Waterski National Championships: Floodlit night slalom added to event for first time
- Published
Former slalom world champion Freddie Winter is going for his seventh British National title
The British Waterski National Championships will feature a floodlit night slalom event for the first time.
More than a hundred people have signed up to compete at the event, including 29 members of the Great Britain squad.
"I grew up wanting to be the British national champion," former men's slalom world champion Freddie Winter told BBC Sport.
"It's a great event and I'm going for my seventh title. It would be special to win here at my home club in the UK."
The annual event, which is being held in Oxford for the second year running, crowns the best waterskiers across a range of age groups and categories in Britain.
Three events - slalom, trick and jump - are being contested over four days (11th-14th August) at Oxford Wakeboard & Ski Club.
British athlete Kelly Atkins recently won slalom silver at the Europe Over 35s Championships
'Tournaments like this can be brutal'
"You have to be strong and mobile," says Kelly Atkins who recently won a slalom silver medal at the European Over 35s Championships in Greece.
"In slalom, the more passes (runs) you make around the buoys, the shorter the rope gets from the boat, so on your next pass you have to get lower and more horizontal to the water to get round again.
"It's a hard sport and tournaments like this can be brutal because you only get one chance. If you mess up your first pass and fall into the water, that's it you're done."
The National Championships have been held every year since 1951 - barring a year off in 2020 due to Covid.
"This year the conditions are really good," said GB youth squad member Dani Halford, who is competing in slalom, trick and jump.
"It's normally windy and rainy but we've got warm and sunny weather with a light breeze on the water.
"I've just got back from the European Championships in Greece where I made two of the finals, so I'm feeling good, and hoping to podium here in Oxford."
GB youth squad member Dani Halford is competing in all three disciplines at the National Championships
'It's a showcase event'
For the first time the event will feature a floodlit night slalom event on Saturday evening.
"There's never been anything like it at the Nationals," event organiser Steve Glanfield told BBC Sport.
"We will have six solar panelled floodlights along the lake and glowsticks on the skiers and buoys to illuminate the course. It's a showcase event to really display the sport, create an exciting atmosphere and draw in the crowds."
The 2022 Nationals are a precursor to the World Waterski Over 35's Championships in France in September.
For the first time the British Waterski Nationals will host a showcase night slalom
