“Slalom’s Golden Girl” Waterski International Magazine

Two-time women’s world slalom champion Kim Laskoff amassed a collection of firsts in her rise to the top of the water ski world rankings.  Her ascent was rapid.  Kim learned to ski at the age of 10, entered her first tournament a year later and set the girls’ national slalom record of 2-1/2 buoys at 35 feet-off just two years thereafter.  She increased the record several times and held it for 16 years, from 1982 to 1998. 

 

Kim was the first girls’ division skier to run 35 feet-off in a record tournament.  She was the first girls’ division skier to qualify for the International Pro Tour and the youngest competitor on the tour in 1984 & 1985.

In 1986, Kim was the first skier to compete in both the junior and open divisions at the Australian Moomba Masters and win both slalom titles, becoming the youngest skier to win the open slalom title.  The following year, she successfully defended her Moomba Masters open slalom title.

When she was only 16 years old, Kim challenged the pros on the International Pro Tour to earn a place on the tour in 1984.  On her very first attempt she successfully challenged and maintained her place on the tour the remainder of the season.  She remained one of the top competitors on the pro tour throughout the 1980’s.

 

At the inaugural Junior Worlds in 1985 her performance contributed to the U.S. team winning the gold.  That tournament was strictly a team event – no individual competition.

In 1985, Kim was the U.S. national girls’ slalom champion and in 1986 won the U.S. national open women’s slalom title.  She held the girls’ U.S. National, Southern Region and Florida State records for many years.

In 1987, Kim won the world slalom title and successfully defended her title in 1989. 

 

Kim was a member of the Rollins College water ski team which won the Collegiate Nationals in 1989.  She is a two-time national collegiate slalom champion.  She set a national collegiate slalom record in 1986 and held it continuously for seven years, increasing it several times.

 

Kim is retired from waterskiing, but has remained active as a member of the USA Water Ski Foundation’s board of trustees and as secretary of the USA Water Ski Foundation’s Executive & Finance Committee.  She was honored with the USA Water Ski Foundation’s Award of Distinction in 2002.  She was inducted into the Rollins College Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Florida Water Ski Federation Hall of Fame in 2003.

 

She earned a B.A. from Rollins College, a M.A. from the University of San Francisco, and a J.D. from the University of Florida.  Kim is an attorney for the City of Orlando and she has two children.