The Badgerland Water Ski Show Team won the team title at the 2024 Division 2 Show Ski National Championships.
The Badgerland Water Ski Show Team (Merton, Wis.) won the team title at the 23rd Bank First Division 2 Show Ski National Championships, presented by Visit Central Florida, Aug. 2-4, on the Wolf River in Shawano, Wis. Hosted by the Shawano Ski Sharks, the tournament featured 11 teams competing for the Division 2 show ski national title. The Division 2 Show Ski National Championships was comprised of teams and/or individuals not qualified by their respective regions for next weekend’s 49th Indmar Division 1 Show Ski National Championships, presented by Visit Central Florida, in Warsaw, Ind.
In competitive show skiing, each club has one hour to present a theatrical performance on water skis. Judges score acts by awarding points based on originality, presentation and execution. Elaborate costumes and staging intermix with music and fast action on the water as an announcer leads the audience through the show.
Badgerland earned high-scoring awards for Dock & Equipment Crew, Sound Crew, Showmanship, Production, Overall Show, Doubles and Swivel in tallying a grand total 1,501.83 points in narrowly defeating runner-up Shawano Ski Sharks (Shawano, Wis.), which scored 1,478.63 points after earning high scores for Towboat Driving, Ballet and Pyramid. The Five Seasons Ski Team (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) placed third (1,302.43 points).
The Division 2 Show Ski National Championships also featured athletes competing individually in Swivel Open, Swivel 360, Swivel 180, Swivel Pairs Open, Doubles Open, and Freestyle Jumping Open. Ava Schlichting (Machesney Park, Ill.) won Swivel Open (14.60 points); Shae Landsverk (Neenah, Wis.) won Swivel 360 (11.74 points); Lydia Schumacher Janesville, Wis.) won Swivel 180 (7.16 points); Ava Schlichting (Machesney Park, Ill.) and Lilly Roman (Freeport, Ill.) won Swivel Pairs Open (11.77 points); Ally Sinitz (Pewaukee, Wis.) and Jonathan Mohr (West Allis, Wis.) won Doubles Open (12.10 points); Nathan Fiedorowicz (Waupaca, Wis.) won Freestyle Jumping Open (410.66 points); and the Shawano Ski Sharks (Shawano, Wis.) won Team Jump (34.00 points).