Israel Wins Three Medals at European Water Ski Championships

The Israeli delegation achieved a significant success at the European Wakeboard and Waiksate Championships held in Belgium, returning home with three medals: gold, silver, and bronze. Henry Chen secured the gold medal, becoming the European champion in the Seated Wakeboard category for athletes with disabilities. Mati Kornfeld won the silver medal in wakeboard, and Dan Milstein earned the bronze medal in waikskate. Sixteen-year-old Rani Nitzan, the youth European champion in waikskate, also achieved a notable result by finishing fourth in the adult competition. These achievements add to Israel's consistent success in European and World championships in recent years, capping off a remarkable season. The focus will now shift to qualifying for the World Games in 2029, following the decision to significantly expand the number of water ski disciplines included in the event. Ma'oz Tal, CEO of the Israel Water Ski Association, stated that the European Championships concluded a record-breaking season for cable water skiing, with a total of 11 medals across European and World championships. He highlighted Kornfeld's silver medal as the first for Israel in adult wakeboard in several years and expressed satisfaction with all season goals being met. Erick Kaplan, President and CEO of the "Eilat" Association, praised the Water Ski Association for bringing honor to Israel and expressed hope that these successes will be reflected in the 2029 World Games delegation due to the addition of new disciplines.