Water skiers will converge on Bridgewater this Australia Day long weekend for three days of action on the Loddon River.
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The Bridgewater Water Ski Club will host the 2019 Easy Tow Malibu Australian Masters, with participants of all ages and abilities vying for victory in slalom, trick and jump events.
The masters will feature record-holder and current world open jump champion Jacinta Carroll, national squad member Archie Davis, Maryborough’s Anthea Collicoat and Bendigo-based Jason Sleep who was recently named as Disabled Skier of the Year and International Adaptive Skier of the Year.
“This is a massive event for the club and all the people who will be skiing over the weekend,” Sleep said.
“It’s such a good site for the masters, here on the Loddon River at Bridgewater.”
Sleep recently won the state and national championships for his ability division and is a multiple record holder in the sport.
The Bridgewater Water Ski Club praised the assistance from the event’s sponsors in helping run the tournament.
“This is a very prestigious tournament where people travel from across the country to compete on the Loddon River,” Bridgewater Water Ski Club president Mick Collicoat said.
“This is a chance to see the best of the Australian water skiers in action.”
The club first held the event in 1960 and over the years has grown the competition into one of the most sought after events on the Australian water skiing calendar.
“In recent years the profile of the event has grown because we have been able to offer a substantial amount of prize money,” Collicoat said.
The town of Bridgewater is in overdrive to prepare and accommodate for the influx of visitors during the three-day event.
“There will definitely be a lot of people in town over the weekend,” Collicoat said.
“We’ve had a few working bees to make sure the site is looking spick and span.”
Some of the final elements of the preparations include measuring all of the ski jumps to ensure they are correctly in-line with International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation regulations.
Participants use the opportunity to take to the water at the tournament as a way to refine their skills during the lead-up to the renowned Moomba Masters on the Yarra River in March.
The Australian Masters is free for spectators and will run on Friday (9am-3pm), Saturday (7:30am-5:30pm) and Sunday (8am-4pm) along the banks of the Loddon River at Bridgewater.
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