USA_WaterSki

Team will represent United States at inaugural Pan American Olympic Festival

POLK CITY, Fla. – USA Water Ski is pleased to announce the selection of the 2014 U.S. Pan  American Olympic Festival Team. The team, which was chosen based on world rankings and availability,  will represent the United States at the 2014 Pan American Olympic Festival, July 16-20, in Morelos, Mexico.

The Pan American Olympic Festival is a first-year water ski and wakeboard event being hosted  by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO). Events include men’s and women’s slalom, tricks,  jumping and overall, as well as men’s and women’s wakeboarding.

Athletes selected to the U.S. team were: Andrew Adkison (Chipley, Fla.), men’s wakeboarding;  Makayla Haw (Rio Linda, Calif.), women’s slalom, tricks, jumping and overall; Erika Lang (Gilbert,  Ariz.), women’s slalom, tricks, jumping and overall; Raimi Merritt (Orlando, Fla.), women’s  wakeboarding); and Nate Smith (McCordsville, Ind.), men’s slalom. Lori Krueger (Martindale, Texas)  will serve as the team leader.

The 2014 Pan American Olympic Festival will include 23 sports – all of which will be included in  the XVII Pan American Games in Toronto in July 2015 – and an estimated 3,000 athletes. According to  PASO, the objective is to provide elite athletes an opportunity to participate in a high level competition of  their specific sport with the objective of improving their preparation for the XVII Pan American Games.

USA Water Ski was formed in 1939 as a non-profit organization promoting water skiing in the  United States. USA Water Ski is affiliated with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (world  governing body) and is recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and Pan-American Sports  Organization as the national governing body of organized water skiing and wakeboarding in the United States.