Under 21 Team Wins Gold Medal

The U.S. Under 21 Water Ski Team won the gold medal and four U.S. athletes earned individual medals at the 4th Under 21 Water Ski World Championships, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, in Chapala, Mexico.

The U.S. Under 21 Water Ski Team tallied 7,800.16 points in winning the overall gold medal for the third time. Defending champion France earned the silver medal, scoring 7,639.65 points, and Canada earned the bronze medal, tallying 7,451.64 points in the 24-team field.

Members of the U.S. Under 21 Water Ski Team were: Caroline Hensley (Hixson, Tenn.), Alex Lauretano (Morris, Conn.), Adam Pickos (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.) and Zack Worden (Deltona, Fla.).

Worden won gold medals in men's jumping and overall. He soared 218 feet (66.5 meters) to win the gold medal in jumping for the second consecutive time, and tallied 2,617.59 overall points to win the men's overall gold medal. Hensley earned the bronze medal in women's overall, tallying 2,539.34 points. Lauretano earned the bronze medal in women' jumping, leaping 161 feet.

Jonathan Travers (Groveland, Fla.), competing as a U.S. independent, won the gold medal in men’s slalom, scoring 1-1/2 buoys at 41 feet off.

Jim Grew (Winter Haven, Fla.), Regina Jaquess (Suwanee, Ga.) and Brad Harmon (Cleburne, Texas) served as captain, coach and physician, respectively.

Other event winners were: France's Alexandre Poteau, men's tricks (11,320 points); Canada's Whitney McClintock, women's slalom, tricks and overall (2-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off/8,000 points/2,982.09 points); and France’s Nancy Chardin, women's jumping (166 feet/50.5 meters).