Two cousins from Lincoln are battling each other for the top spot at the world’s biggest waterski competitions. Two-time World Champion in Men’s Slalom, Will Asher (41) is facing a growing challenge from 25-year-old Rob Hazelwood.

Asher has been one of the world’s leading slalom specialists for two decades and won his first world title in 2005 when Hazelwood was just six years old. But now the younger cousin is snapping at his heels.

In June this year, in a professional waterski competition in the USA that Asher did not contest, Hazelwood made it to the top step of the podium for the first time in his career. Last weekend near Madrid in Spain, he took his second professional title, on this occasion beating Asher, who finished just behind him in second place. Joel Poland (25), another Brit from Clapham in London, was third.

It is no easy feat to beat Will Asher on the slalom course. In 2022 he became only the fifth waterskier in history to win a professional waterski competition after his 40th birthday. In June this year he won three consecutive pro events in six days.

The family battle will continue this coming weekend when the two men compete at the San Gervasio Pro Am Slalom near Milan in Italy and the following week in the UK at the Oxfordshire Pro Am Slalom in Dorchester-on-Thames (12/13 July).

Asher and Hazelwood are members of a British waterski dynasty. They grew up and learned to ski at Hazelwood Ski World in Lincoln, a world-class ski lake built by their late grandfather, Maurice. They are nephews of the legendary Mike Hazelwood MBE, who became GB’s first Overall World Waterski Champion in 1977 (overall includes slalom, tricks and jump) and was twice World Champion in waterski jumping. Another uncle, Tim Hazelwood, and Asher’s brother, Thomas Asher, are also former champion waterskiers.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Will Asher and Rob Hazelwood spend much of their time training and competing in the USA but may be available at Hazelwood Ski World in Lincoln on some dates in July/early August. If you wish to interview/film them, or for more information, please contact Jane Peel, British Water Ski & Wakeboard Head of Communications on 07802 496927 or jane@bwsf.co.uk

Photos can be found in the dropbox link below. Please credit the photographers as shown.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/lq7mr2hb0tsk9b9o140fl/ALGlfILs4Pie4zGot7ydu6w?rlkey=njlo5zdtjnz2ouskoyiqiywjn&dl=0

Slalom Waterskiiing

The boat travels at a constant speed in a straight line down the middle of the slalom course. At elite level the speed is 58kph (36mph) for men and 55kph (34mph) for women. The skier, on a single ski, has to go through the entrance gates - a pair of buoys in the middle of the course - then virage from side to side across the boat wakes, successfully rounding six turn buoys before going through the exit gates.

Each successful pass results in the rope being shortened, making it increasingly difficult to reach the turn buoys. Eventually, the rope length becomes less than the distance from the boat to the turn buoys so the skier has to use body length and reach to round the buoys. The winner is the skier who completes the most turn buoys at the shortest rope length.

British Water Ski & Wakeboard (BWSW) is the sport’s national governing body and a non-profit making membership organisation. All its income is invested in developing and protecting waterskiing and wakeboarding across the UK from the grassroots to our top athletes.

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