Worlds Fastest Waterskier..............1962

[racerden]

Ray, Maggie & Sandy.....................my Dad pulled Maggie back in the day. We were just talking about her at the dinner table last night. She was one of the top skiers in her class and she can't swim a STROKE
that sure did'nt slow her down any :thumbsup Are you in touch with them ?

When I 1st started ski race driving, I pulled Ray at San Diego when his primary boat broke (Ralph Kerber's). I believe Maggie was skiing behind Norm Wilson at the time. Both top shelf folks.
________
Paxil Settlement Information

 

[Wheeler]

When I 1st started ski race driving, I pulled Ray at San Diego when his primary boat broke (Ralph Kerber's). I believe Maggie was skiing behind Norm Wilson at the time. Both top shelf folks.

I knew Ralph Kerber, my sister married his nephew.

 

[RiverDave]

When I 1st started ski race driving, I pulled Ray at San Diego when his primary boat broke (Ralph Kerber's). I believe Maggie was skiing behind Norm Wilson at the time. Both top shelf folks.

Welcome to the board RacerDen.

RD

 

[SKIA36]

Nice story and picture, do you know the Bartons?

Played golf with Sandy and her husband 2 weeks ago at Trilogy GC Glen Ivy. She is a really good golfer . They have a Motorhome pad in Temecula that they spend most of their weekends at. They live in Lakewood. It was nice to tell old ski race stories...

 

[Wheeler]

Played golf with Sandy and her husband 2 weeks ago at Trilogy GC Glen Ivy. She is a really good golfer . They have a Motorhome pad in Temecula that they spend most of their weekends at. They live in Lakewood. It was nice to tell old ski race stories...

How does she look? I thought she was the hottest thing around! then again she must have been 14 and I might have been 8 or 9.

 

[Oz Dude]

Teresa Wallace in 2007
YouTube- World Barefoot Speed Record Holder

Teresa again in 2008
YouTube- Teresa Wallace 100+ MPH Barefoot Water Ski

As for finding out the fastest guy, here's a link to the Australian Barefoot Racers Club (and some awesome pics). I'm sure someone there would know for sure who the record holder is...

Do you guys have barefoot drags in the USA?? It's pretty cool to watch.

Oz

 

[obnoxious001]

Do you guys have barefoot drags in the USA?? It's pretty cool to watch.

Oz

Haven't heard of any for many years. I recall watching barefoot and ski runs at Long Beach Marine Stadium when I was much younger.

 

[obnoxious001]

Amazing, Catalina in a flattie! and people worry about Parker in the afternoon.
I remember Ralph Kerber did not want to give up his fords and run Chevy's.

Catalina in a flattie with NO GPS Most of the guys ran "by the seat of thier pants" at most they'd have a compass. One year we made the turn at Avalon, headed back to LB an I see the other 4 boats in the lead pack headed off to our left, I start "pointing" at the other guy's trying to tell my observer to follow them. He just keeps giving me the "OK" sign while pointing down at the compass, that was duct taped on the stringers telling me we're on course :hmm well after about 3 hours I FINALLY see land, off to the left it stops, off to the right it stops so I'm thinking we've been running in a frickin circle out in the middle of the ocean and were back at Avalon ..........WRONG then it dawns on me ..........we are at San Clemente Island by then the fog has lifted, we're in a 18 ft Howard with TWO seats, we ended up running all the way back up the coast line to LB, 4 1/2 hours :swear last ones in

What type of boat were you using to ski Catalina in '63? Any pictures of the boat that won the race that year?

The Catalina Race was a lot more difficult when they all ran small flatbottom boats. GPS was not available (or invented?) in the old days, and remained against the rules for many years, so guys would often have more than one compass in case they broke one. I recall observers with padding taped on them to try to help keep from being beat up so badly in the boat.

There was a point when 19 and 20 foot v bottom boats were considered "big"!

Don't forget, these guys were all skiing with their hands in front of them back in the old days!

 

[Oz Dude]

Haven't heard of any for many years. I recall watching barefoot and ski runs at Long Beach Marine Stadium when I was much younger.

Wow, it sure would have helped if I put the bloody link in!

http://www.abrc.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=278

Oz

 

[obnoxious001]

Hmm,, none of them figure a helmet is a good thing? Guess there is no ski to hit?

 

[Robbie Llewellyn]

Here's a few pics & articles on Chuck:
http://www.skirace.net/?p=65
http://www.skirace.net/?p=64

and here he is talking over this 2008 Catalina footage: http://www.skirace.net/?p=1833

 

[RiverDave]

Welcome to the board Robbie!

RD

 

[Robbie Llewellyn]

Good to be here RD. I only just discovered your little place!
Some great stuff here.

Here's Chuck doing his 1967 record
He fell at 118.89 mph - OUCH!

And then got back up to set a record of 122.11mph ...over 40 years ago!!!

Welcome to the board Robbie!

RD

 

[RiverDave]

Great Photos!! Thanks for sharing!

That's crazy.. 122 40 years ago?

RD

 

[obnoxious001]

Welcome to the board Robbie!

RD

I pointed him your direction when I saw his name listed as a skier in the 1980 Catalina Ski Race.

 

[obnoxious001]

In one of my earlier post's about the worlds fastest boat, I mentioned Lee Taylor, the boat driver. He held the world record for the 1/4 mile on a waterski at something like 86 or 88 mph. I think it was in 1962, at Long Beach Marine Stadium, Butch Peterson went thru at 106 mph, behind I think Barry McGowan in "Banzai" I could be wrong on the boat & driver but I do remember it was 106 mph. This is a photo of me with Butch at the Parker ski races in 1962, I won the men's open class that weekend Now if you're wondering, how the hell could that scrawny 14 year old little shit beat this guy in a ski race :hmm
It was EASY.........................................I was the only one of 8 that didn't crash & burn Butch came down to congratulate me on the win :beer He was a real class act He was also a world class tournament skier, trick, jump & slalom. Chuckie Stearns was the next record holder at 118 and then Danny Churchill ( he invented the "knee-ski" ) went thru at 128 mph. I have no idea what the record is today, could'nt find anything for flat out speed in the measured 1/4 mile.

Butch had gone 117 somewhere in there, think it was a record prior to Chuck's 118, but if I recall, he fell through the lights and broke his pelvis or something painful like that. My younger brother had magazine photos of Butch all over our room, wish I had some of those articles now. Got to check again with dad and see what photos he has stashed!

 

[RiverDave]

I pointed him your direction when I saw his name listed as a skier in the 1980 Catalina Ski Race.

I appreciate the referal Barry! Growing the site one member at a time!

I hope the ski racing section continues to grow.. It's definately a cool sport that could use a lot more exposure.

RD

 

[obnoxious001]

I appreciate the referal Barry! Growing the site one member at a time!

I hope the ski racing section continues to grow.. It's definately a cool sport that could use a lot more exposure.

RD

Robbie sends out a cool ski racing newsletter. I have been on his mailing list for years.

I can imagine that he may post something about your new ski racing section that will bring over quite a few individuals to look at it. I can PM his email address if you didn't get it when he signed up for the site.

 

[RiverDave]

Robbie sends out a cool ski racing newsletter. I have been on his mailing list for years.

I can imagine that he may post something about your new ski racing section that will bring over quite a few individuals to look at it. I can PM his email address if you didn't get it when he signed up for the site.

He is more then welcome to post up his news letter here as well.

I'd like to read it! If there's pics etc.. I can figure it so that he can upload it in .pdf format, or as a normal post with pics inserted etc..

RD

 

[River Lynchmob]

He is more then welcome to post up his news letter here as well.

I'd like to read it! If there's pics etc.. I can figure it so that he can upload it in .pdf format, or as a normal post with pics inserted etc..

RD

Dave his site / news letter is bad ass...I have been receiving it for years also and I can't believe I have never mentioned it to you.

His site is: http://www.skirace.net/

you can sign up there for a weekly news letter with the goings on iin ski racing all over the world.

 

[RiverDave]

Bitchen!! Thanks Lynch!

RD

 

[whiteworks]

Good to be here RD. I only just discovered your little place!
Some great stuff here.

Here's Chuck doing his 1967 record
He fell at 118.89 mph - OUCH!

And then got back up to set a record of 122.11mph ...over 40 years ago!!!

Cool Pics, I was helping my buddys dad clean out his garage a few weeks back and we found this piece of racing nostaglia in the attic. This is the Ski Chuck Stearns set the record on. I am not sure how long the skis they use today are but this one measured in a 71". My buddys dad purchased the ski from Chuck for his little brother to race on (late 60's) The ski is now a proud wall piece

 

[whiteworks]

couple more shots.

 

[skifaster]

RD, After meeting Whiteworks at Puddingstone and seeing the pictures as well as the new ski racing section. I had to direct Robbie at skirace.net to your site. As Lynch and Barry have said, his site is the best there is for ski racing. I had sent him an update regarding our Puddingstone event with a link to your site for all the pictures Whiteworks took. For a ski racing site, the hits he gets are incredible. I am sure you will see your site grow Internationally with some exposure on his site as it is the one stop shop for ski racing news around the world. Love your site, started checking it out because of all the info and pics of the 10' Schiada's after I got mine last year. But I am a ski racer at heart and am putting on some of the events this year and appreciate the exposure and ski race section on your site. Looking forward to seeing the RDP team at our Puddingstone event September 26th and again at the US Open October 9-11.

 

[recalcush]

chuck sterns had a hip replacement a few months ago and is now building two new speed skis to race catalina ski race in 2010.he is in his 70's and lives parttime in canyon lake and seal beach.i know this because i had lunch with him a few weeks ago and i brought back in nov/08 two wood unfinished skis from australia from the famous fred williams.

 

[jamlucas]

Well I know that Mark Weaver was skiing behind a superclass boat in Australia and was skiing at 131 mph at the Queensland State Titles.

 

[RiverDave]

Welcome to the board Jamlucas.

RD

 

[River Lynchmob]

chuck sterns had a hip replacement a few months ago and is now building two new speed skis to race catalina ski race in 2010.he is in his 70's and lives parttime in canyon lake and seal beach.i know this because i had lunch with him a few weeks ago and i brought back in nov/08 two wood unfinished skis from australia from the famous fred williams.

Hey look Rob you dropped something...a name make it two

 

[recalcush]

john- i do know a few ski racers-lol

 

[Skyskier]

Cool Pics, I was helping my buddys dad clean out his garage a few weeks back and we found this piece of racing nostaglia in the attic. This is the Ski Chuck Stearns set the record on. I am not sure how long the skis they use today are but this one measured in a 71". My buddys dad purchased the ski from Chuck for his little brother to race on (late 60's) The ski is now a proud wall piece

Chuck made the best concave, ash, slalom ski I ever rode, BAR NONE, Maha's were a far 2nd. Not many of them made, as he hand built EVERY ski in the shop behind his Dad's place in Bellflower. As I recall, it took a couple months from time of order till ya got it, but it was worth the wait. Somebody "borrowed" mine when I got drafted in 1967,...never saw it again :swear

 

[Oz Dude]

When I was a kid, my father built waterskis for a while. Did it in our workshop at home. Sold quite a few. I still remember the jigs and the raw blanks.

I still have one with my name on it, as well as one that was a gift from a guy (old friends) he showed how to make them. It's a twin tunnel ski and it's the only one I've ever seen.

Oz

 

[Henskier]

Churchill completing a helicopter in the '80's

 

[Kdub157]

my uncle Craig Wendt making his world record....

 

[Deleted Account]

"Bird" Vestermark, LOL. Back in the day..

 

[curacn1]

If i am not mistaken i am sure a skier from Australia holds the record at 132 mph and it has stood since the mid 1970's. His name is Chris Massey. I have seen his record breaking run on Video.

 

[highwaybiz]

what about ED Stanly

 

[Kdub157]

yea your right i just made that up in photoshop......not.

chris massey set the record in 1983 and it was for 143 mph.

there have also been a few others who set and held the record in between my uncle and chris massey...but yea i think he still does hold the record.

 

[curacn1]

Hi Kdub,

The information you posted about your uncle is awesome and i love the old school racers. I do not know what made you think i was questioning the authenticity of your post but rather just letting the people who participate on this forum that i believed the record currently stands higher. I am sure that, like most records, it will also be broken. But again, i take my hat off to those who have and will continue to break these and other records.

CURACN

 

[Kdub157]

its all good i was just messin around.

 

[obnoxious001]

Interestingly enough, I ran into Bobby Hewitt today while I was buying some engine parts. He heard me mention water ski racing, and he started to tell me about when he pulled Butch Peterson to 122 mph at Long Beach. I don't know that that was backed up or official, but he went on to talk with me about some of the marathon boat racing he did too, driving Jake Gilbraeth's Mandella.

 

[MarkC]

Sorry for getting off this topic but, Isn't he building capsule boats (drag) in Phoenix? if its the same guy I think he also worked for Cole boats..

 

[obnoxious001]

Sorry for getting off this topic but, Isn't he building capsule boats (drag) in Phoenix? if its the same guy I think he also worked for Cole boats..

He said his son is building boats, and in fact he explained the process they have to go through to get the F85 fighter capsules they use through homeland security.