U.S. Team Wins Gold At FISU Worlds
The U.S. World University Water Ski Team won the gold medal and three U.S. team members combined to win seven medals at the 2012 FISU World University Water Ski Championships, Jan. 12-15, in San Bernardo, Chile. For scores, click here.
Members of the U.S. World University Water Ski Team were: Brian Detrick (Elk Grove, Calif.), Saint Mary's College; Alex Lauretano (Windermere, Fla.), Louisiana-Monroe; Tyler Lorenz (Oconomowoc, Wis.), Wisconsin; Lauren Morgan (Odessa, Fla.), Florida Southern; Adam Pickos (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.), Louisiana-Monroe; and Dylan Schaffer (Owens Cross Roads, Ala.), Alabama. The United States tallied 8,043.70 points in winning the gold medal in the 17-team field. The Czech Republic (6,588.19 points) earned the silver medal and Chile (6,549.94 points) earned the bronze medal.
Lauretano won gold medals in women's tricks and overall, and earned the silver medal in women's jumping; Morgan won the gold medal in women's jumping and earned the bronze medal in women's overall; and Pickos won the gold medal in men's tricks and earned the silver medal in men's slalom.
Lauretano tallied 2,800.67 points in winning the women's overall gold medal. Belgium's Kate Adriaensen earned the silver medal with 2,715.26 points and Morgan earned the bronze medal with 2,458.94 points.
Lauretano scored 6,630 points to win the gold medal in women's tricks. Adriaensen earned the silver medal with 6,490 points and the Czech Republic's Petra Povolna earned the bronze medal with 5,230 points. Morgan placed fifth with a score of 4,710 points.
In women's jumping, Morgan soared 162 feet to win the gold medal. Lauretano (158 feet) and Adriaensen (150 feet) earned the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
In women's slalom, Adriaensen won the gold medal with a score of 2 buoys at 38 feet off. Germany's Geena Krueger earned the silver medal with 5-1/2 buoys at 35 feet off and Peru's Delfina Cuglievan earned the bronze medal with 3 buoys at 35 feet off. Lauretano (3 buoys at 35 feet off) and Morgan (3 buoys at 35 feet off) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Pickos scored 9,790 points to win the gold medal in men's tricks. Chile's Felipe Miranda earned the silver medal with 8,980 points and the Czech Republic's Adam Sedlmajer earned the bronze medal with 8,310 points. Schaffer placed fourth with 7,940 points and Lorenz finished eighth with 5,510 points.
In men's slalom, Pickos tied for first with Miranda, each scoring 3 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off. Miranda secured the gold medal in the subsequent run-off by scoring 2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off to Pickos' ½-buoy at 38 feet off. Sedlmajer earned the bronze medal with score of 2 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off. Detrick placed eighth with a score of 2-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off and Schaffer finished 12th with a score of 3-1/2 buoys at 32 feet off.
In men's jumping, Canada's Alex Paradis won the gold medal with a distance of 207 feet. Canada's Kevin Melnuk (200 feet) and Miranda (199 feet) earned the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
In men's overall, Miranda won the gold medal with 2,941.01 points. Sedlmajer (2,893.00 points) and Slovakia's Martin Bartalsky (2,526.49 points) earned the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Robert Rhyne (Harrisburg, N.C.) was the coach of the U.S. team and Harley Wallace (San Diego, Calif.) was the team manager.
The U.S. Team has now won every University Worlds (1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2009 and 2011) to date.
