At just 14, Tauranga's Ellie Hollands has written herself into waterski racing history, claiming the Junior Girls IWWF World Championship title on the waters of Belgium.
Hollands dominated the four-race series, taking three heat wins and a runner-up finish in the other. When her best three results were tallied, she had accumulated the maximum 3000 points, with her performance in the decisive final race sealing the title. Driver Gene Hollands steered her through every race, with Jeff Weake serving as observer. Britain's Darcy Manchett finished second on 2978 points, while compatriot Luca Manchett rounded out the podium with 2721 points.
New Zealand Water Ski Racing captured the mood in their announcement following the result. "This win is the result of dedication, perseverance and commitment," they said. "Ellie, we are so proud."
Hamilton's Amos Ratuki earned a place on the Junior Boys podium after a measured, steadily improving campaign. He began with a fourth-place finish, then backed that up with back-to-back thirds, including a solid outing in the final race. His best three results combined for 2874 points and third place overall. Australia's Patrick Valencour topped the standings on a perfect 3000 points, while Britain's Sam Hopkins claimed second with 2894 points. Ratuki's bronze marks a significant milestone for New Zealand's junior ranks.
In the Men's F2 class, Tauranga's Kyle Taylor faced one of the most competitive fields of the entire championship. Two sixth-place finishes early in the series gave him a solid platform, and although a DNF in the final heat cost him positions in the rankings, he held on for ninth overall, a top-ten finish against experienced international opposition that reflected the grit and determination he brought to the competition.
Belgium 2025 also crowned a full slate of champions across the other classes:
- Carter Robertson (AUS) – Men's Open - Ryder Tovatt (USA) – Men's F2 - Sylvia de Speigeleire (BEL) – Women's Open - Christel Magdeleyns (BEL) – Women's F2 - Patrick Valencour (AUS) – Junior Boys
Belgian athletes made the most of home waters, sweeping both senior women's titles, while Australian and American competitors dominated among the men.
Taken together, this campaign stands as New Zealand's most successful yet in the sport. A world title for Hollands, a podium for Ratuki, and a senior top-ten for Taylor reflect genuine depth across age groups and classes. Competing against countries with far greater resources and larger talent pools, the Kiwi squad showed throughout the week that New Zealand waterski racing belongs firmly on the global stage.
