Water Skiing: Wanganui waterskiers in the medals

Wanganui's Lily Meade Photo/File

Wanganui waterskiers will return home with a haul of medals today from the New Zealand Home Loans Water Ski Nationals in Auckland.

Competing at the Orakei Basin in Remuera, the vast majority of the Central Region's team were from Wanganui, with events starting last Tuesday and finishing yesterday.

Team manager Mick Bakker said of the 11-strong squad, nine of them made the finals of their various age group grades.

They are bringing home 11 gold medals, a silver, and four bronze.

"That would be our most successful nationals in a fair while," Bakker said.

He personally won three golds and a bronze during the nationals.

Standout Lily Meade entered four junior girls' events and won gold in all of them.

Her brother Brent Meade claimed bronze in the junior boys' jump event.

Trevor Fowler won gold in both the slalom and the tricks events, the latter pending as a likely New Zealand record.

Ron Bakker won secured gold in the senior men's (age 45-55) two-trick event.

Guy Dooney and Blake Cameron claimed silver and bronze respectively in the Under 21s slalom.

Also a member of the Central team, Wellington's Ian Bill won gold in the senior men's (55-65) slalom.

There were around 90-100 competitors at the nationals.

The Wanganui Waterski Club will host the NZTWSA National Championships next season, with planning for the event about to get under way soon.