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World Champion Todd Haig Set to Defend Title

The Record Gazette is the No. 1 media outlet in Southern California’s San Gorgonio Pass delivering news in Banning, Beaumont, Cherry Valley and Cabazon. Beaumont is also the home of current World Champion Todd Haig.

Scott Read wrote the following article for The Record Gazette and it will be published in the paper on Friday with photos. Visit it online after Friday at www.recordgazette.net.

Scott has kindly given his permission for it to be published here too.

World Champion Todd Haig Set to Defend Title – By Scott Read

Yes, world title. The LA Dodgers, NY Yankees, LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers – all have claimed world titles, but none have ever played against a contingent of teams from the world and come away a champion.

In June 2005, Beaumont’s Todd Haig went to Hunstation, England, competed against the world’s best water skiers from Europe, New Zealand and Australia and dominated the competition.

Team Haig (yes it’s a team sport) consists of Driver Randy Davis, Observer Dennis Hall, Navigator Steve Davis and of course Skier Todd Haig. They will be leaving the U.S. for Rotora, New Zealand’s May 10-20 Running of the World Championships. The team was selected by a five-person committee appointed by the NWSRA (National Water Ski Racing Association) and will be part of the 2007 U.S. Elite Water Ski Racing Team.

The Elite Team consists of athletes Marshall Cole, Kyle Cummings, Todd Haig, Lacey Nordblad, Katelin Wendy and Andy Anderson (alternate), all from the Southern California area. The teams were selected based upon performances during the 2006 marathon racing season, which consists of twelve races.

In New Zealand, Team Haig will compete against nearly a dozen countries over ten days, in four rounds, each round lasting one hour plus one lap to determine the 2007 champion. The United States has won nine world titles in as many as six different categories in the biennial event’s fourteen occurrences. Haig is the 2005 defending world champion.

Quotes:

What does the European community think of USA’s Todd Haig?
Robbie Llewellyn of skirace.net in Prague said it’s “Great to see a skier at such a caliber as Todd is, mild mannered, down to earth guy, nice to see that type of attitude in a world champion.” Can any skier win on a given day at the worlds? Llewellyn says “To be quite honest with you, Todd totally dominated the field at the ’05 Worlds, [there was] no one to touch him, that’s what really stands out.” As for 2007, he says, “who knows? Maybe a star that hadn’t been shining will shine.”

What does Todd’s team think?

Randy Davis: Driver of Nordic boats tells us they’ll “be driving a new Nordic at the Worlds, with a single supercharged engine, 21′. At the Catalina Race we’ll have a twin engined, supercharged unit to try and help Todd win his seventh out of the past eight races. After last year’s Catalina race, we started last (due to engine problems) the caught up to the field and won by two rope-lengths. I told the media if that doesn’t prove that Todd isn’t the best skier in the world, nothing will!” “Sometimes there is friendly yet serious banter between nations, America to be taught a lesson’, Todd was the 1st American to win all four rounds, and 1st ever to lap the field’.” “When Todd retires, I will probably too.” “We jell as a team, we know each other’s capabilities, limitations and thoughts, [like], if there is a mistake, it’s not on purpose or out of stupidity.'”

Dennis Hall: Observer says “I watch our for Todd; water conditions determines speed.” “Only go as fast as it takes to win.” “The Aussies and Euros are good in rough water conditions, Todd though, learned to ski in rough water.” “We use hand signals to communicate.” “We know as defending champs, we have a bulls eye on us, we know bad luck, boat or engine problems can take us out – we’ve had a good run so far.”

Steve Davis: Navigator. Steve will be running in Formula 2 (defending 2 champ) because a navigator isn’t used on the short courses. When Team Haig comes back from N.Z., he’ll be faced with the Catalina Race, where twenty-six miles of ocean lays before you. “You must hit Avalon [Harbor] dead on” in order to win. “My main job is to be on the left side of the boat, watching the GPS system”; you have to have a good eye. “In ski racing, time is everything.” “The break water is only wide enough for twenty boats, seventy-eight have to get through!” “Without the skier, you have nothing.” “Upon winning the Catalina”, “Todd’s giving the up’s!”

Scott Read: Writer. “In doing this story, Todd Haig has proven his mettle: inherent quality of character and temperament, courage and fortitude; spirit as has his team. Even as champions, they have the respect of their competitors, a rare ownership indeed today. Best of luck at the 2007 World Championships!”

Todd is a Beaumont HS graduate, works for Hondo Construction in Beaumont and most recently has been America’s Male Athlete of the Year.

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