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Other stories in "Water play"

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• Languid in Lanesboro
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• Cheat the heat
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• Last call for lake breaks
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• Land of big water
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• Grand sand
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• Camping out west
  Not far from the Twin Cities, county parks provide easy access to beach life.

Watching a water-ski show

It's the perfect way to end a summer day.

Watch a water-ski show, and you'll want to climb into your Thunderbird and go get a chocolate malted.

There's something deliciously retro about spending a balmy summer evening listening to '50s party music and the roar of marine engines as spangled, sun-bleached teen-agers fly by. A corny comedy routine is part of the show, but it's the tricks that keep the crowd enthralled: double flips, dance lines and pyramids that can go up to five tiers.

Show skiing is most popular in the Upper Midwest. Ralph Samuelson, who invented water-skiing on Lake Pepin in 1922, was a showman, and Tommy Bartlett began putting on shows in the Wisconsin Dells in 1952.

Wisconsin has many more show clubs than any other state, and the Janesville Rock Aqua Jays organized the first national championships in 1975.

The Madison club won that first championship and is the current champion, winning in 2009 for the fourth consecutive time. It performs Sundays on Lake Monona.

In Minnesota, the Little Crow Water Ski Team in New London is a perennial contender; it performs Fridays in Neer Park. But every team puts on a fun show.

Before going, check schedules for special July 4 and festival shows and to make sure a team isn't away at a tournament. The Wisconsin State/Regional Water Ski Show Tournament is held in mid-July and the Division 1 National Show Ski Tournament in early August.

All of the shows are free unless noted, but most teams ask for donations to help pay for gas and costumes. You can also support the teams by buying concessions.

Some teams have bleachers; to see others, bring a lawn chair or blanket. Often, the first half-hour of a show is devoted to the junior development team.

Here's the 2009 schedule of shows:

Southern Wisconsin

Mad-City Ski Team in Madison. Shows are at 6 p.m. Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At Law Park, next to Monona Terrance on Lake Monona. The team has won five of the last six National Show Ski Championships.

Rock Aqua Jays in Janesville. Shows are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays from Memorial Day through July and 6:30 p.m. from August through Labor Day. At Traxler Park on the Rock River. The team has won the national title 15 times, finishing third in 2009 and second in 2008.

Pewaukee Lake Water Ski Club in Pewaukee. Shows are at 6:45 p.m. Thursdays from Memorial Day through Aug. 6 and at 6:30 p.m. through Labor Day. At Lakefront Park on Pewaukee Lake, just west of Milwaukee.

Badgerland Water Ski Show Team in Waukesha. Shows are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays from Memorial Day through Aug. 5, then 6:30 p.m. through Labor Day. At Frame Park on the Fox River. It finished fourth at nationals in 2009.

Beaverland Must-Skis in Beaver Dam. Shows are at 6 p.m. Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At Tahoe Park on Beaver Dam Lake.

Waterbugs of Muskego. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At Idle Isle Park on Little Muskego Lake, southwest of Milwaukee.

Minneiska Water Ski Show Team near Whitewater. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At Scenic Ridge Campground on Whitewater Lake, southeast of town. 

Brown's Lake Aquaducks in Burlington. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays from Memorial Day through June 11, then 5:30 p.m. through Labor Day. At Fischer Park on Brown's Lake.

Ski Sprites Water Ski Show Team in Altoona. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays from June 7 through Labor Day at Lake Altoona, just east of Eau Claire. County-park parking is $3.

River City Waterski Show Team in La Crosse. Shows are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays from June 17 to Aug. 12. At Airport Beach from French Island on the Mississippi River.

Lauderdale Aqua Skiers near Elkhorn.Shows are at 6 p.m. Saturdays. At Don Jean Bay at Lauderdale Lakes in Lauderdale, seven miles north of Elkhorn.

Northern Wisconsin

Kwahamot Water Ski Club in Tomahawk. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. At Kwahamot Bay across from Veteran's Memorial Park on the Wisconsin River. 

Chain Skimmers near Eagle River. Shows are at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. On Lake Pleasant near Conover, 12 miles north of Eagle River.

Waterboard Warriors Water Ski Show Team in Wrightstown. Shows are at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in June and July and 6:30 p.m. in August. At Brown County Park on the Fox River, between Green Bay and Appleton.

Webfooters Water Show Team in Fremont. Shows are at 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays from June 7 to Aug. 30. On the Wolf River between Appleton and Waupaca.

Ski Sharks in Shawano. Shows are at 6 p.m. Wednesdays June 10 to Aug. 19. At Wolf River Park.

Hydroflites Water Ski Show Team in Chetek. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays from June 11 to Aug. 23. On Lake Chetek.

Twin Bridge Water Ski Team near Crivitz. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays from June 13 to Aug. 16. At Stephenson Town Park on High Falls Flowage, 12 miles northwest of Crivitz.

Aqua Skiers in Wisconsin Rapids. Shows are at 5 p.m. Sundays from June 14 to Aug. 23. At Lake Biron on the Wisconsin River, between 64th and 80th streets northeast of town. The Aqua Skiers are hosting the state tournament July 16-19 on Lake Wazeecha, east of town.

Badwater Ski-Ters in Spread Eagle. Shows are at 6 p.m. Wednesdays from June 17 to Aug. 12 and Sundays from June 14 to Sept. 6. At Vagabond Park on the Menominee River, five miles west of Iron Mountain, Mich.

Aqua Devils near Three Lakes. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays from June 17 to Aug. 16. At Phyllis B. Felland Memorial Water Ski Park on Big Stone Lake, 3½ miles east of Three Lakes.

Min-Aqua Bats Water Ski Club in Minocqua. Shows are at 7 p.m. Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays from June 17 to mid-August. At the Aqua Bowl on Lake Minocqua. Founded in 1950, this is the longest running amateur water-ski team in the nation.

Chain Skiers in Waupaca. Shows at 6 p.m. Saturdays from June 20 to Aug. 8. At Rainbow Lake from the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King, three miles southwest of Waupaca

Skiing Skeeters in Manitowish Waters. Shows are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays from June 20 to Aug. 22. At Rest Lake Park.

Plum Ski-ters Water Ski Show Team in Sayner. Shows are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. At Statehouse Point on Plum Lake.

Minnesota

Little Crow Water Ski Team in New London. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. in June and July and 7 p.m. in August. At Neer Park on the Crow River. $5, $8 for reserved seats. In west-central Minnesota, this is the little team that could; it didn't form until 1979 but won national championships in 1994 and 1998.

Twin Cities River Rats in Minneapolis.  Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays from June 4 to Aug. 27. Aquatennial shows are at 3 and 7 p.m. July 18-19. On the Mississippi River just north of downtown Minneapolis, between the Broadway and Plymouth bridges.

Ski Otters Water Ski Team in White Bear Lake. Shows are at 6 p.m. Sundays from June 14 to Aug. 30. At Little Goose Lake north of St. Paul.

Rochester Waterski Show Team near Rochester. Shows are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. At Fisherman’s Inn on Lake Zumbro, north of Rochester near Oronoco.

Illinois

Wonder Lake Ski Team in Wonder Lake, Ill. Shows are at 7 p.m. Fridays from May 29 to Aug. 14, with a 50th reunion show at 4 p.m. Sept. 6. At Center Beach, just across the border from Lake Geneva, Wis., where it will perform at 6 p.m. Aug 23 for Venetian Festival. This team won the national championship in 2001, 2000 and 1996 and finished second in 2009 and third in 2008.

Ski Broncs Waterski Show Team in Rockford. Shows are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays from June to the last Friday before Labor Day. At Shorewood Park on the Rock River in Loves Park.

Backwater Gamblers in Rock Island. Shows are at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. On the Rock River, near its confluence with the Mississippi. It finished fifth at nationals in 2009.

Iowa

Waterhawks Ski Team near Waterloo. Shows are at 6 p.m. Fridays or Sundays from June through Labor Day. $5, $3 for students. At Eagle Lake in Evansdale.

Five Seasons Ski Team in Cedar Rapids. Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursdays from May 28 to Labor Day. At Ellis Park on the Cedar River.

Michigan

Silver Lake Ski Club in Fenton. Shows are at 7 p.m. Tuesdays from June through Aug. 18. At Silver Lake Park, west of town.

Last updated on August 10, 2009