Dateline: 6/15/98

Purpose - To raise money to support Water-Skiers with Disabilities; Junior Development; and to generate public awareness about waterskiing in general, which many consider the ultimate family recreational activity.

Plan - A 21 year old male water-skier with a disability and a 10 year old female water-skier will each attempt to ski 50 man-made California waterski course lakes . . . all on Independence Day, 1998.

Specifications - There are near 70 man-made, private waterski course lakes in California, spanning a distance of over 700 miles.

Current National Slalom Champion Mark "Animal" Turner and KeNyA Brett-Sandhagen will rise before dawn July 4th in California's Imperial Valley (20 miles from the Mexican border) and ski their way North toward the Lake Tahoe summer home and ski school of Ski-A-Thon founder Gordon Rathbun. The skiers will make their way up the state via aircraft; helicopter, airplane, and seaplane, each skiing near 50 miles by day's end.

Promotion of this event will be heightened by the personalities of the two skiers, their friendship and the commemorative Animal t-shirts designed by Mark for he and KeNyA. Profits of shirt sales will benefit the event.

Animal is a 21 year old college student and graphic designer that gets so excited about upcoming waterski events he dyes his hair green, purple or blue. Animal also has a physical challenge requiring him to use a wheelchair.

It is impossible not to notice him, his hair and his chair. It is also impossible not to notice KeNyA's incredible natural beauty and presence. They are the personification of the event.

KeNyA is a 10 year old elementary school student with a claim as World's Youngest Water Skier (4 months, 29 days). KeNyA is also a competition gymnast, Girl Scout, and school band member.

Mark and KeNyA train together at the family ski pond in Los Banos, including wrestling on the ski dock for strength, agility and quick thinking. Mark volunteers as art teacher for KeNyA's fifth grade classroom.

Event publicity will include press releases for media coverage in each lake's area in addition to national targets of Paul Harvey, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Vibe, and ESPN.

Press release submitted by Kent and Geneva Marie Brett.

Forever In Your Wake,

Julie Bostian

Waterskiing / Wakeboarding Guide

 

 

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