WATERSKI JUMP and TRICK ATHLETES TAKE THE HONORS
At the end of each year, all Councils of the World Governing Body, the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF), select their female and male Skier/Rider of the year. The IWWF Executive Board members then elect the IWWF Athletes of the Year from their submissions – one female, one male.
With such high standards achieved in all Disciplines, selecting the male and female ATHLETE OF THE YEAR from the Councils submissions was one of the most difficult to date. Two exceptional athletes have emerged to take the honors for 2017:
2017 IWWF Athlete of the Year – Female
Neilly Ross – CAN
Tournament (3-event waterskiing)
Current Elite ranking: 1st | Current IWWF ranking: 2st | IWWF World Open Championships: 1st in 2017
2nd place at the 2016 IWWF World Junior Championships held in 2017 with a score of 10050 points.
1st place at the 2017 Moomba Masters with a score of 10050 points.
1st place at the 2017 Nautique Masters with a score of 10350 points.
1st place at the 2017 IWWF World Waterski Championships with a score of 10220 points.
Neilly Ross had the distinction of winning all of the Elite Women Trick Tournaments of 2017 culminating with the 2017 World Championships crown. She won both the Moomba Masters and the Masters. She had a total of nine first places in 2017 and all score above 10000 points.
2017 IWWF Athlete of the Year – Male
Ryan Dodd – CAN
Tournament (3-event waterskiing)
Current Elite ranking: 1st | Current IWWF ranking: 1st | World Open Championships: 1st in 2017
1st place at the 2017 Nautique Masters whit a distance of 74.1m
1st place at the 2017 Vladimir Filin Memorial whit a distance of 75.4m
1st place at the 2017 Canadian Open Masters whit a distance of 68.7m
1st place at the 2017 Strokes Pro Am whit a distance of 71.9m
1st place at the 2017 IWWF World Waterski Championships whit a distance of 68.4m
Along the way, he set a new World Record of 77.4 m at the Space Coast tournament in July
Ryan Dodd had a breakout year in 2017. He won every single Elite Tournament jump event except for an early season 2nd place at Moomba. His wins include the Masters, the Vladimir Filin Memorial, the Ray Stokes Pro Am, the Canadian Open and finally the IWWF World Championships. He also placed 1st in every other tournament entered in 2017. Ryan also acts as the Pan American skier representative on the Athletes Advisory Council to the IWWF Tournament Council as well as being involved in tournament promotion and organization.