Milwaukee Journal says - Claims of rigged buoys taint top ski contest. By MEG JONES mjones@journalsentinel.com Posted: June 26, 2005 Dousman - In the world of professional slalom water-skiing - where a relatively small group of people competes to see who can ski around the most buoys while tethered to the shortest amount of rope - allegations of cheating are rare. Which is why the water-skiing world was abuzz this past weekend after a Dousman man withdrew from a pro tournament held at his private lake after questions about whether the course was rigged to benefit him. Jim Michaels, who has set world slalom records in the 45- to 52-year-old age category, was the first to ski Friday morning during the preliminary round of the 2005 Malibu Open Waterski Championships and Wakeboard Exhibitions at Lake Lynn Louise. The event attracted more than 2,500 people. Buoys appeared to move Michaels, a dentist, had the lake built on his property several years ago so he would have his own slalom water-ski course. After he skied during the weekend, some competitors noticed that the floating buoys, which are attached to underwater cables along the course, appeared to move further apart. If the buoys were closer together than the standard tournament course when Michaels skied, it would give him an advantage because he would be able to ski around the buoys with less rope. While tournament officials on Sunday tried to downplay the incident, Michaels' competitors were shocked, and Internet message boards filled up with snippy replies from water-skiers who quickly passed judgment. Investigation begun USA Water Ski, the group that oversees the sport, is investigating the incident. Michaels did not return messages Sunday seeking comment. Ed Brazil, the course surveyor, said Sunday that after other competitors said they saw the buoys move farther apart and questioned officials about it, divers examined the course and discovered "extra cables attached to the course which could make (the buoys) narrower." Brazil said some skiers may have had an advantage, possibly including Michaels, but "there's no smoking gun. It could have been a mistake. It could have been someone trying to sabotage things." Or it's possible Michaels, since it was his own course on his private lake, used the cable system to give himself an advantage, a possibility that appalled other skiers. "Everyone was shocked. Everyone is still in shock if what they say is true," said Glenn Campbell, a British slalom skier who said Michaels would not likely be welcome at other pro events if an investigation by USA Water Ski determines he was responsible. Billy Susi, who finished fifth in the slalom finals, said the buoys began mysteriously moving outward about one minute after Michaels finished his run. "The finger got pointed at him because it was his course," said Susi, 21, of Orlando, Fla.. "We sometimes joke about tampering with the course to get an edge, but I never thought anybody would do that." In slalom competitions, skiers pass through a course with several buoys on each side as a ski boat travels at a specific speed in a straight line. Each time a skier makes a successful pass through the course, skiing around a total of six buoys, the tow rope is shortened, making it progressively harder to maneuver. During Friday's preliminary heat, Michaels, who was competing in his first professional tournament, managed to ski around three buoys with 39.5 feet shortened from the 75-foot tow rope. That would only have earned him a chance to compete in a runoff with another skier who earned the same results, for a chance to make it to the semifinals on Saturday. The winner of the men's slalom event, Chris Parrish, of Lake Alfred, Fla., skied around three buoys with 41 feet shortened on the tow rope after two run-offs in Sunday's finals. Andy Mapple, president of World WaterSki Pros and a former world class professional slalom skier, said the course that Michaels skied on Friday was not correct. He said it wasn't possible to re-run the entire preliminary round. "For the integrity of the event (Michaels) decided to disqualify himself," said Mapple. He declined to say whether Michaels was compensated for allowing the Malibu Open to take place on his private lake. Money on the line Chief judge Jeffry Armstrong said no skiers complained to her about the buoys moving after Michaels finished his run. When asked if any rules were broken by Michaels, Armstrong said: "Every athlete out here, like athletes in any other sport, they're looking out for themselves. When they come to me with a complaint, it's not unusual, especially when money is involved." Prize money totaled more than $100,000 for men's and women's winners in three events. Water-skiing Web sites quickly posted stories and photos about the event, including pictures that appear to show a difference in the buoys during and after Michaels' run. A message board at waterskimag.com filled up with folks weighing in on what might or might not have happened. Hans Weissgerber wondered why Michaels did not tell tournament organizers about the cable system that can alter the width of the course. Weissgerber, who was not at the Malibu Open, owns Tournament Services of Wisconsin, which runs slalom practices and amateur water-ski tournaments. "This seemed like a real opportunity to show that Wisconsin is at the pinnacle of the sport at the professional level," said Weissgerber. "Then to have someone that we in Wisconsin have touted as one of the greatest water-skiers in the world get accused of cheating is ultimately hard to swallow."