Celebrating 100 years of women who water ski, Kathryn McClure Lomerson

You know the story of the very first water skier, Ralph Samuelson, who took to Lake Pepin, Minnesota, in 1922 on a pair of homemade water skis behind a clam boat. But do you know the story of Kathryn (McClure) Lomerson, the first woman to water ski just two years later?

We could not let this September pass without marking 100 years of women in water skiing. It all started on Union Lake near Bloomfield, Michigan, on Labor Day Weekend of 1924. Young Kathryn, who was just 15 years old, was inspired by Ralph Samuelson's feat and tried water skiing on her own, in her own way. Kathryn grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan, and her father built a cottage on Union Lake in 1912. Like all of the women water skiers who followed her, Kathryn's "Happy Place" was on the lake. Later in life, Kathryn made that vacation home, her home with her husband.

Kathryn Lomerson on the water, Summer 1924

We weren't familiar with Kathryn's story until we received an email from Kathryn E. Lomerson, the first Kathyrn's granddaughter, who is carrying on the family tradition at age 59 on Middle Straights Lake, which is not too far Union Lake. She skis on a Radar Lyric, not quite her grandma's water ski!

Kathryn Emerson passed away in 2011 at the age of 102, but not before passing the handle and her love of water skiing to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. For the Lomerson Family water skiing is still a family affair.

"We all still water ski and try to carry on our Gram's tradition," says Kathryn. "I still get a rush when I water ski and I will do it as long as I can do it."

Kathryn E. Lomerson water skiing, Summer 2024

The first Kathryn was recognized by Water Ski Magazine and the Michigan Water Skiers Hall of Fame in 1997 as the very first woman to water ski. It was an honor she cherished all of her life.

"I am proud of her for being brave at almost 16 and trying out that type of ski. As a girl teenager at that time, she must have turned a lot of heads," says Kathryn of her intrepid grandmother.

Thanks, Kathryn, for sharing your grandma's story with us!

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Announces 2025 Award of Distinction Recipients

The USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation’s Hall of Fame Selection Committee is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Foundation’s Award of Distinction: Bob Archer, Mike "Mack" Makridichian, Mike Mckelheer, Jeff Surdej and Geno Yauchler.

These five recipients will be honored with Hall of Fame Inductee Scot Ellis on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven, Florida. For more information on the Ceremony, go HERE. Tickets to the event go on sale January 1, 2025.

Bob Archer (Industry)

For more than 30 years, Bob Archer has been a dedicated and innovative equipment supplier to the water sports industry. Beginning as a life jacket supplier (Kent Sporting Goods) and private label vendor to the sport's biggest brands, Archer's products have touched nearly every towed water sports enthusiast.

Bob Archer’s vision and commitment to the industry are best exemplified by his investment in numerous struggling waterski and towable manufacturing firms that supply equipment globally. His business acumen maintained the brand heritage and unique identities seamlessly, which likely ensured the survival of product dealers and retailers worldwide in an industry crisis. His willingness to support athletes and athletic events is unparalleled.

Today, Bob Archer and partners own HO Sports, Connelly, O'Brien, Liquid Force, Aqua Glide, Barefoot International, and more. None would be thriving today without Archer's guidance and commitment. Archer's dedication to the brands we know and love keeps people enthusiastic about being on the water, generating growing participation in towed water sports and forming an industry.

Mike "Mack" Makridichian (Water Skiing)

Mike Mack learned to water ski on the Colorado River when he was five years old, and seven decades later, he has passed his love of all water sports and water to generations at his water ski school. Mike is credited with inventing the body slide, the ultimate cool move on a water ski, and he has been featured on the covers of Water Ski, Hot Boat, and Power Boat magazines and on numerous posters.

Mike mastered water skiing, barefooting, trick skiing, show skiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, air chair, and hydrofoiling... he can do anything on the water. He organized and choreographed years of water ski shows on the Colorado River beginning in the 1980s. Promoting the sport he loved was his passion. Mike also traveled the world performing in water ski shows, tours, and competitions from Australia to Russia. He invented water ski tricks with Tony Klarich, Mike Murphy, Lori Dunsmore, and Banana George Blair.

Mike also helped advance water ski technology. The ultimate trendsetter, he helped design the Vertical Air Ski with Herb O'Brien and the HO Kids Club Trainers. He participated in producing water ski instructional videos to help everyone pass the handle. Mike invented the foil board and tested and consulted in the development of Astrodeck.

While becoming well-known in the water sports world, being inducted into the Hydrofoil Hall of Fame, and winning championships, Mike has always said the real honor was encouraging and teaching thousands of people to water ski and realize their dreams.

We had a bit of a hard time tracking Mike down to tell him about this honor; he always seems to be on the water. But we were so moved by his reaction to receiving the Award of Distinction that we wanted to include it in this announcement:

"When I heard the words Waterski Hall of Fame, it didn't seem real. Then I lost it! I couldn't talk, and it took a minute for me to get myself back together. The dream of my life came true! It is such an honor to be inducted into the Waterski Hall of Fame," says Mike.

The honor is all ours, Mike Mack!

Mike Mckelheer(Industry)

Mike Mckelheer is a well-known personality in the water ski industry. He was a

competitive skier in the Pacific Northwest, but he made his mark as an innovator, promoter and pioneer.

Mike was one of the earliest employees of Herb O'Brien at O'Brien Water Skis. He

was both a promotional skier and marketing manager and a leader of grassroots and professional water ski teams. Mike also brought the 1970 US Nationals to Green Lake in Seattle. In the 60s through the 90s, he was an integral support agent for professional skiers and a liaison between skiers and product developers.  Mike was an essential part of supporting water skiers for decades.

Mike was instrumental in promoting water skiing across the country and throughout

the world. Mike supported the U.S. Coast Guard and King County Public Safety, developing safety procedures for competitions, ski shows, ski races, and coordinated demonstrations and shows for nationally known events such as the Seattle Sea Fair.

Jeff Surdej (Water Skiing, Collegiate Water Skiing )

Jeff Surdej is a 12-time national water ski champion who has won four individual world medals and three world team gold medals. Yes, he's a fantastic water skier, but his work outside the binding sets him apart.

As a tournament director, he has organized three AWSA Nationals, 18 regionals, the Malibu Open, and the NCWSA Nationals. Incredibly, he led two USA Water Ski Sports Divisions simultaneously: Chairman of the NCWSA and President of AWSA.

In the NCWSA, Jeff served as Midwest Chairman from 1995 to 2006, Nationals Vice Chairman from 1999 to 2006, and Chairman from 2006 to 2021. He is also an inductee into the Midwest and Nationals Hall of Fame. In the AWSA, Jeff served on the Skier Rating and Rules Committee from 1998 to 2006, Midwest EVP from 2006 to 2011, President from 2015 to 2021, and served as Elite Team Coach in 2008, 2011,2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. On the USA Water Ski level, Jeff served on the Executive Committee from 2012 to 2016, a Board of Directors from 2006 to 2020, and the Membership Task Force in 2016.

This is a true full-circle moment for the Foundation. Jeff received one of our college scholarships in 1997 and is now receiving our Award of Distinction.

Geno Yauchler (Show Skiing)

Geno Yauchler began his journey into the Water Ski Hall of Fame in 1976 when he learned to water ski. By 1988, he was recognized as the most valuable skier on the USA Water Ski Show Team, and has never looked back. Geno, the ultimate showman, has had a long and storied career on the water. He can ski on or with anything. He's a hydrofoil athlete, wakeboarder, barefooter, freestyle jumper, and this guy is truly "off the chain" in promoting all aspects of towed water sports.

We couldn't list Geno's full resume, from water skiing professionally to stuntman to multiple Guinness world records, but here are some of the highlights!

• 1993-Present Water Ski/Wakeboard/ Hydrofoil Instructor – Lake Alfred, Lakeland & Winter Haven, Florida

• Water Ski Clinics in Multiple US States and Globally, including Show Skiing, Hydrofoil, Slalom, Barefoot, Wakeboarding, and More

• 2004-Present Founder/Owner Pro Action Sports, LLC online Water Ski Equipment retail, Professional Water Ski Shows, Wakeboard/Hydrofoil Tournaments, Water Ski National and Guinness World Record Events

• 2006 USA Water Ski - Innovator of the Year Award

• 2006 USA Water Ski - Ambassador of the Year Award

• 2015, 2017, 2021 Founded Chain of Records Record Event with multiple World Guinness Records broken for multiple sports disciplines.

Geno started show skiing professionally in 1990 in shows from Texas to Belgium to Germany and Cypress Gardens. He competed and won on the Freestyle Pro Tour and has won hydrofoil, wakeboarding, freestyle, and show skiing championships. Geno has been honored with the Cypress Gardens Male Skier of the Year and the Skip Gilkerson Award at Show Ski Nationals (Best Male Athlete). Geno is a true all-around water sports athlete and ambassador, and we are proud to honor him with this award of distinction.

Huge Congratulations to all! We can't wait to celebrate these recipients in May! Tickets go on sale on January 1, 2025, and information on sponsorships will go out soon.

For more information on the Host Hotel and the weekend schedule, go HERE.

Established in 1968, the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation celebrates the history of all towed water sports and promotes these sports through our Scholarship Programs and the Water Ski & Wake Sports Hall of Fame.

Scot Ellis named to USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025

The USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame Selection Committee is pleased to announce the 2025 inductee to the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame. Scot Ellis will be formally enshrined at the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

Scot Ellis’ love for water skiing began as a kid in Central Florida when he happened to catch a show by the Lakeland Water Ski Club. At age 7, he was a member of that Lakeland show team, and at 8, he was skiing three events, too.

Used to playing team sports where you might get one trophy at the end of a long season, Ellis won his first three-event water ski trophy and never looked back. “I could walk away with four trophies every weekend,” he says, “and I was hooked.”

Most of those trophies eventually came in jumping, but Ellis was more than capable in slalom and was an overall skier into the 1990s. His breakout came at the 1988 Junior Water Ski World Championships. Without a major victory to his name yet, Ellis went to Australia and won gold in slalom and overall, silver in jumping and bronze in tricks.

They soon knew his name when he broke into the pro ranks in 1990, winning four events and the tour title right off the bat as a 19-year-old. During an era when pro ski tournaments were shown on ESPN and extreme sports were booming in popularity, Ellis was like a literal rock star.

Over three decades at the elite level, Ellis was a 10-time World Cup champion, 10-time Pro Tour champion, 3-time Moomba Masters champion, 3-time Australian Open champion, and 2-time Moomba Masters Night Jump champion. He also won professional jump titles at the U.S. Masters, U.S. Open, and Italian Open. Throughout his career, he set 14 U.S. national jumping records.

At the 2021 IWWF World Waterski Championships, Ellis, at age 50, made the finals and finished in a tie for 10th place. It was his final major tournament before retiring a few weeks later.

Huge Congratulations to Scott... we can't wait to celebrate with him on May 3, 2025, at the Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven, Florida! Tickets go on sale on January 1, and sponsorship details will be released soon... we hope to see you there! Information will be constantly updated on https://www.usa-wwf.org/2025-hall-of-fame

Established in 1968, the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation celebrates the history of all towed water sports and promotes these sports through our Scholarship Programs and the Water Ski & Wake Sports Hall of Fame.