Haig Wins Round 1 At Worlds

Athletes from nearly a dozen countries are competing in six divisions – Men's Open, Women's Open, Junior Boys, Junior Girls, Men's Formula 2 and Women's Formula 2 – for world titles at the biennial event, which consists of four races (July 19, 21, 24 and 26).

Besides Haig, members of the 2009 U.S. Elite Water Ski Racing Team are: Andy Anderson (Riverside, Calif.), Lori Dunsmore (Boulder City, Nev.), Sam Frey (Santa Ana, Calif.), Todd Haig (Redlands, Calif.), Mallory Nordblad (Claremont, Calif.) and Katelin Wendt (Huntington Beach, Calif.). The U.S. Elite Water Ski Racing Team earned the silver medal at the 2007 Water Ski Racing World Championships in Rotorua, New Zealand. The United States has won nine world team titles in the biennial event's 15 occurrences. Australia is the defending team champion.

In Sunday's opening race for Men's Open, Haig edged Australia's Wayne Mawer by about 18 seconds for the victory. Belgium's Dimitri Bertels finished third. U.S. athletes Anderson and Frey placed seventh and 10th, respectively. In Women's Open, Great Britain's Kim Lumley, the 2005 world champion, won by more than a minute ahead of Wendt and two minutes ahead of Nordblad. Dunsmore placed ninth.

Members of the 2009 U.S. Formula 2 Water Ski Racing Team are: Greg Anderson (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Brady Hoggins (Rialto, Calif.), Kelly Ireland (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Cameron King (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Amy Threlfall (Palmdale, Calif.), and Dawn Wallace (Belvedere Tiburon, Calif.). The U.S. Formula 2 Water Ski Racing Team won the gold medal at the 2007 Worlds.

In Sunday's opening race for Formula 2 Men, Belgium's Steven Van Gaeveren took the victory, followed by King and Hoggins. Anderson placed 11th. In Formula 2 Women, Austria's Kathrin Ortlieb earned the victory, followed by Austria's Katharina Hebenstreit and Belgium's Christel Magdeleyns.

Members of the 2009 U.S. Junior Water Ski Racing Team are: A.J. Herrera (Los Alamitos, Calif.), Chelbe Kinslow (Oakley, Calif.) and Trevor Wendt (Huntington Beach, Calif.). The U.S. Junior Water Ski Team earned the silver medal at the 2007 Worlds, with Australia winning the gold medal.

In Sunday's opening race for Junior Boys, Australia's Jack Houston placed first, followed by Austria's Christian Ortlieb and Great Britain's Billy Smith. Wendt and Herrera placed sixth and eighth, respectively. In Junior Girls, Belgium's Yolien Bormans placed first, followed by Kinslow and Australia's Maddison Boyer. Randy Jarrell (Chino, Calif.) is serving as the U.S. teams' manager.

Men's Open and Men's Formula 2 competitors race for 1 hour, plus 1 lap; Women's Open and Women's Formula 2 competitors race for 45 minutes, plus 1 lap; and Junior Boys' and Junior Girls' competitors race for 30 minutes, plus 1 lap. Final overall placements are determined from the athletes' three best race placements.

For more information on the 2009 Water Ski Racing World Championships, click here.

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