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George Athans CM (born 6 July 1952) is a Canadian retired competitive water skier. During his career he won 10 consecutive national titles from 1965 to 1974, the first at age 13. Also known as George Athans Jr. to distinguish him from his father, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame diver George Athans Sr.
Born in Kelowna, British Columbia, Athans was a member of the Canadian water ski team from 1966 to 1974 and participated in his first world championship in 1967. Athans won the world water ski championship in 1971 and 1973 and was named Canada's male amateur athlete of the year in both of those years. At his final national championship in 1974, his closest competitor was his brother, Greg Athans. A knee injury prevented Athans from competing for the Canadian title in 1975 and he retired from competition.
During his competitive career, Athans moved to Montreal to attend Sir George Williams University. He competed in the Canadian Superstars competition in 1978 (finishing fourth) and 1979 (second). Following his retirement, Athans worked as a commentator for CBC Sports and founded Athans Communications, a video production company based in Montreal.
Athans was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1974 and has been inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1971), Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (1974), the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame (1980), the International Water Ski Federation Hall of Fame (1993), and the Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada Hall of Fame (2004).
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Water skiing is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires sufficient area on a stretch of water, one or two skis, a tow boat with tow rope, two or three people, and a personal flotation device. In addition, the skier must have adequate upper and lower body strength, muscular endurance, and good balance.
Anne Heggtveit, is a former alpine ski racer from Canada. She was an Olympic gold medallist and double world champion in 1960.
Lucile Wheeler, is a former alpine ski racer from Canada. She was a double world champion in 1958, the first North American to win a world title in the downhill event.
Carolyn Jane Waldo, is a Canadian former synchronized swimmer and broadcaster.
Donald Arthur Schollander is an American former competition swimmer, five-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in four events. He won a total of five gold medals and one silver medal at the 1964 and 1968 Summer Olympics. With four gold medals, he was the most successful athlete at the 1964 Olympics.
Pierre Harvey, is a Canadian sports athlete. He was the first Canadian male athlete to compete in both the 1984 Summer Olympics and 1984 Winter Olympics.
Ronald Brian Jacks was a Canadian Olympic and international swimmer in the 1960s and 1970s. He is currently a leading coach for Canadian swimmers such as Richard Weinberger through the Pacific Coast Swimming Club.
Victor Emery is a Canadian athlete and businessman. Emery was born in Montreal, Quebec. He is a gold medallist in the four man bobsleigh pilot from the 1964 Olympic Winter Games, as well as the 1965 World Championships.
George Ritchie Hodgson was a Canadian competition swimmer of the early 20th century, and considered by many to be the greatest swimmer in Canadian history. Hodgson won the two longer freestyle swimming gold medals at the 1912 Olympics, the only categories in which he competed. He also competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics.
Marilyn Cochran Brown is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from the United States.
George Joseph Cash was an American professional water skier. During his career Cash won four Masters, three U.S. Nationals, and two World Championships.
Gary Athans is a Canadian former alpine skier who competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics.
Roseanne Allen was a Canadian cross-country skier who competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics.
Roy Callender is a Barbadian Canadian IFBB Hall of Famer retired professional bodybuilder, professional wrestler and actor.
Michel Daigle is a pioneer of freestyle skiing. During his career, Daigle reached the winners podium 34 times. He is considered one of the founders of freestyle skiing, alongside Darryl Bowie and John Johnston and has been credited with the growth of freestyle skiing in the mid 1970s. Daigle competed in ski ballet, moguls and aerials.
Greg Athans was a Canadian freestyle skier competing from 1976 to 1986 winning titles in multiple disciplines. Athans was also Canadian national waterskiing champion on fifteen occasions. He competed in the Canada Games, winning gold medals in the alpine slalom in 1971, and water skiing in 1973, becoming the first athlete to win gold medals at both the summer and winter games. In 1981, he was the best all-round competitor at the 1980 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup, winning the World Cup Grand Prix Award. He retired in 1982.
Nancie Rideout Robertson was an American professional water skier. During her competitive career, Rideout won the inaugural Masters and two World Championships in jump.
Judy McClintock-Messer is a Canadian former water skier. She won the Masters Water Ski Tournament in 1981 and the Water Ski World Championships in 1985 and 1995.
Joel McClintock is a Canadian former water skier. During his career, McClintock and his sister Judy became the first pair of siblings to both win world titles.
John D. Fripp is a Canadian former skier and football player. He was a skier between 1927 and 1960, starting at the age of 6, and played football in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) between 1941 and 1947. A centenarian, Fripp is believed to be the oldest former Canadian football player.
