Some family fun at the ski tournament

Staff

Published Saturday, July 29, 2006

By Jeff Budlong, sports editor

The Midwest Show Ski Tournament brings some of the best competition to the water, but for many it is just a family affair.

That was the case for Dale and Kayln Stensrud who represented the host team, The Bayside Skiers, in the doubles competition Saturday.

The father and daughter combo were one of eight doubles teams to compete on the hot and sun-drenched day that saw temperature climb into the mid-90s.

For Dale, who started skiing in the 80s, the chance to spend time with his daughter while doing something they both enjoy is better than any victory they could achieve on the water.

“Five years ago I told my wife that our daughter was old enough we should go back down and ski again,” he said. “We went down, had a blast and we have been here ever since.

“It is something you can can do with your daughter, a brother and sister can do it and there are husbands and wives that make it great. But it is time that I get to spend with my daughter and she can't pull me away from anything else to do it.”

The feeling of team and togetherness is one that Dale believes runs throughout the water skiing community gathered at Edgewater Bay of Fountain Lake for the two-day event where teams are competing to qualify for nationals next weekend.

“It is good family fun and it is a safe environment for everyone to be in. It is all about the camaraderie and the friendships. That's what keeps all of us around here.”

The Stensruds proved to a crowd favorite before their first ski even hit the water, thanks in large part to 12-year-old Kayln's other passion of gymnastics.

The eight-year veteran of gymnastics performed quite the tumbling routine and somersaulting onto her father's shoulders before they took off and made their three passes on the water.

“I think it is a little more exciting because all of the attention is on the two of us and not everybody,” said Kayln.

“I was a little nervous but I got over it.”

The Stensruds have been working on their routine for three years, and judging by the crowd's reaction it has been time well spent.

“These are all our peers and to be able to watch them and cheer for them and have them cheer for us ... it is the ultimate sportsmanship,” said Dale. “You didn't win or lose, it's that everyone came out, competed, did their best and walked away with a smile on their face.”

Bayside's other doubles team of Mike Johnson and Molly Touhy completed a clean run of their routine despite practicing together for just three weeks prior to the competition.

“It was really fun and we nailed everything. It was really cool,” said 11-year old Touhy, who was receiving one congratulatory hug after another after coming out of the water.

Saturday morning's session was dominated by the individual competitions in swivel, doubles and jumps. Each competitor had five minutes to set up and five minutes to perform before they were judged on a technical and artistic basis. Competitors came from Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

Kelley Nemec of the Midwest Ski Otters of White Bear Lake, Little Crows' Anne Bruckner

and Lindsey Basse of White Bear Lake proved to be the top swivels on the day earning some of the judges highest marks.

Mark and Mary Bortz from the Cedar Rapids, Iowa team drew cheers in the doubles competition while five squads - Bayside, the Twin Cities River Rats, the Ski Otters, Little Crow and Waterhawks Ski Team - put the finishing touches on the individual portion of the competition with their jump teams.

Four teams also presented their hour-long ski shows beginning with the Hartwick Huskys of Delhi, Iowa followed by The Bayside Skiers, the River Rats and the Ski Otters.

The Sioux Falls, S.D. Waterski Team started off the Sunday competition with their performance at 7 a.m. followed by the Five Seasons Ski Team of Cedar Rapids, the Rochester Waterski Team, Little Crow of New London/Spicer and the Waterhawks will wrap up the regional tournament at approximately 1 p.m.

An awards ceremony will take place 30 minutes after the final team has competed.

While the event drew nearly1,000 people to Albert Lea for the weekend, organizers were a little concerned about pulling everything off after hosting the event for the first time ever, but Johnson, the tournament director, said not even the high temperatures could keep people from having a good time.

“The tournament is going well,” he said. “We had a few glitches but everything seems to be going well. It is really fun to say we have started hosting and I just hope the rest of the two days goes well.”

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