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A'lisa Piper, Lake Placid, Fl, has been selected as the
2004 Female Athlete of the Year. Miss A'lisa won the 2004 National Girls
Overall & Slalom Titles and the National Women Freestyle Title.
Additionally she won Skionee Kneeboarder of the Year, shared with teammate
Jared Bohlen.
Mark Ritchhart, Orlando, Fl, has been selected as the 2004 Male Athlete of
the Year. Mark is the reigning Open Men National Overall and Slalom Champion.
Mark holds the Open Men National Slalom record of 67 buoys, making him the
highest skilled kneeboard slalom skier in the history of the AKA.
Congratulations to A'lisa Piper and Mark
Ritchhart.
READ BELOW WHAT A'LISA AND MARK HAD TO SAY TO
PAULA FELVER, AKA SECRETARY.
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Q. What tournaments did you
participate in during 2004 and how did you place in each?
Polar Bear classic - First Place Tricks, Slalom, and Overall
Florida State Championships - First Place in Tricks, Slalom, Overall, and Freestyle
International Rider Cup Lake Heron England - First Place Tricks Visonarys
Divison, First Place Slalom Visonarys Divison, First Place Overall (the whole Team
U.S.A)
National Kneeboard Championships - Second Place Tricks, First Place Slalom, First Place Overall and First Place Woman Freestyle
Q. I hear you got some sponsorship in 2004?
This year I got sponsorship from HO. It’s great to get your first sponsorship. We don’t have a boat and I’m always bumming pulls behind anyone that will pull me so I’m looking forward to getting that boat sponsorship. Although I’m very pleased with the
kneeboard and rope!!
Q. What should people look out for from you in 2005?
I want to defend and/or break my titles. I also want to intimidate more people.
Q. Did you set any records this year?
I held the Florida State Slalom Record of 15 buoys in the Girls Division. This year I broke that record and now hold it at 22
buoys. |
Q. What is your favorite KB event?
I love slalom. My stomach may be churning on the starting dock before I slalom, but when I hit the water for my opening pass, I always smile as I set up for gates, having the confidence in what I'm doing and having a lot of fun doing it. Being a show skier with an entertainment back ground I love the crowd pleasers and that is all about tricks. Thus, I have enjoyed tricks as well. They are getting more difficult as my body ages, but I still get the boyish thrill of doing some of the maneuvers and even inventing some of my own.
Q. How often do you kneeboard or get out on the water doing any water sport?
My family loves the water. We would love to live on a lake but have to make the best with what we have been provided. So, in the summer months we get out several days a week. I do a lot of driving so my kids (Leah and Lyssa) can ski. My wife, Renae, is actually a great skier but doesn't like to compete or perform in front of others. She loves the exercise and family time and I love to watch her awesome ability and learn from her humbleness. We occasionally get out on the weekends in the fall, winter and spring. We are involved in a lot of cross training to keep us physical. We do Tae Kwondo as a family. We should all be black belts by late summer of 2005. On the water, I love practicing the different show ski disciplines but I've become real partial to the hydrofoil. It is addicting and I've been able to apply my past Kneeboard experience to succeed.
Q. What is your hometown?
I currently live in Orlando, Fl. I grew up in Iowa and learned to
ski in Lake of the Ozarks, MO. I was jealous of everyone in
Florida skiing12 months a year so I moved. I'm glad I did, because
my skiing took off and so did my spiritual life, career and social life,
meeting the woman of my dreams in 1986.
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Q. What lake do you ski on most often?
Lake Jessimine is only a mile away. We rented a house on the lake in 1988 - 1990 and got very familiar with the lake. When we moved back to Orlando from Lakeland it was an easy choice to go back to
Jessimine. My wife taught a boy whose mother skied with me at Sea World in the 80's and she has allowed us to use her dock and boat ramp for training and coaching. |
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Q. What other honors stand out in your mind this year?
I am Skionee Kneeboarder of the Year.
Mecca club member (scoring over 1500 points through out the 2004 season)
AND – getting this award - American Kneeboard Association Female Athlete of the Year 2004.
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Q. Which
boat is your favorite boat to be pulled behind?
I have always been partial to the Correct Craft. I own a 1987
Ski Nautique and love it. I use a variety of boats at tournaments, but
enjoy the varied blessing of my boat. |
*Additional comments:
I would like to add a thank you to George and Doris Rohner for helping me meet my goals. Also I’d like to say thanks to the whole Skionee
Board Team that gives me the support I need to help me accomplish my goals. It’s also very important to me to
thank everyone that let me bum rides all year for practice behind their boats.
Oh yeah, I guess you could add Mom, Dad and Chuck -LOL-
OH and.., We can’t forget Chuck Purdy for all the re- rides, and the sunglasses !! OH, I forgot to mention Jennifer, Bob, and Anita McDonnor for the encouragement they give to me and the confidence they show in me.
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Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time when you are not on the water?
I am a school teacher and coach which take up a lot of time. But that doesn't stop me from doing extra curricular stuff. Besides Tae
Kwondo, I play in a mens softball league. I love to workout doing cardiovascular and muscular training in a variety of ways. I show ski occasionally with different clubs. My favorite club is In His Wakes, a Christian show team lead by Kristi Overton Johnson reaching people through water skiing to consider a closer look at God and His son Jesus. I am involved in church activities. I play drums at church with a worship team. Mostly I love doing things with my family. We try to do nearly everything together and come up with excuses to have a special outing for any unusual occasion.
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Q. How old are you? What division are you in?
I am 43 years old and have been in the Open Mens division since 1989.
Q. Do you belong to any other clubs than
Skionee?
Skionee and In His Wakes |
