The outstanding Waterski Racing strength, skill and determination of athlete Debbie Nordblad are best highlighted by some of her extreme career achievements. As three-time winner of the 62 mile / 100km Catalina Race in the USA, winner of the 77 mile / 124km Gio Del Lario in Italy and winner of Canada’s 161 mile / 259km Super Marathon all the way from Quebec to Montreal, speak for themselves. Debbie was also awarded the title of “La Prima Donna” by our Italian Federation and Sportswoman of the Year by our USA Federation. With IWWF gold medals in Open Women Overall in 1985 in Barcelona, Spain, and 1991 in Darwin, Australia, she also took World Championships medals in 1981, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1993 and 1995. In the USA, Debbie also dominated Waterski Racing as nine-time Open Women’s Champion, with fifteen additional Overall Podium finishes. She was also five-time Open Women National Marathon Champion. She collected seventeen additional overall podium finishes over a twenty-five year period between 1981 and 2006. For the eleventh time and at the age of 48, Debbie yet again won her place on the USA Elite Water Ski Racing Team and in doing so, created the first mother-daughter duo ever to compete in a World Championships. In 2003, Debbie announced her retirement. She was voted the first Athlete Representative on the IWWF Racing Council, was inducted in to the American Water Ski Educational Foundation Hall of Fame in 2011 and tonight we are delighted to induct her in to our IWWF International Hall of Fame.