GB Waterskiers in Historic 1-2-3

6 May 2024

British skiers took all three podium spots at the Swiss Pro Slalom held in the USA on Sunday 5th May.

 

It is the first time GB athletes have swept the board on the Waterski Pro Tour and they did so in the first slalom competition of the 2024 Tour, held at the Swiss Waterski Resort in Clermont, Florida.

The winner was Will Asher, whose 4 buoys at 10.25 metres in the first of two preliminary rounds, was the highest score of the day. As the last skier off the dock in the 8-man final, he did just enough to win, scoring 3.5@10.25m.

Earlier in the final, Will’s cousin, Rob Hazelwood, and Joel Poland both scored 3@10.25m but Rob took second ahead of Joel by virtue of his superior back up score.

Swiss Pro Slalom 2024 Men's Podium

The competition re-ignited the rivalry between the two friends, who have been competing against each other since they were children.

Rob Hazelwood & Joel Poland at 2024 Swiss Pro Slalom

The waterski season has started well for GB.

At the end of April, Joel set a new pending overall world record at a competition at Ski Fluid in Polk City, Florida. The record has to be ratified by the IWWF Waterski Council but, if it is, Joel will be the only man to have broken the overall world record five times.

The only other British skier at Swiss, Freddie Winter, had a disappointing competition, unusually failing to make the final and finishing 9th.  The reigning men’s slalom World Champion was hoping to continue the form that saw him take his second world title in October last year and his maiden Moomba Masters victory in March.

The full results can be found here.

If you missed the live webcast, you can watch it here

Joel Poland, Will Asher, Rob Hazelwood, podium at the 2024 Swiss Pro Slalom

Photos: Tiare Miranda