Jaquess Rises Up Down Under For First Moomba Slalom Title; Lang Wins Tricks
by Scott N. Atkinson
Regina Jaquess (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.), the No. 1 ranked skier on the IWWF World Rankings List and current women’s world slalom record holder, has now won every major slalom tournament in the world during her legendary career. Jaquess won her first career Moomba Masters slalom title on Monday at the 63rd Nautique Moomba Masters, presented by GM Marine, on the Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia.
Jaquess, 39, scored 2-1/2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off in the finals, edging Canada’s Whitney McClintock, the defending champion, who scored 2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off. Elizabeth Montavon (Lake Worth, Fla.) scored 4 buoys at 38 feet off to place third.
Jaquess, who works full time running her own business, last competed at the Moomba Masters in 2012, when she finished third in women’s slalom. But she is no stranger to the top of the podium Down Under. She also won women’s tricks at the 2003 Moomba Masters to go along with her now 2024 Moomba Masters slalom title. Jaquess also placed third in women's jump (162 feet) in this year's event.
Erika Lang (Gilbert, Ariz.) joined Jaquess as a 2024 Moomba champion earlier in the day. Lang, the 2023 women’s world tricks champion, won her second consecutive and sixth career Moomba Masters women’s tricks title, scoring 10,350 points in the finals. Canada’s Neilly Ross placed second (9,780 points). Alexia Abelson (Holderness, N.H.) finished fourth (7,020 points).
In other events, Mexico’s Patricio Font won men’s tricks (11,860 points); Great Britain's Freddie Winter won men's slalom (1 buoy at 41 feet off); Canada's Ryan Dodd won men's jump (218 feet); Australia's Jacinta Carroll won women's jump (170 feet); Argentina's Tobias Giorgis won men's overall (2,732.78 points); and Sasha Danisheuskaya (Winter Garden, Fla.) won women's overall (2,911.11 points).
Among other highlights from U.S. athletes, Jake Abelson (Holderness, N.H.) placed second (11,790 points) in men's tricks and Corey Vaughn (Bumpass, Va.) placed fourth (3-1/2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off) in men's slalom.
Three U.S. Athletes Win Junior Moomba Titles
Alexia Abelson (Holderness, N.H.), Jake Abelson (Holderness, N.H.) and Chase Sparks (Dallas, Ga.) won titles at the 2024 Junior Moomba Masters, March 6-7, on the Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia. Winners of the Junior Moomba Masters were determined by a two-round total.
Alexia Abelson won girls’ tricks, scoring 7,390 points in round one and 7,410 points in round two. She also placed fourth in slalom, scoring 2-1/2 buoys at 32 feet off in round one and ½ buoy at 35 feet off in round two.
Jake Abelson won boys’ overall, tallying 2,790.91 points after recording high scores of 1-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off in slalom, 11,880 points in tricks and 163 feet in jump. He also placed second in tricks (7,380 points/11,880 points) in round two; second in jump (151 feet/163 feet) and third in slalom (1-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off/3-1/2 buoys at 35 feet off).
Sparks won boys’ jump with distances of 162 feet in round one and 174 feet in round two.
• Junior Moomba Masters Results
The 2024 Nautique Moomba Masters celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Nautique Boats partnership, bringing world-class towboats to this prestigious event for the best athletes to perform behind. In addition to the celebration of 25 Years, Nautique and the Victorian Water Ski Association have announced a five-year extension of their partnership for the Moomba Masters. This new contract will extend the support of the event until 2030.