NEWS

Big Pull skiers fall short of breaking own world record

Melanie Lawder
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

GRAND RAPIDS – After five hours and six pyramid attempts, the six water ski teams involved in Saturday's Big Pull Attempt at Lake Wazeecha decided to cut their losses and try to set a new Guinness World Record again in the future.

The goal of Saturday's event was to create six, four-tier water ski pyramids, comprising 72 people total — all supported by the power of one boat. If successful, the teams would have set a new record for the Guinness book.

But one of the most difficult obstacles the teams faced Saturday was launching all the skiers off the docks and keeping them afloat. To set a Guinness record, the water skiers had to hold the six pyramids up for 200 meters, for about 30 seconds.

The water skiers try to successfully propel off the dock at Lake Wazeecha on Saturday, Sept. 21.

"The most difficult thing is to get everybody off the dock," said Mike Bell, one of the Big Pull water skiers. "We're all very good skiers. Once those pyramids are off the dock, I feel very comfortable that each of the pyramids would successfully build."

Eric Gran, coordinator for the Bill Pull Attempt, said lack of boat power was one of the main reasons the teams didn't set a record Saturday.

"It definitely was a power problem today," Gran said, noting that the modifications made to the dock and propellers weren't helping.

Saturday was also the first time the teams used pre-production engines from their sponsor, Evinrude. The new engines didn't perform as well as they hoped, Gran said.

Water skiers wrap up their ropes as they prepare for another attempt to break a Guiness World Record.

Bell noted that the weight the one boat had to pull was considerable.

The driver is "pulling six tons behind a boat that weighs only 3,000 pounds," Bell said.

Although unsuccessful this year, most of the teams involved in Saturday's event are no strangers to setting records. Last year, they beat their previous Guinness record when one boat pulled 60 people water skiing in five, four-tier pyramids.

Six water ski teams were involved in Saturday's effort: Illinois' Backwater Gamblers, Waukesha's Badgerland, Wisconsin Rapids Aqua Skiers, Brown Lake's Aqua Ducks, Beaver Dam's Beaverland Must-Skis and the Muskego Water Bugs.

Still, Saturday's Big Pull was successful in other areas. For instance, more than 72 people participated and everyone came away OK, Gran said.

"Despite the cold water and all the attempts we made, no one got hurt," he said.

From 9 years old to 59, people of a range of ages and locations participated in the Big Pull Attempt. Organizing a feat this large in magnitude and so difficult to accomplish is a success in itself, Bell said.

"To put that big a group of both all ages, girls and guys (together)," Bell said, "is incredible, whether we make it or not."

Water skiers line up in anticipation of their attempt to build a pyramid that will break a Guiness World Record at Lake Wazeecha on Saturday, Sept. 21.