A 13-year-old Chichester water skier

How did you get into Water Skiing? I go to Chichester Free School. Last year they let out the clubs list for the term and I saw that water skiing and wakeboarding was included.

How did you progress? The club ran from May to July and I loved it so much that my parents joined Chichester Waterski. During this time, Robin, Steve and Duke, who run Chichester Water Ski Club, thought that I was doing well. Duke suggested that I also try trick skiing.

This is skiing that includes doing turns and spins on one ski. It’s like putting Fairy Liquid on ice and then trying to walk on it!

You can also do toe holds, where you take one of your feet and put it on the toe bridal, so you’re holding on with just your foot.

The club introduced me to CJM Ski & Wake where I will ski throughout the winter, due to Chichester being closed. Hopefully I will then be able to compete next year, as this is my goal. I am really lucky that people like Robin, Steve and Duke are helping and encouraging me.

I have also had some coaching from Ex Junior World Ski Champion and current team GB Wakeboarder Brett Hodgkins, who also runs a wakeboard school in Antigua. This has also really helped me.

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What would you say is the key to being a successful water skier? You do need to have good balance.

I have done a lot of dance and gymnastics, which I definitely think has helped. I’m a good swimmer, too, which also helps. But mostly you also need to be really determined. You fall in the water a lot, so you have to be prepared to get wet and cold. Training is hard. Sometimes I can spend an hour getting up and falling over, but I just have to block it out and focus on trying again.

My arms also hurt a lot. I have had to sacrifice some of my dancing for training. Training has made me more aware of my nutrition, strength and conditioning; I’m suppler now, and I’m better at mental preparation, too. When I stay up, it feels amazing, but you learn as much from falling down as you do from staying up.

What’s next for you in your water skiing journey? I thought water skiing was something that you did on holiday – I never thought you could do it competitively, but I really would love to.

I’d love water skiing to become an Olympic sport, but just getting to some of the big competitions is my goal at the moment.

Where can we find further information? chichesterwaterski.co.uk

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A 13-year-old Chichester water skier | Vicky Meets