Last year, we got into our time machine and found an article on the very first NCWSA Nationals (1979). As we approach the Connelly Skis 40th NCWSA Nationals we are hopping back into our time machine to explore the 10th, 20th (bonus article on Parrish Slalom Record), and 30th (bonus article on Storm Selsor) NCWSA Nationals tournaments!
The following article was originally written and published in the 1999 January/February issue of The Water Skier! The Water Skier is the official magazine of USA Water Ski. The original article was imported word for word to be republished on NCWSA.com with permission from USA Water Ski and The Water Skier.
Indian Summer
The Northeast Louisiana University Indians wrapped up the 1998 water skiing season in October by claiming their 14th national championship at the 20th NCWSA National Championships.
Story by Scott Atkinson, Photos by Richard Lupo
History was on the side of the Northeast Louisiana University water ski team. Since 1994, NLU [ULM] and University of Southwestern Louisiana [USL/ULL] have been taking turns winning the NCWSA National Championship. In 1994, NLU won its 12th national championship. In 1995, USL won its first. NLU claimined No. 13 in 1996, while USL won title No. 2 in 1997. So when NLU staked claim to its 14th national title at the 20th NCWSA National Championships in October, it should have come as no surprise. It was the Indians’ turn once again. Yet while recent history held true to form, the tournament on the Bayou DeSiard in Monroe, LA, was far more dramatic than that. Just as NLU skier Chris Parrish. “It was more competitive as a team tournament than any other event I have ever competed in.” says Parrish, who was competing in his first Collegiate Nationals. “The pressure is definitely on because you’ve got all these teammates just screaming for you to do well. It’s crazy.”
But there was nothing insane about NLU’s performance. The Indians combined 6,550 points from the women’s team and 6,170 points from the men for a first place total of 12,720 points. Runner-up USL (6,200/6,250) finished with 12,450 points. Alabama (5,995/6,210) with 12,205 points; Arizona State (5,890/5,795) with 11,685; and Rollins College (4,840/3,945) with 8,785 rounded out the top five of the 13-team field. “This team was determined to win the title this year.” says NLU coach Bill Bagley. “We knew what it would take to win the title and for the most part everyone held up to their expectations. I don’t think everyone skied to their capabilities, but we generated enough points to win and had some clutch performances.”
While Parrish entered the record books by running 2 buoys at 41 feet off to help NLU to the Men’s slalom title, it was teammate Ryan Fitts who had the most dominating performance of the weekend, finishing first in tricks (4,890 points), jumping (173 feet), and overall (1,780 points). The only letdown for Fitts came in the slalom event when his ski slipped off of his foot, relegating him to a ninth-place finish. But he avenged that on Sunday when he nailed a 172-foot leap on his first jump to clinch the team title for the Indians. Earlier in the day he won the tricks event by more than 1,000 points over second-place finisher Pare (USL). “I was a little disappointed with the slalom event,” says Fitts. “I had to do everything possible to get a big score to make up [for Saturday].”
Boosted by superior depth, the NLU women’s team easily outdistanced runner-up USL, and third-place finisher Alabama for the overall team title. NLU didn’t have any individual winners, but all five of its skiers recorded top-five finishes. Dana Fitts, the sister of Ryan, finished in a five-way tie for second in slalom and placed fourth in overall. Sandy Robinette joined Fitts in the tie for second in slalom, while Marjolien Jongepier, the only member of the NLU women’s team who was making a first appearance at the NCWSA National Championships, finished fifth in tricks. Leander Currie was second in jumping and Maureen Lamarche finished in a four-way tie for third in jumping to round out the scoring.
Arizona State’s Courtney Buntjer, Alabama’s Fiona Narin, and Rollins’ Susie Lohr all won titles. Buntjer won the slalom event, rounding 4 at 35′ off. Narin, a freshman from New Zealand, finished third in tricks, while tying for second in slalom, and third in jumping to win the overall title.
Meanwhile, Lohr, another freshman competing in her first NCWSA Nationals, was the lone double-winner in the women’s competition, claiming the tricks and jumping titles. She scored 3,400 points in tricks and leaped 138 feet in jumping.
[The complete scorebook from 1998 NCWSA Nationals can be found on USA Water Ski & Wake Sports website.]
Permission for Republishing
This article has been republished from an issue of The Water Skier, and is posted on NCWSA.com with permission from USA Water Ski and The Water Skier. The Water Skier is the official magazine of USA Water Ski.
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