mmg.com.au

Yarrawonga and Mulwala residents are being urged to line Belmore Street from 6pm next Wednesday, February 20 for the 2013 World Junior Water Ski titles street parade.

More than 70 of the the world’s best junior waterskiers from 25 countries will compete for world champion status in tricks, slalom, jumps and overall at Max Kirwan Park from February 20-24.
The parade will introduce the skiers and their followers to the Yarrawonga community next Wednesday after the first day of competition.
Skiers will march behind their national flags with Australia leading the way due to alphabetical order. The parade starts at Piper Street and will proceed north to the bridge with the skiers then turning right and assembling on the foreshore.
Twenty-five pontoon (barbie) boats, supplied and operated by locals, will then transport each country’s representatives in a procession across the lake to the Mulwala Water Ski Club lagoon where the skiers will be presented to the official party.
Tournament chairman Wayne Briant said everything was in readiness for a world class event.
Australia’s Josh Briant, Wayne’s son, is currently ranked number one in the world in tricks and overall categories and is a hot chance for a gold medal. Erika Lang is the top ranked women’s skier.
A number of countries including Australia, Norway, Austria and Germany began their training at Max Kirwan Park last week with the remainder arriving early this week.
The championships will certainly promote Yarrawonga Mulwala as Australia’s centre of water skiing excellence not just in this country but around the world which can only help the local tourism industry.
“These events are wonderful for the regional economy especially as February is traditionally a quiet month,” Merran Socha, 
Executive Officer Tourism, Sun Country On The Murray said. “Competition at such a high level brings people to the region who have never been here before and we hope to bring them back repeatedly.”
Mulwala Water Ski Club CEO Peter Duncan it was part of the club’s charter to promote the sport and to attract visitors to the region all year round.
“We are so pleased with the support already. We asked for people to provide their barbie boats and they came forward straight away. Corowa and Moira Shires, the police have all been really helpful,” he said.
The weekend will finish with a presentation night at the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort on Sunday, February 24.