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The U.S. Elite Barefoot Water Ski Team and the U.S. Senior Barefoot Water Ski Team each won overall team gold medals, the U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team earned the overall silver medal, and 17 U.S. athletes earned individual medals in respective events as the 2006 Barefoot Water Ski World Championships concluded Sunday at Lake Silverado in Adna, Wash.<br><br>
For the first time, the biennial Elite (Open) Barefoot Water Ski World Championships was held simultaneously with the biennial Junior and Senior Barefoot Water Ski World Championships. The nine-day event featured more than 130 athletes from 13 countries. The Elite Barefoot Worlds took place for the 15th time, while the Junior Barefoot Worlds was held for the seventh time and the Senior Barefoot Worlds commenced for the fifth time. <br><br>
Athletes participating as members of the U.S. Elite Barefoot Water Ski Team were: Lane Bowers of Winter Haven, Fla., Billy Brzoza of Coventry, R.I., Rachel George-Normand of Winter Haven, Fla., Keith St. Onge of Winter Haven, Fla., Niki Soubliere-Munroe of Lakeland, Fla., and Laura Szwed of White Lake, Mich. Ryan Boyd of Orlando, Fla., was the alternate. The team tallied 8,514.15 points as the United States won its 11th consecutive world team title. Australia scored 7,496.65 points to earn the silver medal and Great Britain finished with 6,931.94 points in clinching the bronze medal in the 13-team field.<br><br>
The U.S. Elite Team was led by St. Onge, who won gold medals in Men's slalom, tricks and overall, and set pending world tricks records in all three rounds. George won the gold medal in Women's jumping and overall, and earned silver medals in slalom and tricks; Brzoza earned the bronze medal in Men's slalom; Bowers earned the silver medal in Men's slalom and the bronze medal in jumping; and Szwed earned the bronze medal in Women's tricks.<br><br>
Athletes competing as members of the U.S. Senior Barefoot Water Ski Team were: Andrea Eggert of Mequon, Wis., Brian Heeney of Helena, Mont., Mike Salber of Winter Garden, Fla., and Jody Sherwood of Maple Lake, Minn. Betsy Colmant of Cumming, Ga., was the alternate.
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The U.S. Senior Team scored 5,839.12 points in earning the victory in the seven-team field. Defending champion Australia earned the silver medal with 5,469.35 points and Canada clinched the bronze medal with 4,282.35 points<br><br>
The U.S. Senior Team was led by Sherwood, who swept the gold medals in Women's slalom, tricks, jumping and overall. Sherwood also earned the gold medal in Open Women's tricks, competing as a U.S. independent. Salber earned silver medals in Men's jumping and overall; Eggert earned silver medals in Women's tricks, jumping and overall; and Heeney earned the silver medal in Men's tricks. <br><br>
A handful of U.S. independent competitors also earned medals in the Senior Worlds. Sherri Morse of Redmond, Wash., earned the silver medal in Women's slalom and bronze medals in jumping and overall; Brad Pegg of Belle Plaine, Kan., earned the silver medal in Men's slalom; Dawn Farrell of West Sacramento, Calif., earned the bronze medal in Women's slalom; and Theresa Hoffmann of Loveland, Colo., earned the bronze medal in Women's tricks.<br><br>
Athletes participating as members of the U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team were: Billy Benoist of Weston, Fla., Elaine Heller of Alma Center, Wis., Shannon Heller of Alma Center, Wis., and Chris Morrison of Fenton, Mich. Brody Benoist of Weston, Fla., was the alternate. Elaine Heller won the gold medal in Girls?slalom and silver medals in tricks and overall; Billy Benoist earned the gold medal in Boys?tricks, the silver medal in overall and the bronze medal in slalom; Morrison earned the silver medal in Boys? jumping and the bronze medal in overall; and Shannon Heller earned the bronze medal in Girls?jumping.
The U.S. Elite Barefoot Water Ski Team and the U.S. Senior Barefoot Water Ski Team each won overall team gold medals, the U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team earned the overall silver medal, and 17 U.S. athletes earned individual medals in respective events as the 2006 Barefoot Water Ski World Championships concluded Sunday at Lake Silverado in Adna, Wash.<br><br>
For the first time, the biennial Elite (Open) Barefoot Water Ski World Championships was held simultaneously with the biennial Junior and Senior Barefoot Water Ski World Championships. The nine-day event featured more than 130 athletes from 13 countries. The Elite Barefoot Worlds took place for the 15th time, while the Junior Barefoot Worlds was held for the seventh time and the Senior Barefoot Worlds commenced for the fifth time. <br><br>
Athletes participating as members of the U.S. Elite Barefoot Water Ski Team were: Lane Bowers of Winter Haven, Fla., Billy Brzoza of Coventry, R.I., Rachel George-Normand of Winter Haven, Fla., Keith St. Onge of Winter Haven, Fla., Niki Soubliere-Munroe of Lakeland, Fla., and Laura Szwed of White Lake, Mich. Ryan Boyd of Orlando, Fla., was the alternate. The team tallied 8,514.15 points as the United States won its 11th consecutive world team title. Australia scored 7,496.65 points to earn the silver medal and Great Britain finished with 6,931.94 points in clinching the bronze medal in the 13-team field.<br><br>
The U.S. Elite Team was led by St. Onge, who won gold medals in Men's slalom, tricks and overall, and set pending world tricks records in all three rounds. George won the gold medal in Women's jumping and overall, and earned silver medals in slalom and tricks; Brzoza earned the bronze medal in Men's slalom; Bowers earned the silver medal in Men's slalom and the bronze medal in jumping; and Szwed earned the bronze medal in Women's tricks.<br><br>
Athletes competing as members of the U.S. Senior Barefoot Water Ski Team were: Andrea Eggert of Mequon, Wis., Brian Heeney of Helena, Mont., Mike Salber of Winter Garden, Fla., and Jody Sherwood of Maple Lake, Minn. Betsy Colmant of Cumming, Ga., was the alternate.
<br><br>
The U.S. Senior Team scored 5,839.12 points in earning the victory in the seven-team field. Defending champion Australia earned the silver medal with 5,469.35 points and Canada clinched the bronze medal with 4,282.35 points<br><br>
The U.S. Senior Team was led by Sherwood, who swept the gold medals in Women's slalom, tricks, jumping and overall. Sherwood also earned the gold medal in Open Women's tricks, competing as a U.S. independent. Salber earned silver medals in Men's jumping and overall; Eggert earned silver medals in Women's tricks, jumping and overall; and Heeney earned the silver medal in Men's tricks. <br><br>
A handful of U.S. independent competitors also earned medals in the Senior Worlds. Sherri Morse of Redmond, Wash., earned the silver medal in Women's slalom and bronze medals in jumping and overall; Brad Pegg of Belle Plaine, Kan., earned the silver medal in Men's slalom; Dawn Farrell of West Sacramento, Calif., earned the bronze medal in Women's slalom; and Theresa Hoffmann of Loveland, Colo., earned the bronze medal in Women's tricks.<br><br>
Athletes participating as members of the U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team were: Billy Benoist of Weston, Fla., Elaine Heller of Alma Center, Wis., Shannon Heller of Alma Center, Wis., and Chris Morrison of Fenton, Mich. Brody Benoist of Weston, Fla., was the alternate. Elaine Heller won the gold medal in Girls?slalom and silver medals in tricks and overall; Billy Benoist earned the gold medal in Boys?tricks, the silver medal in overall and the bronze medal in slalom; Morrison earned the silver medal in Boys? jumping and the bronze medal in overall; and Shannon Heller earned the bronze medal in Girls?jumping.