Nine-time world champion and six-time world record-holder Bill Bowness personifies outstanding sport performance, inspiration and a generous and indomitable spirit. As a nine-time member of the U.S. Disabled Water Ski Team, Bill’s contributions to the sport on and off

the water have been extraordinary. In addition to his world titles and world records, he won

seven U.S. national overall titles, and was manager of the gold medal-winning U.S. Disabled

Water Ski Team in 2009. Bill has made a career of knocking down barriers for disabled skiers.

He was the first sit skier to ski short line at maximum speed and the first to ski the full able-

bodied course. Off the water, Bill’s contributions to the sport include 27 years as president of the IWWF Pan Am Confederation Disabled Skiers Council, on-going, 26 years as representative of the IWWF Athletes Advisory Council, and 11 years as a board director of USA Water Ski as well as serving as a senior-rated judge. Bill continues to coach, officiate and inspire disabled skiers at his Unlimited Skiing water ski school. He will go down in the history books as the first

disabled water ski athlete to enter the Water Ski Hall of Fame – paving the way for many who

will come after him.