By Russell Bennett
The waterskiing career of Pakenham teen sensation Bailey Christie continues to go from strength to strength, with the young star embarking on a Junior World Championships campaign in Spain next month.
Bailey, who’s in Year 10 at Pakenham’s Beaconhills College, is overseas already – preparing for the tournament.
Through his sport, he’s been presented with the opportunity to travel the globe and compete – and it’s something he refuses to take for granted.
He headed off to the last junior World titles in Chile as a reserve and it was an experience that he’s well and truly built from.
“Since then I’ve just been focussed on training hard to make the team for this world championship just because I loved the experience of being over there and just wanted to do it again,” he said.
“For two years, it’s just been training and tournaments to get good scores to get selected.”
The team for August’s competition was picked at the nationals in April. He won a silver in slalom, gold in trick, placed fifth in jump, and claimed a silver overall. He also broke a trick and overall state record – a remarkable achievement given he was in his first year of under-17 competition.
Bailey would love to achieve a personal best at the Junior World Championship coming up, but more than that he just wants to soak in the entire experience.
“That’s really important – to go over there and not be too focussed on what’s happening, but enjoy what’s going on around you as well,” he said.
“I feel like sometimes you go to a tournament and you don’t find yourself enjoying it enough.
“I’m only going to ski in one junior worlds.
“I just want to take in as much as I can and remember everything and soak it all in, because I’m not going to be able to do it again.
Bailey is number one for his age group in Australia for slalom and trick, and third in jump. He was also recently the sixth-ranked overall skiier in the world in the under-17 bracket.
Throughout his time in the sport, Bailey has been fortunate enough to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Jack – also a world class skiier.
Jack recently competed in the US Masters in America, a competition which only the world’s top five are invited to compete in.
Not only do Bailey and Jack spur each other on through their respective journeys, they provide and unending source of support for each other.
It’s a unique situation that’s clearly served them particularly well.
While it would be easy for a skiier of Bailey’s age to get carried away in competing on the world stage and all that it encompasses, he remains grounded – fully appreciative of all the support he’s received from friends and family, his school, and his sponsors, in addition to Pakenham family owned and operated business, Voyage Fitness.
It’s hell of a crest of a wave that Bailey’s riding, but he remains focused with his eyes firmly fixed on the future – continuing to establish himself as one of the best young waterskiers in the world, while taking time to stop and smell the roses along the way.
