State Water Ski Winners Announced

SYRACUSE -ÊThe 2002 Indiana State Water Ski Championships were held this past weekend at Cindonway Shores, a competition water ski lake southwest of Syracuse. One-hundred-twenty water skiers and wakeboarders competed in the two-day event.

In the team competition, the host team, WSI Ski Team of Cindonway, won its 11th state team title. The Timberlake Ski Team of Mt. Vernon came in second and the Champion Lake Ski Team of McCordsville came in third.

Many area water skiers competited in the slalom, trick and jumping events.

WSI ski winners included: Casey Contos, first in slalom, second in tricks, second in jumping and second overall in Men's 1 Division; Shane Bucher, third in slalom, first in tricks, third in jumping and first overall in Men's 2 Division; Matt Beck, first in Expert Men's Slalom Division; Jim Beck, third in tricks, second in jumping and first overall in Men's 3 Division; Kim Contos, first in slalom, third in jumping and second overall in Men's 4 Division; Steve Plummer, second in tricks in Men's 4 Division; Don Bucher, third in slalom and third overall in Men's 5 Division; Cassie Carroll, third in tricks, first in jumping in Women's 2 Division; Kristin Paton, first slalom in Novice Women's Division; Shanda Bucher, second in tricks, first in jumping and first overall in Novice Women's Division; Ora Freeman took second and E.J. Falk took third in Novice Men's Slalom Division.

Camelot Lake winners were: Sara Rozow, third in slalom and first in tricks in Girls' 1 Division; Hannah Rozow took third in slalom in Girls' 2 Division; Steve Rozow, third in Expert Men's Slalom Division; Alexandria Burton, first in slalom in Girls' 1 Division; Britney Sokol, third in Novice Women's Slalom Division; Bethany Belote, first in Expert Women's Slalom Division.

This event was sanctioned by the American Water Ski Association and the Indiana Water Ski Association.

The IWSA also established a scholarship program in 2002 in memory of Barbara Miller of Dewart Lake, who died in 2001. Miller was active as a senior scorer at AWSA tournaments all over the Midwest and some national tournaments, along with many collegiate events. She also served many years as the secretary for Indana Water Ski Association.

The first of the $500 Barbara Miller Scholarships was to Shanda Bucher of Cindonway Shores. Bucher will be beginning her senior year at the University of Central Florida.