British Water Skiers were dominant on both the Tournament and Barefoot medal podium at the 2001 World Games in Akita, Japan with four of the five person team medalling. Jason Seels and Tom Asher had to take on a high quality field including the 6 time World Overall Champion Patrice Martin in the men's event. The 37 year Frenchman opened a window of opportunity in the trick discipline with a score of 9,590 points which Asher seized to equal his personal best of 9050 points. Seels just missed his last flip in his 2nd pass to push his score down to 8,270 points but both the British skiers had already opened up a substantial margin on the rest of the field to take a firm grip of the medal places. Martin then opened up a good lead in the slalom event by rounding 2 buoys on the 10.75m line to post the best score of the competition. Asher skied to a very strong 4 buoys on the 11.25 metre line with Seels just 2 buoys behind him and it was down to the jump event for Martin to secure the prestigious World Games Water Ski title. With the Frenchman beyond the reach of Seels, the reigning European Champion off the jump ramp, the battle for the medals was between the two British skiers with Seels having to beat Asher by four metres to win the silver. Asher posted 57.2 metres to claim the bronze meaning Seels had to jump 61.4 metres which he did on his first effort to ensure two British skiers on the podium. Scott Smitth (USA) and George Hatzis fought it out for fourth and fifth place after Smith posted the longest jump of the event with 61.7 metres. Sarah Gatty Saunt put in a solid trick performance in the women's overall event posting a score of 5,830 points. The discipline was dominated by the battle between Elena Milakova (RUS) and Angeliki Andriopoulou (GRE). The Russian World Champion narrowly lost out with a score of 6,720 points just 60 points behind Andriopoulou. This placed the two skiers in the Gold and Silver medal positions. Gatty Saunt then came back at them in the slalom bettering their scores by rounding all six buoys on the 12 metre line. Milakova dominated the jump event as the World Record holder flew 48.4 metres to take the Women's World Games Overall title ahead of Andriopoulou who jumped 45.6 metres with Gatty Saunt taking the silver after jumping 41.2m. Asher, Seels and Gatty Saunt had taken to the water in the knowledge that the 17 year World Junior Champion, David Small had already won a silver medal in the Barefoot event, just behind World Champion Keith St Onje. Small skied with an experience beyond his years throughout the World Games finishing in the top five in the slalom, trick and jump in each round of the competition to take his silver medal against a very strong Barefoot field. The fifth British team member, 17 year old Dan Knott, only narrowly missed a medal when he finished a very close fourth in the Wakeboard event. 2001 World Games Water Ski Results Men's Overall Trick Final 1. Patrice Martin (FRA) 9.590 points 2. Tom Asher (GBR) 9,050 points 3. Jason Seels (GBR) 8,270 points 4. George Hatzis (GRE) 7,870 points 5. Scott Smith (USA) 7,280 points 6. Rodrigo Miranda (CHI) 6,870 points Men's Overall Slalom Final 1. Patrice Martin (FRA) 2.00 @ 10.75m 2. Tom Asher (GBR) 4.00 @ 11.25m 3. Jason Seels (GBR) 2.00 @ 11.25m 3. George Hatzis (GRE) 2.00 @ 11.25m 3. Rodrigo Miranda (CHI) 2.00 @ 11.25m 6. Scott Smith (USA) 0.50 @ 11.25m Men's Overall Jump Final 1. Scott Smitth (USA) 61.7 metres 2. Jason Seels (GBR) 61.4 metres 3. Patrice Martin (GBR) 60.9 metres 4. George Hatzis (GRE) 58.9 metres 5. Tom Asher (GBR) 57.2 metres 6. Rodrigo Miranda (CHI) 50.2 metres Men's Overall Final Scores 1. Patrice Martin (FRA) 2,976 points 2. Jason Seels (GBR) 2,757 points 3. Tom Asher (GBR) 2,756 points 4. George Hatzis (GRE) 2,672 points 5. Scott Smith (USA) 2,636 points 6. Rodrigo Miranda 2,306 points Women's Overall Trick Final 1. Angelika Andriopoulou (GRE) 6,780 points 2. Elena Milakova (RUS) 6,720 points 3. Sarah Gatty Saunt (GBR) 5,830 points 4. Rhoni Barton (USA) 4,560 points Women's Overall Slalom Final 1. Sarah Gatty Saunt (GBR) 6.00 @ 12.0m 2. Rhoni Barton (USA) 2.00 @ 12.00m 2. Elena Milakova (RUS) 2.00 @ 12.00m 4. Angelika Andriopoulou (GRE) 1.00 @ 12.00m Women's Overall Jump Final 1. Elena Milakova (RUS) 48.4 metres 2. Angelika Andriopoulou (GRE) 45.6 metres 3. Rhoni Barton (USA) 44.7 metres 4. Sarah Gatty Saunt (GBR) 41.2 metres Women's Overall Final Scores 1. Elena Milakova (RUS) 2,917 points 2. Angelika Andriopoulou (GRE) 2,818 points 3. Sarah Gatty Saunt (GBR) 2,630 points 4. Rhoni Barton (USA) 2,480 points Website hosted by WaterSkier Software Ltd. This site is all browser/screen/colour friendly Best viewed with IE5 800x600 high colour