William Farrell is considered a pioneer in barefoot water skiing and an ambassador of the sport. He first took to the water without skis on a bayou in northwestern Louisiana in 1973 and never looked back. A key figure at the beginning of competitive barefooting, William worked with the legendary Bill Price and Stew McDonald to organize the first Barefoot Nationals in 1978 in Waco, Texas. He has competed in nearly all of the national championships to date. William was named to the first U.S. Barefoot Water Ski Team in 1978. He has skied in or qualified to ski in every World Barefoot Water Ski Championships in the past 35 years. He served as Team Captain of the 1986 U.S. Barefoot Water Ski Team for its first world championship title in Germany. And in 1999, led the U.S. Senior Barefoot Water Ski Team to its first world championship title in Houston, Texas. In 2001, William had his best season to date, setting World Senior and Pan American Senior slalom and tricks records along with a World (Open) tricks record. He won the Senior Men world overall title in 2001 after winning both slalom and tricks in the 2003 Senior World Championships. He is one of only a handful of skiers worldwide who can complete all multiple-turn variations and reverses (360/540/720) in competition.