Injury Forces Llewellyn Out of Upcoming Worlds

OTTAWA - For the first time since 1993, Team Canada at the World Water Ski Championships will not include Jaret Llewellyn. After over a year of intense rehabilitation, Llewellyn suffered a setback in training that will keep him out of the World Championships in Santiago, Chile.

“Jaret has been an incredible leader both on and off the water” said National Team Head Coach Steve Bush. “Both in terms of his leadership and his performance on the water, there really is no replacing an athlete like Jaret. Even in the past few weeks, Jaret has inspired the rest of the team with an incredible work ethic. He has left no stone unturned in his rehab efforts”.

Over the course of an incredible career to date, Llewellyn has captured 12 world championship medals, including 7 golds. In addition to the Worlds hardware, Llewellyn also has 6 Pan American Games medals (4 Gold, 2 Silver) and the honour of being Canada’s flag bearer at the 2007 Opening Ceremonies to his credit. “For going on twenty years now, all of Canadian sport has been inspired by Jaret as an athlete, a leader and an innovator in our sport. We fully expect that we will continue to be inspired by Jaret as he continues his preparation for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto” said Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada CEO David Patterson.

Taking on the task of replacing Llewellyn will be Belleville Ontario’s Neilly Ross. Ross, at the tender age of 13 has already achieved great heights so far this season. Ross started the year out with a silver medal performance at the U17 Worlds, followed that up with silver at the Masters, and a top ten finish at the U21 worlds. In the process, she also claimed an Open Canadian championship in trick and set four Canadian records. “Neilly really is an exceptional athlete with a very bright future” said Steve Bush. “She has three trick scores of over 7000 already this year and that will put her in a spot where she can contribute to the team score and have an incredible learning experience competing against the very best in the world”. If she finds the enormity of worlds to be a problem, Ross will be blessed with the ability to turn to someone close to her who knows the pressures all too well, her father Drew. Drew Ross has a silver medal from Worlds (as well as three more from Pan Am Games) to his credit.

Team Canada will take to the water in Santiago, Chile from November 25 to December 1. Canada has won 59 medals at the Worlds, starting with Charles Blackwell in 1953 at the first ever World Water Ski Championship.

About Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada
Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada (WSWC) is the governing body for towed water sports in Canada. WSWC includes over 24,000 members and over 1,000,000 participants get on the water each year in Canada.

For More Information
Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada
223, 220 Colonnade Road
Ottawa, Ontario K2E 7K3
info@waterski-wakeboard.ca