores ended in this order

1st Chris Rossi
2nd Aaron Larkin
3rd Jon Travers
4th Jodi Fisher
5th Carlo Alaisi
6th Ty Openlander
7th Freddy Winter
8th Will Asher

3 Sisters Pro-Am Grandprix

It would take more than raining hard all day long to dampen the spirits of the Amateurs & Pro's and keep them from skiing great on the perfect water of the 3 Sisters Ski site, here are the final placings for the Team and Pro Tournaments.

Team Winners

1st
Paul Higgs Steve Nugent Tom Asher
2nd
Stuart Lillis John Waller Will Asher
3nd
Jon Wilkinson Paul McDonald Jodi Fisher

Pro Winners

1st Will Asher
2nd Nick Parsons
3nd Aaron Larkin
4th Nicole Arthur
5th Chris Rossi
6th Jodi Fisher
7th Jon Travers
8th Jason Seels
9th Tom Asher
10th Fred Winter
11th June Fladborg

Will Asher taking the Tittle


Am's & Pro's in their Karting suits


3 Sister ski Club