OLDS — The accolades just keep coming for former Olds resident and exceptional water skier Ryan Dodd.
Dodd was named Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada’s (WSWC) 2023 WSWC Male Water Ski Athlete of the Year.
During the 2023 season, Dodd won virtually every competition he entered, starting with the Moomba Masters event in Australia.
He then won the Masters at Callaway Gardens in Georgia, and the California Pro Am.
He won the world title in the men’s jump event during the U.S. Masters Ski and Wakeboard Tournament, held May 26-28 in Pine Mountain, Ga. jumping 67.9 metres to clinch the championship.
Dodd actually jumped further in the semifinals of the U.S. Masters, leaping 68.1 metres. He only needed two jumps to win that event so he didn’t need to make a third jump.
He capped it all off at the end of the season by winning the 2023 IWWF (International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation) World Waterski Championships in Florida for his fifth consecutive victory and made him world jump champion for a fifth time.
“I didn't go to every event, but I went to all the biggest ones and then a few others and I won every event and had a healthy season,” Dodd said during an interview with the Albertan.
“I wrapped it up with winning the World Championships (which occur) only every two years, so winning my fifth consecutive over a decade was pretty cool,” he added.
“That was definitely my goal. So yeah, there's absolutely no complaints, except for I'd like to definitely break a world record again.”
Dodd was asked what it means for him to have been named the 2023 WSWC Male Water Ski Athlete of the Year.
“Well, it's kind of interesting because I've had it probably 10 or 15 times,” he said. “So when you see it that way, it's not new.
“But then you know, I'm older and have kids now (Aria and Cruz) and we've been through a lot more. So you kind of appreciate it more, which is kind of interesting.”
“I was actually kind of thinking about the other day,” Dodd added.
“It could be seen as monotonous, but then it's like, wow, this is quite -- when you really think about it, it's pretty special to be (so named).”
Dodd said being named Male Athlete of the Year once again, now that he’s in his 40s and after dominating the sport for decades still means a lot, given all the help he’s received from people over the years and the fact that he started out in water skiing decades in the Olds area when he was just nine years old.
“You know, when I was younger, I just wanted to be the best, that I could be the best in the world,” Dodd said.
“I've been in the best in the world for more than 10 years consecutively and when you sit there and look back, it doesn't feel very long from my perspective. It actually doesn't. I don't know why.
“But then it is a long time and I still am hungry to do it.”
In fact, when interviewed, Dodd was preparing to go to go out water skiing and shoot a video about the sport.
“These guys are going to document me the whole season, starting today, so that’s also kind of neat.”
