Maple Bluff area water ski competitor Paul Stokes wins wake slalom event at Barefoot Championships

MAPLE BLUFF, Wis. — Here’s the update promised when Paul Stokes was headed to the World Masters Barefoot Championships. Previously, we wrote: “He’s currently ranked 2nd in wake slalom and he has his eyes set on gold.”

He did it!

“I’ve been on many podiums, but none of them have ever felt that good,” Paul says. “Standing at the top of the podium was an amazing feeling. Barefoot waterskiing is one big family, and seeing all of them smile and cheer just got me so stoked. I’m very proud of my results. However, it was the journey — training to get there and the experience of the event — that I’ll cherish.”

In the wake slalom event, “each competitor gets 15 seconds forward and 15 seconds backwards to cross the wakes as many times as possible on one foot,” explains Paul. “I crossed the wake 13.9 times for the win.”

The International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) tournament, held last month in Texas, is “a new world championship format designed to get our numbers up and strengthen the barefoot family,” says Paul. The 77 competitors hailed from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hungary and the US. “It was extremely successful and I’m very excited about our niche sport’s future.”

Paul came in second place overall and third place in tricks, making him the number two 45–55 man in the IWWF rankings.

Heather Hartwig Stokes, Paul’s wife, competed as well, placing third overall for 45-55 women, with second place in tricks and fourth in slalom. “I’m very proud of her.”

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