FHS senior qualifies for U.S Junior Water Ski Team

Julianna Boskus, 17, competes during the U.S. Junior Water Ski Team trials held June 28-29 at Cedar Creek Water Ski Park in Elkins.

Clayton Taylor

Julianna Boskus, a 17-year-old senior at Fayetteville High School, qualified for the U.S. Junior Water Ski Team at the Juniors Team Trial last weekend.

The selection was announced by the American Water Ski Association’s International Activities Committee after the event, held June 28-29 at Cedar Creek Water Ski Park in Elkins. Participants competed slalom, trick, and jump events.

Boskus will join fellow athletes Brooke Baldwin (Windermere, Fla.), Nick Lang (Gilbert, Ariz.), and
Anna Gay (Winter Garden, Fla.) to compete in the 15th Junior Water Ski World Championships, set for Jan. 8-11, 2015, on Lake Bujama near Lima, Peru.

Clayton Taylor

In addition to the coveted world team title, athletes from more than 25 countries will compete for individual medals in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall at the Junior Worlds. The United States won the world team title in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2010 and 2012. France won in 1998 and 2006. Canada won in 2004.

In 2010 Boskus won the Overall Title in the 13 and under age group at the Pan American Water Ski Championship held in Santiago, Chili. She helped the U.S. team clinch the gold by earning silver medals in Slalom & Trick, and by winning Gold in the Jump and the Overall Title.

Boskus began skiing at age 4 and began competing one year later. She is looking for sponsorships to assist in the costs associated with attending the World Championships. For more information, contact Cedar Creek Water Ski Park officials at 479-841-3768.

Cedar Creek Water Ski Park

In 2000 Fayetteville architect Roger Boskus and his wife Karen (Julianna’s parents) began construction of what is today the Cedar Creek Water Ski Park. The park contains two manmade lakes that are designed specifically for three-event water skiing. The park offers private water skiing lessons along with a summer Ski Camp/Day Camp. The camp program is a day program for local children ages 8 and older. This day camp is organized with water skiing as the primary activity. Other activities enjoyed by the campers are fishing, swimming, paddle boat, water volleyball and other water related fun activities.

The park will host an event for the Arkansas State Championships July 19-20 for ages 5 to 70. The public is welcome to come see some great water skiing action.

This article is sponsored by First Security Bank. For more great stories of Arkansas food, travel, sports, music and more, visit onlyinark.com.