PUTRAJAYA – The Malaysia Ski and Wake Championships will return on July 15 and 16 after a four-year absence.
The meet, organised by the Malaysian Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (MWWF), will kick-off over the waters at the Precinct 6 Water Sports Complex in Putrajaya, and will be the first major waterski and wakeboard event in Malaysia since the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the calendar.
The last major event was the International Waterski and Wakeboard (IWWF) Waterski World Championships held in 2019.
Some 60 competitors from six countries around the region are expected at the Malaysian event, including Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong and New Zealand, alongside Malaysian athletes, MWWF said in a statement today.
The event will also be graced by Malaysian waterski star Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah, who is fresh off a historic achievement in winning a bronze medal at the World Under-21 Championships in Mexico last month, MWWF said.
Aaliyah, who is currently based in the United States where she attends the Florida Southern College, leapt to a distance of 45.2m to win the bronze medal in the jump event, making her the first ever Malaysian to achieve a world-level medal in the sport.
“The 19-year-old is certainly a trailblazer for the sport in Malaysia, and her presence certainly augurs well to help revitalise the interest in the sport that has been hard-hit by the Covid-19 restrictions,” MWWF said.
Aaliyah also told MWWF she is excited to be back competing on home ground for the first time in four years.
“I will be slaloming in the morning at 8.40am on both Saturday and Sunday, and then there will be tricks at 12.00 noon on both days,” said Aaliyah.
“But my biggest improvement over the last few years has been in jumping, and I certainly hope that everyone will show up in force at the Putrajaya Water Sports Complex to watch me fly over the lake.”
Aaliyah will be jumping on both days of Saturday and Sunday at around 3.30pm.
For the record, Aaliyah notched a solid 37m during the world meet in 2019, and she has improved by leaps and bounds with her personal best in jump standing at 47.2m set in the States early this year.
Additionally, she also holds the national records for tricks (8,080) and slalom (4/55/12m), and would love to wow her home fans & supporters to perform near her PBs on the weekend.
MWWF is organising the event in collaboration with Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup Sdn Bhd with support from the Youth and Sports Ministry and Putrajaya Corporation. – The Vibes, July 11, 2023
