USA Water Ski & Wake Sports will bring its National Championships to the lakes of Okeeheelee Park on August 6-10, 2019. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission will partner with the Ski Club of the Palm Beaches to host the 77th GOODE Water Ski National Championships, which is a traditional three-event competition (slalom, tricks, and jumping). The GOODE Water Ski National Championships is the largest water ski event taking place annually in the United States. More than 600 of the nation’s top water ski athletes from across the United States are expected to compete for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective divisions at the world’s largest three-event water ski tournament. USA Water Ski hosted its premier event in Palm Beach County on three (3) previous occasions between 2012 and 2015.
USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is the national governing body of organized water skiing and wakeboarding in the United States. USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is a member of the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (world governing body), the Pan American Sports Organization and the United States Olympic Committee. Approximately 630 local water ski clubs throughout the United States are affiliated with USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is supporting the Ski Club of the Palm Beaches and its efforts to host the USA Water Ski National Championships. The Ski Club of the Palm Beaches is one of the most active and productive clubs in the country and partners with Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation to maintain the skiing facilities at Okeeheelee Park. This dedication has played a vital role in Palm Beach County becoming a premier destination for competitive water skiers. The Ski Club of The Palm Beaches has hosted 14 Water Ski National Championships, five Southern Regional Water Ski Championships, two Florida State Water Ski Championships and the 1989 Water Ski World Championships – in addition to a handful of professional cash-prize tournaments and hundreds of other amateur water ski tournaments – over the past 30 years
Advancement to the Water Ski National Championship is primarily earned through placement on the national rankings list. Athletes can also qualify for the Nationals by placing in the top-five at Regionals or by placing in the top-five at the previous year’s Nationals.
In addition to the thrills and excitement that will be generated by this action sport, the GOODE Water Ski National Championships will bring tremendous economic benefits to the local community. The event is expecting to generate over 1,500 hotel room nights and $1 million in economic impact during the month of August, which is traditionally one of the slowest months for tourism.
