Israel Wins Three Medals at European Water Ski Championships

Israel's national team achieved a significant success at the European Wakeboard and Wakeskate 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 wakeboarding, and Dan Milstein earned the bronze medal in wakeskating. The team's performance marks a perfect end to the competition season. Sixteen-year-old Rani Nitzan, already the youth European champion in wakeskating, also achieved a notable result by finishing fourth in the adult competition. These achievements add to Israel's consistent medal wins at European and World championships in recent years. Looking ahead, the focus will shift to qualifying for the World Games in Karlsruhe 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 Israel's first in adult wakeboarding in several years, expressing satisfaction with the team meeting all its goals. Tal also thanked coaches Moshiko Tzadka, Lior Sofer, and Ori Buzo, along with the Eilat Association and the Competitive Sports Unit for their year-round support. 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, given the addition of new disciplines.