The second biggest barefoot comp in Australia kicked off one week ago following a remarkably successful Barefoot school. 330 km west of Sydney, 3 days of barefoot training was kicked off in Forbes, NSW. 3 boats loaded with top instructors, Pete O’Neill, Brendon Chattaway, and Brendan Paige, took 68 footers to the water over the 3 days leading into the weekend, with many skiers then backing it up and competing in the competition.

With attendance over the day ranging between 300 to 400, cars lined the banks and people from the surrounding towns and Forbes itself were treated to some spectacular thrills and spills from local legends to Australia’s best. The Mulwala Waterski Team were even in attendance to show case their skills with pyramids and fly boarding, with a barefoot Freestyle demo added to the mix. The pros finished off the Saturday with a barefoot jumping demonstration that left the crowd speechless as the Barefooters threw themselves 25 meters through the air, then landing and skiing away.

Sunday, the wind found its way into town with conditions a lot worse than Saturday, but it didn’t stop anyone from skiing, the event was complete by 130pm giving everyone who traveled a bit of extra time for the trip home.

All in all, it was a sensational week for the town with the boosted local tourism and an awesome tournament for the NSW barefoot club. Jim Cronin, Organizer and local legend commented that the event was “growing every year” and that he was “already excited for next year”.

A big thank you to the event organizers, Jim Cronin, Rial Harrison and Troy Gosper, all the locals that helped out, and not to forget; the NSW Barefoot Club. A great event that never fails to disappoint!