U.S. Wins Disabled Worlds

Scott N. Atkinson September 07, 2009

Craigtimmnews

Photo: USA Water

Craig Timm won the silver medal in tricks, and gold medals in slalom, jumping an overall.

The U.S. Disabled Water Ski Team won the overall gold medal at the 9th Disabled Water Ski World Championships, Sept. 3-6, in Vichy, France. The United States tallied 9,341.73 points in winning the gold medal for a record fifth time at the biennial event. Italy earned the silver medal with 9,240.23 points and France earned the bronze medal with 5,748.02 points. Australia (5,622.60 points) and Great Britain (4,497.86 points) rounded out the top-five placements in the 18-team field.

Within each event, athletes who are partially (V2, V3) or totally blind (V1), paraplegics or quadriplegics (MP1, MP2, MP3), and arm and/or leg disabilities (with or without prosthesis) competed against athletes with the same disabilities.

Members of the 2009 U.S. Disabled Water Ski Team were: William Furbish (Atlanta, Ga.), MP1; Chad Guzman (Gilbert, Ariz.), MP3; Katie Mawby (Grand Haven, Mich.), V2/3; Jessica Radmilovic (Sutter Creek, Calif.), MP2; Joe Ray (Wilsonville, Ala.), MP2; Daniel Reed (Indianapolis, Ind.), MP3; Mike Royal (Spring, Texas), V1 and Craig Timm (Center City, Minn.), A.

U.S. team members combined to win 14 medals, including 10 gold and four silver.

Timm won gold medals in men's A slalom, jumping and overall, and a silver medal in tricks. He also finished second among all male competitors in overall scoring. His gold medal in jumping came on a 108-foot (32.8 meters) effort, a new world record. It eclipsed the former world record of 107 feet (32.5 meters) set 20 years ago by Australia's Geoff Burgess.

Radmilovic, competing in her first Disabled Worlds, won gold medals in women's MP2 tricks and jumping, and silver medals in slalom and overall. She also finished third among all female competitors in overall scoring. She set a pending world tricks record 820 points in winning the women's MP2 tricks gold medal.

Ray, Furbish and Mawby also won multiple medals. Ray won gold medals in men's MP2 slalom and overall; Furbish won the gold medal in men's MP1 slalom and the silver medal in tricks; and Mawby won gold medals in women's V2/3 slalom and tricks.

To view complete team and individual results, click here (PDF).

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