2024 IWWF Open, U23 and Junior

World Barefoot Water Ski Championships

Auburndale – Florida – USA

October 5th – 12th

Hosted by The Southern Region “Where Barefoot Water Skiing Began“

The American Barefoot Club’s Southern Region is the home of World Champions. Making up the U.S. States of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky, the Southern Region has long been the home to some of the biggest names in the sport.

In 1947, A.G. Hancock became the first person ever to barefoot water ski on Lake Howard in Winter Haven, Florida.  One of the country’s very first barefoot tournaments was held at Cypress Gardens, and this region is where Ron Scarpa and Mike Seipel trained and ran schools.  To this day, the Southern Region is home to the best and most dominant barefoot water skiers in history, including David Small, Keith St. Onge, Ben Groen, and Ashleigh Stebbeings.

The Southern Region hosts as many as ten annual events, including traditional three-event barefoot tournaments and the famous Banana George Blairfoot Bananza Figure 8 & Endurance Tournament.  The Region has also hosted several national and world championships since the late 1970s.