New Zealand's three-skier contingent has arrived at the 2025 IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships in Hasselt, Belgium, and wasted no time making an impression.
Captain Brad Dutton leads a squad that blends youth and international experience. Ellison Hollands from Tauranga and Amos Ratuki from Hamilton take on the junior divisions, while Kyle Taylor steps into the men's F2 class, one of the toughest draws in the sport. Drivers and observers Jeff Weake, Gene Hollands, and Greg Dutton round out the support crew.
For Hollands, Hasselt is her second World Championship campaign after finishing sixth in Junior Girls at Gosford in 2023. Ratuki, who placed eighth in Junior Boys at that same edition, arrives with added confidence after claiming both U16 and U19 national titles. Taylor faces a different order of challenge, racing at full speed for up to an hour in the gruelling F2 class.
The opening round showed the Kiwis were ready. Men's F2 racing descended into what the team described as "carnage", yet Taylor kept his composure through the chaos to finish sixth. In the junior events, Ratuki put in a strong fourth in Boys. Hollands, though, produced the standout result of the day, winning the Junior Girls race outright.
Her 37-minute, 11-lap run covered nearly 50 kilometres at an average speed of 77km/h, banking maximum points and delivering New Zealand's first World Championship race win since 2015.
"This is huge for us," the team reported. "Ellie, Gene, and Jeff nailed it — safe, fast, and on top of the podium."
The championship format means no single result decides a world title. Each skier's four results across the week are combined, so consistency and clean runs carry as much weight as outright wins. With three rounds still ahead, the Kiwis will need to hold the form they showed on day one.
The event has not been without complications. Blue algae forced the closure of the Viersel course, shifting all racing to Hasselt. The team has adapted well, backed by thorough preparation and strong crew cohesion.
New Zealand supporters are following along across late nights and early mornings, with live coverage streaming free on the official Waterski Racing Europe Facebook page.
One round in, Hollands has written her name into New Zealand waterski history, and her teammates are showing they belong on the world stage too.
