The Disabled World Waterski Championships attracted 38 of the World's top athletes from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of South Africa, Sweden, USA – and Ireland.
These World Championships included Slalom, Tricks and Jump. The most coveted award is for the Overall title, the triathlon of Waterskiing. This involves competing in all three events and outscoring all others in the combined calculations.
Success for Eamonn stateside. Photo: Des Burke Kennedy
In both Slalom and Tricks, Eamonn Prunty took the Bronze Medal. Finally, in Jump he took 5th place. When all the sores were totaled, his 2670 Overall points were 49 ahead of his nearest rival, Darryl Hoyle of Australia, who was hotly tipped to take the World Overall title this year. Although Hoyle broke the World Jump record, his combined scores still could not beat Eamonn Prunty. Joe Rae of USA took the Overall Bronze medal. This was the second time that Prunty has succeeded in taking the World Overall Gold Medal, a feat never equaled.
Des Burke-Kennedy, President of the Irish Waterski & Wakeboard Federation stated " This was a very well deserved victory for the enormous talents of Ireland's Eamonn Prunty and taking the gold medal at the World Championships for the second time is almost impossible – but Eamonn is no stranger to doing the impossible"
World Champion Eamonn Prunty trains at the family owned Irish Aqua Sports Centre in Summerhill, Meath,a short distance west of Blanchardstown. The man-made lake is widely regarded as one of the most perfect Waterski and Wakeboard training Centres in Europe. Having a two-time World Gold Medalist on site will certainly focus the international spotlight on this impressive facility. The Website is at : http://www.wakeboardingwaterskiing.com
