WWSP No More??

[NautiqueJeff]

There is a rumor circulating that WWSP is no longer going to be in existence. I don't know how true this is, but it would be a great loss if it is true. Does anyone know anything about this?

[rjlong]

RE: WWSP No More??

Jeff, there is a thread that just started on the Nicholls waterski web site today that has a lot of info on this subject. It appears that Andy resigned from WWSP yesterday.
http://waterski.nicholls.edu/waterski/index.html

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: WWSP No More??

Yeah, it appears that Andy is no longer president of WWSP. Check out their press release HERE. I don't like the way 2006 is looking so far. First Moomba is cancelled, and now WWSP looses Andy. Not looking good so far...

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: WWSP No More??

Interesting read...

http://p205.ezboard.com/fwaterskiing...cID=1104.topic

[EarlyRiser]

RE: WWSP No More??

Checked his web site last night & NO news about resigning (in fact, he needs to get it updated). ER

[NautiqueJeff]

This was in Friday's Orlando Sentinel.

World WaterSki Pros -- the organization of professional athletes who brought their sport to unique locales such as New York City, Disney Village and Daytona International Speedway -- has reached its one-year anniversary.

The Orlando-based group's president, Andy Mapple, won't be around for its second year. Mapple, a world-record holder in slalom, resigned last month.

"We need two or three Andy Mapples to keep us going," said Freddy Krueger of Winter Garden, a three-time world-record holder in jumping. "Right now, it's a huge disappointment, but we feel WWSP needs to move on, and we'll show that we can."

Said Dave Hunter, a part-time resident of Winter Garden who is chairman of World WaterSki Pros: "It's a real downfall. There's no one to replace a guy like Andy."

Mapple is certain the group will flourish despite his departure. There are 151 pro members and 139 supporting members of World WaterSki Pros.

"If I was in a plane crash tomorrow, that would not be the end of water skiing,'' said Mapple, 43, a water-skiing entrepreneur. "That would be very shortsighted.

"The bottom line is, I don't want to be president where I'd be putting in 12- to 18-hour days. That's taking me away from my family. I also have a career that I've worked 25 years to build. That's what it comes down to: my career and, more importantly, my family."

World WaterSki Pros sponsored 11 events in 2005, including ones at Daytona Speedweeks in February, the Orlando Boat Show in April and the Pepsi 400 weekend in July. Seven of the events were in the United States, two in London, one in Greece and one in Australia.

The 2006 schedule has not been released.

"The locations were better than they've been in the past 13 years that I've been competing," said Rhoni Barton-Bischoff, who sat out this year after knee surgery.

Krueger jumped 231 feet to win that discipline at the Mastercraft Pro Water Ski Championships in Flushing Meadow, N.Y. It was the first time that New York City hosted pro water skiers.

Krueger helps the group promote water skiing as a family lifestyle.

"All you have to do is watch an episode of Dr. Phil to realize how important it is for families to spend time together,'' he said. "Sex, drugs, smoking, alcohol . . . Hey, put them [the kids] in a boat, go out water skiing and, while you have a little downtime, talk about it."

World WaterSki Pros is excited about its future.

"Disney indicated they wanted us back,'' Hunter said. "Daytona speedway wants us back. All of the TV production that we did over the summer is just now being released. Those are the things that keep driving me to make this work."

Said Barton-Bischoff: "I'll be 100 percent gung-ho to do what I can next year. The athletes are a tough, resilient group. They are not going to let the momentum go away.''