Abelson Wins Tricks, Jump & Overall Titles At 31st Junior Masters
by Scott N. Atkinson
U.S. water ski athlete Jake Abelson (Holderness, N.H.) won titles in Junior Men’s tricks, jump and overall on Friday at the 31st Nautique Junior Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament. Some of the world’s top junior water ski athletes (age 17 and under on Dec. 31, 2023) competed for titles in slalom, tricks, jump and overall.
Abelson scored 11,790 points in winning Junior Men’s tricks for the third consecutive year. Abelson’s score of 11,880 points was a new Junior Men’s tricks course record for Robin Lake. He set the previous record of 11,390 points at the 2023 Junior Masters.
Abelson also won Junior Men’s jump with a distance of 170 feet. U.S. athlete Chase Sparks (Dallas, Ga.) finished second with a distance of 168 feet. Abelson also clinched the overall title with top scores of 11,880 points (tricks), 2-1/2 buoys at 35 feet off (slalom) and 170 feet (jump) in tallying 2,757 overall points.
Other champions from the Junior Masters were: Canada’s Hannah Stopnicki, Junior Women’s tricks (7,290 points); Chile’s Trinidad Espinal, Junior Women’s slalom (3 buoys at 38 feet off); Argentina’s Bautista Ahumada, Junior Men’s slalom (2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off); Australia’s Kristy Appleton, Junior Women’s jump (140 feet); Canada’s Megan Pelkey, Junior Women’s overall (2,653 points); Italy’s Giulia Castelli, Junior Women’s wakeboard (93.33 points); and Japan’s Shion Takaiwa, Junior Men’s wakeboard 91.33 points). Espinal set a Junior Masters course record 5 buoys at 38 feet off in the elimination round of Junior Women’s slalom. The previous record of 4 buoys at 38 feet off was co-held by U.S. athletes Regina Jaquess (2001) and Brooke Baldwin (2016).
Among other highlights from U.S. athletes in the Junior Masters, Jaeden Eade (Clermont, Fla.) placed second in Junior Men’s slalom (1-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off); Alexia Abelson (Holderness, N.H.) placed third in Junior Women’s tricks (3,840 points); Solie Stenger (Gettysburg, Pa.) finished third in Junior Women’s slalom (2 buoys at 35 feet off); and Camryn Waters (Groveland, Fla.) placed third in Junior Women’s jump (118 feet).
The Ski Nautique was the exclusive towboat. For complete results, visit www.masterswaterski.com.