Is there going to be a Nationals?

[MarkM]

Is there going to be a Nationals?

[Horton]

officially unknown

[MarkM]

I purchased my flights months ago. Southwest emailed me 2 days ago my non-stop from Phoenix to FLL has changed to a 2 stop 12 hour flight. Now the reservation is completely missing and my points have been refunded. But I still have the return flight lol.

[eleeski]

A week or so after I saw the first bulletin from France on the Senior Worlds, Jill Smith sent us a notice that Senior Worlds was postponed. Bummer. But Oktoberfest had already been canceled so some incentive to go was missing.

 

It might help me because I was at the wrong end of my age division. Next year I'll age up (assuming the rapid deterioration of my body allows me to ski at all).

 

I hope we will be able to fly there, find a hotel and be allowed to ski. Those concerns are what make these scary times.

 

Eric

[Horton]

Dear Qualified AWSA Nationals Skier,

 

I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe during these trying times. Many of you have been asking about the 2020 GOODE U.S. Water Ski National Championships and may have recently received a hotel cancellation email from the Embassy Suites or other hotel partners in West Palm Beach if you had an early reservation under the group rate.

 

The local organizing committee (LOC) did in fact cancel their hotel agreement with the Embassy Suites and others due to specific contractual language that they were not comfortable with if Nationals were to get canceled or postponed to a later date. As of now, Nationals is NOT cancelled. A decision will be made by the LOC, AWSA and USA-WSWS by June 1 as to what Nationals will look like for this year - cancelled, postponed or take on a different look (class C tournament, open to everyone, etc.).

 

Hope to see everyone back on the water soon.

 

Jeff Surdej

AWSA President

[RichardDoane]

Just a thought - how about a Class C Slalom Nationals held nationwide on the same day. Local LOC’s to hold the event day at their local site. Everything done properly within the class C rules, with social distancing and PPE where necessary. Chief Scorers submitting their scorebook to the master list for a final accumulation of scores. It wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be better than nothing and could make $$$ for AWSA. We could call it the Covid19 Challenge. Of course no records would be set, there would be no run-offs, and 15 people might be tied for 6th place, but details could be worked out.

[jcamp]

@RichardDoane interesting. Way better than no Nationals at all.

[Horton]

@jayski North American Virtual Water Ski Championships?

[jayski]

@Horton hellz ya!

 

OR we can have the intergalactic Buoys, beer and burrito eating championship at my place and @skidawg 's in conjunction with those that are willing to ski like 'normal'

 

Step 1) secure beer sponsor

[lpskier]

My bet is that it’s going to be cancelled. The City of West Palm Beach (or whatever governmental agency that runs the park) won’t be persuaded by June 1 that a Nationals can be “safely” held, and so will say no. Regionals will be the big dance this year.

[RichardDoane]

@jcamp The Covid19 Championship could also be a two rounder.

[dthate]

@jayski

 

Step 1) beer sponsor secured....

 

 

[scoke]

@JeffSurdej

 

Hi Jeff,

 

Thank you for the leadership, communication and videos so far during these unique times. Your youtube videos have been great as it's put folks at ease as it shows you guys are thinking through things, having a plan based on facts with real information and not falling into the fear driven trap.

 

The last three days I have been calling regular tournament sites in several regions asking if they were still planning on holding tournaments. It's been a resounding "YES!" across the board. Those folks are just waiting on the official sanctioning green light then it will be full steam ahead. Sure they mentioned, they'll be taking precautions and following guidelines but the point was, we're going to live our lives and try and get back to normal as fast as reasonably possible. Sure a site or two might "cancel their season" and that's their right. Skiers will look for other locations to ski.

 

We're already booking flights for June tournaments in other states as we're ready to go.

 

Meanwhile, skiers are skiing. Multiple threads on this forum prove that topic as folks are itching to ski if they are not already across the nation. Sure some sites are closed to outsiders but people are skiing.

 

Informally, we have been polling every skier I know who is not qualified for nationals: "Would you travel and ski in nationals if it was open to all?" I was very surprised by the response. It was a "Heck yes that would be a great opportunity I normally wouldn't get".

 

 

Regardless of the locations of nationals, if it's held, my opinion is it will be surprising at the strong turnout. It might not work out for Okeeheelee to host it due to local government policy but nothing precludes nationals being held at a normal site and open to all skiers regardless of their Level. Even if it's run as a Class C, the turnout will be there keeping our sport alive. Potentially pressing our 2021 membership and tournament skiers up 1 level in participation etc.

 

The tournament season is NOT lost but the opportunity for us to adapt to adversity is there, we just need to embrace it.

 

Folks are ready to get back to routine and most are over the "just two more weeks" fear based narrative mentality which is not based on facts. Sure some folks might be at risk and that's their right not to participate but it shouldn't infringe on our rights to live our lives.

 

 

 

 

 

[pregom]

I don't get it. The Olympics have been postponed to next year, MLB games are postponed, F1 grand prix are postponed (ha, I say cancelled), all sporting events are on hold (again, ha!). How can slalom tourneys be still considered?

[MarkM]

Because we don’t have any crowds that show up to watch us and the vast majority of water skiers have type “A” personalities. If someone doesn’t want to participate, stay home with your mask.

Being outside it’s literally the safest place to be and we’ve all been skiing with our ski friends anyway.

 

[lpskier]

I’m good with idea of a less formal, open to everyone nationwide tournament. Just don’t call it the “National Championship.”

[markn]

Having a nation wide tournament and calling it Nationals is like having a world wide tournament on rivers and calling it world Moomba.

[Horton]

@markn we have to do something to keep entertained

[pregom]

I understand there are no crowds watching, still a national tournament would draw a congregation of a few hundreds coming from all sorts of places with all sorts of possible interactions with others, at the places of origin or on their way to the site. Quite different from skiing with family, or friends, at a local lake. I agree that being outside is good, if nothing else for the vitamin D effect. The logistics of an event under the current conditions seem very hard to manage to me. What about bathrooms? Food?

[MarkM]

Understood. Don’t go.

[eleeski]

@MarkM With that attitude, I have a better chance of winning!

 

Hoping Nationals works out. @JeffSurdej and everyone at Okeheelee, thanks for your efforts and keep at it for us.

 

Eric

[dave2ball]

South Florida has the majority of the covid cases in Florida Being that Okeheelee is a county run park, Palm Beach County may delay the opening of the park or put restrictions in place.

I hope the nationals are a go but too soon to know.

[markn]

Great article in the Wall Street Journal today entitled: "Do lockdowns save may lives? In most places, the data say no". Great statistics....draw your own conclusions.

[lpskier]

I do think that if Nationals is cancelled AWSA should experiment with ideas, even crazy ones, to see what might work to improve future Nationals.

[DaveD]

@markn lockdowns save all kinds of lives when you take into account non-Covid deaths. I always feel like I'm being lied to when someone quotes statics.

[MarkM]

Ya. If you never leave your house your chances of dying are less. Awesome.

[markn]

@DaveD ???????????

[lpskier]

@markn Like auto accident deaths. They are probably down because people aren’t driving. People dying during surgical procedures are down because no elective surgery is done. Skiing deaths are down because the mountains closed a month early. But murder rates may be up...

[Andre]

Just in,no Canadian Natls...

[darinmontgomery]

Palm Beach County is opening all parks, golf courses and boat ramps on Wednesday....

 

As more of the Country continues to open in the next few weeks, let’s hope USAWS allows sanctions after May 17th

[david_quail]

Not in Canada :(

 

Officially cancelled today :(

[APB]

? hope to swerve with you David!

[disland]

Out of the box idea, Let the Canadiens come to US Nationals and have Canadien divisions

[disland]

Based on what I saw at Okeeheelee this winter they are all here already anyway

[Andre]

LOL!

[skidawg]

@jayski - I have beer sponsor secured!!!! Strap em on

[MrJones]

This should not be an issue in August. Unless the government decides to continue making it one.

[jhughes]

I heard a rumor that Okee is out this year. What's next? Does another site pick up the challenge?

[JeffSurdej]

That's the plan, nationals is not canceled, but it will not be at west palm beach, that we know. more to come..........

[gjohnson]

Is attending regionals going to be a requirement to ski at Nationals?

[JeffSurdej]

@gjohnson at this point we don't know exactly how it will all run, meeting with regional host next week, loosing nationals site just threw a monkey wrench into what was already going to be a challenging decision process but I do not blame okeeheelee at all as there was just too many unknowns, so we must move forward as this does give us an opportuntity to move it later, somewhere new, something different, you name it. If there is a year to experiment this is it

[JeffSurdej]

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, the American Water Ski Association (AWSA) and the Ski Club of the Palm Beaches announced today that the Ski Club of the Palm Beaches will not serve as the host of the 78th GOODE Water Ski National Championships, Aug. 4-8, at Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach, Fla., due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on South Florida. It is important to note that the Nationals event has NOT been cancelled at this time. The AWSA board of directors is actively seeking an alternate site - and alternative dates if necessary – to conduct the world’s largest three-event water ski tournament in 2020.

The South Florida counties of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach have been Florida’s hardest hit areas with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter addressed to the board of directors of AWSA, the Ski Club of the Palm Beaches said: “We agonized over our decision and this certainly was not the outcome we wanted. However, the health and safety of our competitors, officials, volunteers, and staff in these troubled times amidst the Covid-19 virus had to be our priority. We realize that the event is not until Aug. 4, but there is simply no way to tell what the accessibility status of Palm Beach County will be with this health crisis at that time. Many factors went into our decision.”

 

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports suspended sanctioned events due to COVID-19 on March 18. USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is planning to begin sanctioning events again starting on May 18 and is currently finalizing Return to Play Guidelines for its more than 600 affiliated water ski clubs, nine sport discipline organizations and 14,000 members. Information on all sanctioned events, including the status of AWSA regional championships, will be available at www.usawaterski.org in the coming days.

[richfoster]

What a bummer. My wife and I love West Palm.Thanks to the ski club at Okeeheelee for hosting so many great events.

[kc]

Sad news indeed, but understandable. Thank you @JeffSurdej for your leadership during this unprecedented time. Hear’s hoping we have a 2020 nationals...whatever it might look like.

[swc5150]

Hmm, maybe raise awareness of tournament skiing by being the first organization with the stones to NOT cancel a summer event...it would surely make national headlines.

[sbink]

West Palm/Okeeheelee is an amazing spot for Nationals.

Hopefully we can be invited back in the not too distant future.

Many thanks to Jeff Surdej and others who are working hard to make the best

of this situation!!!

[thager]

@swc5150 Might get us some TV time too!

 

[MarkM]

@swc5150 Yes!!!

[JackQ]

I am sure logistics will be challenging, but I believe a lot of skier want to opportunity to ski and have some resemblance of normality. Jeff, Thanks for taking this on!

[lpskier]

Bennett’s