MELBOURNE WEATHER

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WHAT A WEEKEND!

New Moomba masters Jump Champion Damien Sharman. Photo by Neale Cousland.

Mother Nature was in the worst of moods… severe thunderstorms and brutal hail on Saturday afternoon threatened to wipe out the 50th Anniversary Moomba Masters and most of downtown Melbourne. However, despite continuing rain and a swollen river, this iconic event produced one of the most action-packed, dramatic water sports tournaments in history!

The Labor Day holiday (Moomba Monday) is when the Moomba Masters Finals are held, and both organisers and competitors went to be Sunday night uncertain whether there would even be a tournament. The rain continued throughout the night, and come morning skiers were greeted by a swollen river but, thankfully, clear skies.

The morning kicked off with the Mens Jump Semi Final, rescheduled from the day prior due to the weather. For many of the top jumpers, it was going to be a very full day – Semi Finals, Finals and Night Jump all in 12 hours.

The irrepressible Freddy Krueger set the pace with the biggest jump in Moomba Masters history – 69.3m (227 feet) for a new course record. The new Ski Nautique 200 proved a hit with all of the competitors, with many PBs recorded in all three events.

With the two previous Night Jump heats cancelled, an agreement was reached between skiers and officials that the top 6 from the Mens Jump Semi Final would proceed to the Night Jump Final, so there was more than usual riding on this event.

Those top six included 17-year-old Aussie Tim Bradstreet, who continued to show remarkable improvement throughout the event, ranked fifth in the Semi Final with a new personal best of 61.1m. What made it even more impressive was that his jump was on the 5’6” ramp height, with the rest of the competitors using the 6’ ramp.

Womens Slalom was the first final held, in soupy, rolly conditions. Aussie Cathryn Humphrey was first off the dock, setting a usually attainable mark of 2@12m. However, Cathryn watched from the dock as one by one her more fancied competitors tumbled in the tough conditions, and was surprised and elated to find herself 2010 Womens Slalom Champion. Compatriot Karina Nowlan was second, with former Moomba Champion Karen Truelove from the USA in third.

Next up was the Mens Tricks Final. First off the dock was World Overall Champion Javier Julio from Argentina, who almost missed a place in the final but came out firing with a 9590 point run. That became the mark to beat right up until the final run, when Moomba debutante Adam Sedlmajer from the Czech Republic nailed a flawless run under pressure to win the title from Julio with 9980 points. Russell Gay from the USA took third with 9160.
Wakeboarding was next on the water, with fans treated to big tricks and big crashes in equal parts. Young Jarrod Askew from Queensland, Australia, emerged victorious, narrowly beating out New Zealand veteran Jeff Weatherall, with American Tom Fooshee in third.

The Womens Tricks final was possibly the only event that followed the script, with world record holder Natallia Berdnikava from Belarus winning all three rounds on the way to gold, but not without a fight in the final. She scored 7750 to edge out former Moomba Trick Champs Michale Briant (7590) and Cathryn Humphrey (7110), both from Australia.

Finally, it was time for the Mens Slalom final. Conditions had not improved a great deal throughout the day – there would be no records set, it would be a tough mental battle in challenging conditions. Special mention for 15-year-old Zane Nicholson from the USA, who not only won the Junior Moomba Slalom title, but earned a place in the Moomba Masters Slalom Final.

It would be the most drama-packed event of the day – skiers fell early, succumbing to the Yarra which Marcus Brown described as “puking something fierce!”. A reride to Aaron Larkin from New Zealand gave him an opportunity which he took with both feet, setting a mark of 2.5@11.25m. This stood him in gold medal position until the last competitor on the water, world record holder Chris Parrish, equalled the mark, forcing a tie-break. Larkin went off first, running 12m and scoring 1@11.25. This would typically be a yawn for Parrish, but the Yarra River doesn’t care what a world record is and Parrish went down at 12m, handing Aaron Larkin and New Zealand their first Moomba Masters title.

And then, the jumpers took to the water... The women came out first, with two-time Moomba Masters Champion June Fladborg from Denmark setting a solid early mark of 49.1m. It almost held up, too, until the diminutive trick champion Natallia Berdnikava kicked a 49.3m leap on the last setto become a dual Moomba Masters Champion, with France’s Anais Amade taking third.

Daryl Hoyle dazzled both the crowd and the top pro skiers with a disabled jump exhibition, double-cutting on a sit ski to the amazement of the likes of Freddy Krueger. Daryl inspired the top eight pro jumpers, who put on one of the best finals ever seen.
Thomas Asher from Great Britian set the mark early with 64.7m, holding the lead until second-place compatriot Damien Sharman equalled that mark, potentially forcing a jump-off. However, the world’s greatest jumper Freddy Krueger was waiting on the dock, having nailed a 69.3m leap in the morning semi. But, in an upset befitting of this 50th Anniversary Moomba Masters, Freddy fell just short with 64.1m.

JUMP-OFF! Thomas Asher went out for two more jumps, posting a 63.5m best. The pressure was on Sharman – his first jump looked very close, but was just 20cm short. Down to the last… Sharman gave it all, and it paid off – a 66.5m monster effort earned him his first Moomba Masters Championship to the crowd’s delight.

A rain-affected Night Jump Final followed, with world record holder Freddy Krueger claiming redemption in the dark with a 66.6m jump off the 5’6” ramp (which would have won him the jump final earlier!). Second place was Ryan Dodd from Canada with Scot Ellis from the USA third.

The hard-working ski show team took to the water to wind up a challenging, but spectacular 50th Anniversary Moomba Masters, where long-time chairman Max Kirwan officially handed over the role to the Victorian Water Ski Association’s President Darren Robertson.

Though the weather threw everything it could at us, this Melbourne icon continues to prove one of the world’s best tournaments, a fantastic ‘Grand Slam’ event on the greatest water ski arena around. Stay tuned for 2011…

With thanks to our sponsors
City of Melbourne • Autobarn • Etihad Airways • Nautique Boats • The Haines Group • Ski Force • Budget Rent a Car
• Queensland Ski Boat Sales
• Straight Line Ropes • Jobe Skis •
Wakeboard Australia • Masterline Ropes
• Wayne Ritchie's Skiers Edge • Mystique Printers • Quinlan Cranes • Club Marine • Mercury Marine • Engine Master Australia • Wing Wet Suits • Marine Safety Victoria • Parks Victoria • Moomba Wet Suits • Williams Australia • Bright Lights • Optima Batteries • Dandenong Heavy Haulage