Worlds at his feet
CONNOR Findlay has been walking on water “for as long as I can remember.”
And he is hoping for a bit of divine inspiration when he takes those years of being dragged behind the family boat on the Wairoa River and attempts to convert them to success on the world’s highest stage.
Campion College year 12 student Findlay is to compete in the Barefoot World Championships in Germany next month.
He earned his place among the world’s junior elite after qualifying in the trick and jump events at competitions in Florida.
The son of Gisborne couple David and Nickkie was named travelling reserve in the New Zealand team after placing first in the slalom, second in jump, second in tricks and second overall at the New Zealand champs in April.
But after training with some of world’s top exponents and coaches at the World Barefood Center in Winterhaven, Florida, for the past month, the 16-year-old collected enough qualifying scores to compete as an independent skier.
He will go into the champs ranked in the world’s top 20 junior (under-17) male barefooters.
His excellent results saw Connor invited to be a sponsored athlete of the WBC (world barefoot centre). This involves skiing under the WBC brand, committing to a minimum amount of training each year in Florida and giving back to the sport through coaching and supporting others.
“I’ve waterskied for as long as I can remember,” said Connor, who has one more tournament in the United States before the worlds in Brandenberg from August 7-15.
“My family spent our summer on the Wairoa River and I first got into barefooting at around nine or 10, just in a little swing off the boom.
“I slowly progressed from the swing to the boom to the short line then, at about 11 or 12, I got up on the long rope.”
Findlay, who does his schooling through correspondence, entered his first competition in 2008.
“From then on I’ve been going to regionals and the nationals. Last January the world championships were in Otaki, New Zealand, and after watching some of the skiing I was inspired to make the next worlds.
“To help make my goal I spent two weeks in September in Florida at the World Barefoot Center and I was pleased with my improvements.
“I made the New Zealand junior team as reserve, which meant if one of the other skiers got injured I would ski in their place. If not, I wouldn’t ski . . . so I had to make higher scores to be able to ski as an independent.
“I came over to Florida to train so that I could reach the required scores.”
Findlay was “really pushed” while in America.
“I’ve worked really hard, skiing two-to-three times a day every day, which is a lot more than I’m used to.
“But I’ve enjoyed the experience skiing with a heap of different people from such places as France, Canada, Holland and the USA.
“It’s a really great group of people. I’ve skied with the world champion and with the best barefoot coach in the world.”
Findlay said he was excited at the prospect of the worlds.
“It’s going to be my first experience at an international tournament and I will be trying to post my best possible score, and hopefully make it into the second round. If I did that I would be pretty stoked.”
Gisborne woman Eddie Wilson is also going to the worlds as a judge.