Australia’s Mark Savage writes below about the sad loss of his dad, Bob Savage.
It is with deep regret that I share with you that my father, Bob Savage, passed away last Friday after his fight with dementia. For all you new people in the sport of ski racing you may have met Bob and my mother Judy at the Southern 80 merchandise shop where he ran things for me many years. You may have even bought a T-shirt from him.
But for all the older people you will remember Bob as an official, and before that a skier and competitor himself.
Bob caught the water skiing bug in 1967 when some friends taught him to ski. He loved it so much that the next month he bought his own boat and the following month joined the Shellharbour Ski Club. That was the start of a life-long addiction to water skiing.
The following year we moved to Georgetown, Tasmania. There was no ski club so dad started the Georgetown Ski Club with some work friends and he skied in the second running of the 100-mile Iron Pot ski race in Hobart.
After four years with the Georgetown Ski Club and after teaching many people to ski, we came back to Shellharbour and back to our local ski club and that is when Bob starting to really get involved in organising and officiating in the sport.
Our first passion was tournament skiing and he ran many tournament ski schools at Nyngan and elsewhere. He taught countless people to ski in the learn-to-ski courses with the Shellharbour Water Ski Club.
He was elected to the NSW Water Ski Association Board and the Water Ski Judges Association. He was President of the Water Ski Judges Association for five years. . He also judged at barefooting and kite flying competitions, and just about any ski event that needed help from the local club events right through to World Titles.
Bob was asked to be race organiser and Chief Judge of Region V by Terry Bennett, Tom Bruce and Pat Cole in its early years, which he did for many, many years as his talent of organising and judging was unsurpassed. (His events always ran on time with very little incidents.)
On top of this he was also asked to run the Bridge to Bridge when it was in the red. My Dad he turned it around and it was in the black very quickly. The change to the current finish line for this race was something he instigated after much research and negotiations.
My dad was Chief Judge and race organiser for the Australian Titles many times, and countless series days and one ups and was always there to help at any level and was regarded as the best and fairest judge.
Over the years my dad was awarded rare life memberships in Region V, NSW Ski Association, and the NSW Judges Association, which I believe no one else has ever achieved.
My dad was an unassuming man who was never after fame or prestige. He just wanted to help and be a part of the sport he so loved which he did above and beyond.
The photo below was given to us from the Italy committee and is his proudest day when he was asked to carry the Australian flag at the World Titles in Italy for the team. The other photo shows my Dad doing rope on toe on a fence paling which was one of the events he competed in at the Country Zone challenges (and won).
My family and I are extremely proud of my father’s achievements in water skiing and ski racing. There has been many a person that would tell me that he was the best and fairest judge. He will be sadly missed.
Dad’s funeral will be held on the 20/5/2010 at 2pm at Hanson & Cole Chapel located at 634 Northcliffe Dr., Berkeley. All are welcome.
Click photos to enlarge
