The 2006 Colorado Barefoot Challenge water skiing tournament jump-started the summer season Saturday at the Pit 4 Barefoot Club in Henderson. Several dozen “footers” from throughout Colorado and surrounding states participated in what has become an annual ritual 15 years in the making.
The tournament drew a range of competitors in novice through open divisions, skiing in trick and slalom events behind boats reaching speeds of 47 mph. In the trick event, footers completed maneuvers such as flying docks starts, tumble turns, flips and surface turns or one-foot skiing within two 15-second passes. In the slalom event, competitors cross the boat’s wake forward or backward as many times as possible in the two allotted 15-second passes.
A special division for kids and first-timers utilizes a boom that extends off the side of the boat – virtually eliminating the hard falls sometimes associated with barefoot water skiing.
Windy weather brought a less-than-ideal chop to the water Saturday for those who prefer glass- smooth water for skiing sans skis.
“Despite the conditions, everyone had fun and no one got hurt,” said Highlands Ranch resident Mike Whitney, who tied Dave Ross of Firestone for top honors in the men’s open division. “It was a successful tournament.”
For more information on barefoot skiing in the region, visit www.barefoot.org.
SKI MOUNTAINEERING
Fourteener quest falls short
Chris Davenport is calling it at 45. The Snowmass skier says his 45th peak of the year – his May 31 climb and descent of Mount of the Holy Cross – was the last of the season, ending his quest to ski all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks in a single season. Barring a very snowy summer storm that would open ski lines on Longs Peak or Mount Bross, Davenport will not ski another fourteener until November.
WINTER SPORTS
2010 Games may add four events
After making their debut at the FIS World Championships in 2005, freestyle skiercross and an alpine team event cleared the second hurdle toward inclusion as medal events in the Olympic Winter Games as soon as 2010. All told, four new ski events are under consideration by Vancouver Winter Olympic organizers for possible inclusion in the 2010 Games with recommendation by the International Ski Federation (FIS) or International Olympic Committee. In addition to skiercross and alpine team competition, the potential new medal sports include mass-start nordic combined competition and women’s ski jumping, both were recently approved for inclusion in the 2009 FIS Nordic World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic.
At the same FIS Congress meeting where the initiatives were approved, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association emerged successful in its bid for the 2011 FIS Freestyle World Championships at Deer Valley, Utah. The United States is scheduled to host 22 World Cup alpine, freestyle and nordic events in the 2006-07 seasons.
(COMPILED BY SCOTT WILLOUGHBY FROM POST STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS)
