Water Ski Canada Congress 				Paul Jurbala

The 1995 Water Ski Canada Congress was held in White Point, Nova
Scotia. For those of you not familiar with White Point, it's about 5 km
west of Liverpool. For those still unable to pinpoint it, it's 150 km
southwest of Halifax...

Entertainment at White Point Beach Lodge is normally focussed on the
rabbits which dot the beautiful ocean front property, but for a few
days the bunnies were upstaged by water skiers. Here are some
highlights of the proceedings:

- The 1997 World Championships have been a source for a great deal of
internal discussion over the past year. In the last decade only one
host country has managed to avoid either a significant deficit or
default on the fee owing to the International Water Ski Federation. At
the time the bid for 1997 was awarded to Toronto it was anticipated the
economy would pick up and various levels of government would provide at
least some funding; instead government funds are being cut both
federally and provincially to an unprecedented extent, and the
sponsorship climate is anything but warm. For these reasons it was
decided to renegotiate with the IWSF, and a significantly revised bid
was sent from WSC to the IWSF immediately after the Congress. The IWSF
will have to decide whether the event can run in Canada in 1997 under
terms reasonable to the organizers before January 1, 1996.

- The 1996 Eastern Canadian Championships were awarded to Benoit
Allard's new site in Laval, Quebec, and this same site was the sole
bidder for the 1997 National Traditional Championships. The site is
still under development, and in the event the site is not ready for
RC-level events by next spring, Bond Lake is the alternate site for the
'96 Easterns.

- Ontario was given the right to host the first Canadian
Wakeboard/Kneeboard Championships in 1996. Plans are underway for
hosting the event in the Muskokas this August.

- Electronic speed control (eg Perfect Pass) was made compulsory for
1996 Easterns and National Championships.

- Water Ski Canada is facing round 2 of the Sport Canada review of
funded national sport organizations. Readers may recall that water
skiing barely made the cut for 1995, placing 33rd of 36 "Core Sports".
WSC is now gearing up for the new review, which will yield the
designated Core Sports for the next 3 years. Do or die time again for
Water Ski Canada...

- Peter Person of B.C. was acclaimed new WSC President, as Vern Oberg
stepped aside at the last second.  Congratulations Peter!

- At the Banquet, Ontario's Dave Kovak was presented with the Official
of the Year award, and Ontario was presented with the Province of the
Year award for 1995. The banquet also featured a 16-bun salute to
outgoing President Vern Oberg (no, it's not a typo...and it's nothing
to do with the White Point bunnies). (Other) entertainment was provided
by an extremely successful musical/comedy troupe, who were
unfortunately invited to do an encore just outside the door of my room
from 2 to 3 am...


Next year the Congress will be held in Banff Alberta. I hope they can
find me a quieter room...