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Namibia crowned All Africa water ski champions

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For the first time in 16 years, Namibia proudly hosted the biennial All Africa Water Ski Championships on home water – culminating in a historic team victory for Namibia.

Held at the Von Bach Dam over the Easter weekend, the competition drew an international field of athletes from South Africa, Morocco, Belgium, and the USA.

Alongside a formidable Namibian contingent, competitors ranged in age from 8 to over 65, showcasing the incredible diversity of the sport.

Immense effort went into ensuring that every element – from the ski courses and technical equipment to the judging panels and boat crews – met the highest international standards.

Following years of drought, the local community successfully repaired and recommissioned the jump ramp. Its return marked the restoration of the jump event, officially elevating these championships to a full "three-event" competition (slalom, tricks and jumps) once again.

The triumph of these championships is a direct result of the unwavering commitment of generous sponsors and their vital contribution to the sport in Namibia.

The following athletes and officials represented Namibia with awarded national sports colours:

• Gero Knupp (athlete and team captain)

• Nikolai Heger (athlete)

• Dieter Kebbel (athlete and team coach)

• Cornelia Ursula Kebbel (scorer, S2)

• Martin Schmidt (team manager and driver, D1)

Over three days of high-intensity action, 46 competitors pushed their limits, resulting in a wave of personal bests and shattered records. The standout performance came from Morocco’s Kamil Belmrah, who set a new All African record in the Open Men Slalom division with an elite score of three buoys at 58 km/h on a 10.75m line.

Local talent also reached new heights. Ned Hannam broke the Namibian record in the under 10 boys trick division with a score of 900 points, while Gary Knight delivered a record-breaking performance in the over 45 men division, setting a new Namibian jump record of 26.4m.

All African Champions (IWWF Medals)

The title of All African Champion is awarded to the top-performing male and female athletes in each event, regardless of their age division.

The following skiers earned official medals from the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF):

• SLALOM LADIES: Gold: Angela Swain (SA), Silver: Catherine Versfeld (SA), Bronze: Zandria van der Merwe (NAM)

• SLALOM MEN: Gold: Kamil Belmrah (Morocco), Silver: Simon Fairbank (SA), Bronze: Robbie Alexander (SA).

• TRICKS LADIES: Gold: Angela Swain (SA), Silver: Hannah de Jongh (SA), Bronze: Mila Knight (NAM).

• TRICKS MEN: Gold: Dennis de Jongh (SA), Silver: Luke Schmidt (NAM), Bronze: Simon Fairbank (SA).

• JUMP LADIES: Gold: Zandria van der Merwe (NAM), Silver: Adore Dreyer (NAM).

• JUMP MEN: Gold: Simon Fairbank (SA), Silver: Nikolai Heger (NAM), Bronze: Gary Knight (NAM).

• OVERALL LADIES: Gold: Zandria van der Merwe (NAM).

• OVERALL MEN: Gold: Simon Fairbank (SA), Silver: Dieter Kebbel (NAM), Bronze: Nikolai Heger (NAM).

Zandria van der Merwe (NAM) and Simon Fairbank (SA) took the title of overall All Africa female and male champions.

A historic team victory

Each nation fielded their top athletes to contribute to a collective team score. These scores are a true test of versatility, calculated by comparing slalom, trick, and jump results against international benchmarks.

For the first time in the history of the All-Africa Championships, dating back to the mid-90s, Namibia has emerged as the "Best Team" overall.

Breaking a thirty-year streak, the Namibian squad secured 13,428.24 points, finishing ahead of a very strong South African team (12,837.69 points).

The championships concluded with a memorable gala dinner and prize-giving ceremony, celebrating the victory in the spirit of true Namibian hospitality.