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a brief history

 

The Greater Miami Ski Club was founded in 1955 (chartered in 1956) as a family-focused club centered around show-skiing. Members performed in Miami, Cuba, Columbia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Panama, with performances at the Orange Bowl Regatta ('58 and '59), and the Miami Marine Stadium in the early '60's. In 1957, Rene Bennington helped the club obtain it's first lease at our current site, then family-owned lake at Christopher Ranch.

Focus began shifting in the early 60’s from show-skiing to competition, and it’s never turned back.

In 1961, the club presented the first Greater Miami Open and has held a major USA Waterski sanctioned tournament every year since. Some of our members have also made significant contributions to the water skiing community through the years. Club member Leo Bentz developed the first Ski Nautique and Jim Selmas contributed the omnipresent colored loop slalom rope, to name a few. In the 1980’s, members Ed Hickey and George Levien paved the road to owning the site we ski on and building both clubhouses.

Today’s club hosts three tournaments a year, including at least one World Record capable tournament. In 1998, Andy Mapple tied the world record of 1 at 43 off in Miami’s tournament and he’s hardly the only champion. Among active and honorary members, the club boasts an Olympian, Pan Am competitors, World Record Holders, World Champions, US National Champions, National Champions of Latin America, Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, Denmark and Italy, and Hall of Famers.

Every day, we work to bring together an international community in hopes of developing and fostering the sport we love.




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OLYMPIANS

Ricky McCormick


US NATIONAL RECORD HOLDERS

Ed Hickey
Dennis Longo


FLORIDA STATE

HALL OF FAME

Stillman Bell
Leo Bentz
Cyndi Benzel
Dave Benzel
Barbara Cooper-Clack
Art Cozier
Ed Hickey
Jimmy Jackson
Ruth Johnston
George Levien
Ricky McCormick
Lynn Novakofski
Jim Salmas
Thelma Salmas
Cindy Todd
Les Todd
Jack Walker


COLOMBIA CHAMPIONS

Dylan Alvarez
Juan Alvarez
Sergio Benzsonoff
Jose (Beto) Mesa
Juan Saenz

COLOMBIAN RECORD

Juan Saenz


MEXICO CHAMPIONS

Arturo Nelson


PERU CHAMPION

Gonzalo Peschiera


LATIN AMERICAN RECORD

Gonzalo Peschiera

WORLD CHAMPIONS

Anais Amade
Anna Maria Carrasco
Barbara Cooper
Ben Favret
Clack Heddon
Ed Hickey
Cindy Hutcherson-Todd
Ruth Johnston
Aaron Larkin
Linda Leavengood-Giddens
Dennis Longo
Andy Mapple
Nicolas Nelson
Ricky McCormick
Wesley Walker


USA WATERSKI FOUNDATION

Stillman Bell A*
Leo Bentz A
Cyndi Benzel A
Dave Benzel A
Barbara CooperClackHeddon HOF
Art Cozier A
Cindy Hutcherson-Todd HOF
Jimmy Jackson A*
Linda Leavengood-Giddens HOF
Ricky McCormick HOF
Lynn Novakofski A
Jim Salmas A
Thelma Salmas A
Les Todd A
Jack Walker HOF*


A: Award of Distinction, L: Lifetime Tribute, HOF: Hall of Fame, Deceased*


EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS 

Anais Amade
Beatrice Pirri


LATIN AMERICAN CHAMPIONS

Juan Alvarez
Gonzalo Peschiera
German Saenz
Amador Ramirez


PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONS

Dylan Alvarez
Jose (Beto) Mesa
German Saenz

US NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Dylan Alvarez
Cyndi Benzel
Dave Benzel
Irma Campbell
Chip Chipman
Barbara Cooper
Clack Heddon
Bruce Fink
Mike Fink
Ed Finley
Ed Gill
Gun Gilmore-Evans
Ed Hickey
Sandy Hutcherson
Bob Hutcherson
Cindy Hutcherson-Todd
Mike Ise
Jimmy Jackson
Ruth Johnston
Joy Leavengood  
Linda Leavengood-Giddens
Dennis Longo
Dede Mahler
Ricky McCormick
Ken Rodine
Jim Salmas
Thelma Salmas
Sylvia Seaton-Dunlap
Maria Walsh


DENMARK CHAMPIONS

Henrik Laursen


FRANCE CHAMPION

Anais Amade


NEW ZEALAND CHAMPION

Aaron Larkin


PUERTO RICO CHAMPION

Amador Ramirez


VENEZUELA CHAMPION

Anna Maria Carrasco




GREATER MIAMI SKI CLUB, 1780 NW 94 Ave. Doral, Fl. 33172   (786) 485-4887

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