Jolly Ski Records: Over Twenty Years of History, Performances and Milestones

There are waterski lakes that host tournaments and training sessions, and then there are places that become part of the history of our sport.

Since 2004, the year Jolly Ski was inaugurated, we have welcomed generations of skiers, world champions, national records, and performances that still stand as benchmarks in international waterskiing. Competitive events began to gain momentum as early as 2005, and over the following years our lake became the stage for some of the most important performances ever achieved in Europe, a sports facility capable of hosting European Championships, Junior World Championships, and the prestigious San Gervasio Pro Am.

Today, Jolly Ski features two independent lakes, two homologated slalom courses, a jump ramp used by athletes from every continent, and state-of-the-art technology. But what truly makes this place special is not only its infrastructure. It is the caliber of the athletes who have chosen to ski here over the years and the extraordinary performances they have achieved on these waters.

The Major Events That Shaped Our History

The first international title event came in 2007 with the Under 21 European Championships. For the club, it represented a major milestone: not only an important organizational achievement, but also a memorable sporting success thanks to the slalom gold medal won by local athlete Matteo Luzzeri.

Three years later, in 2010, San Gervasio hosted the Junior World Championships. To this day, many athletes who attended still remember that event as one of the best junior world championships ever organized. It is remembered not only for the atmosphere, but also for the remarkable performances recorded throughout the week.

In 2014, the San Gervasio Pro Am was launched. At a time when professional waterski tournaments in Europe were facing challenges, this event helped bring elite international waterskiing back to the continent with prize money and innovative formats. Within just a few years, the Pro Am became one of the most prestigious stops on the global professional tour.

In 2023, the Open European Championships arrived in San Gervasio, bringing a premier continental event back to Lombardy after more than thirty years. The championship further confirmed San Gervasio’s central role in the international waterski scene.

With such a history behind it, it is perhaps no surprise that some of the sport’s most remarkable performances have taken place right here.

Slalom Records: Regina Jaquess and Nate Smith

Slalom is arguably the discipline that best represents the essence of waterskiing. Speed, precision, timing, and control must all come together within a matter of seconds.

For those unfamiliar with the sport, the concept is simple: ski around six buoys while the rope is progressively shortened after each successful pass. Eventually, the challenge becomes extraordinary, as the rope becomes shorter than the distance required to physically reach the buoy. At that point, everything depends on the skier’s ability to generate speed and angle behind the boat.

The women’s lake record belongs to American legend Regina Jaquess, one of the greatest slalom skiers in history. During the second round of the 2017 San Gervasio Pro Am, she scored 2 buoys at 10.25 metres (boat speed 55 km/h).

The men’s side has also seen exceptional performances. The 2016 edition of the San Gervasio Pro Am is still remembered as one of the most spectacular ever held. During that single event, athletes completed five passes at 10.25 metres: three by reigning world champion Nate Smith of the United States and two by multiple world champion Freddie Winter of Great Britain.

That same year, Nate Smith became the first skier in the history of the lake to reach a buoy at 9.75 metres, setting the San Gervasio lake record with 1 buoy at that rope length. For years the mark appeared untouchable, until Freddie Winter matched it in 2023.

Jump Records: Louis-Douplan-Fribourg and Marie Vympranietsova

Among all waterski disciplines, jump is probably the one that leaves the strongest impression on first-time spectators. Watching an athlete approach the ramp at over 90 km/h and fly dozens of metres through the air is always breathtaking.

The men’s lake record belongs to France’s Louis Duplan-Fribourg, who landed a jump of 64.5 metres during the final of the 2023 Open European Championships. To put that distance into perspective, it is longer than two full basketball courts laid end to end. It is a performance that highlights the extraordinary level reached by modern jump skiing. The women’s lake record belongs to Greece’s Marie Vympranietsova, who landed 52.5 metres during the 2016 San Gervasio Flip & Jump Contest.

Tricks Records: Danylo Filchenko and Giannina Bonnemann

Tricks is the most technical discipline in waterskiing and often the least familiar to the general public. In just twenty seconds, athletes must perform a sequence of spins, flips, and technical manoeuvres while accumulating as many points as possible. Every mistake is costly, and every trick must be executed with precision.

In 2024, Ukraine’s Danylo Filchenko established the men’s lake record with 11,860 points during the second round of the International San Gervasio, our three-event tournament that reached its 21st edition this year. It was a world-class performance that reflects the continuous evolution of the discipline. The women’s lake record belongs to Germany’s Giannina Bonnemann, who scored 9,520 points during the final of the 2023 Open European Championships.

These results place San Gervasio among the few lakes capable of hosting elite-level performances across all three waterski disciplines.

Other Notable Achievements at San Gervasio

Over more than twenty years of activity, our waterski centre has witnessed performances that have left a lasting mark on the history of the sport.

During the 2010 Junior World Championships, Australian athlete Timothy Bradstreet jumped 59.1 metres, a performance that still stands today as the Junior World Record. More than fifteen years later, no athlete has managed to surpass it.

During the same championship, France’s Iris Cambray established a Junior World Record in tricks with 8,560 points. Two world records set during the same event speak volumes about the level of competition that week.

In 2024, Argentina’s Violeta Mociulsky made history by setting a new Argentine Open National Slalom Record with 3 buoys at 11.25 metres during the San Gervasio Pro Am.

Team Italy has also enjoyed memorable moments on the waters of San Gervasio. In 2021, Nicholas Benatti established the Italian Open Tricks Record with 11,250 points during the International San Gervasio. The performance marked a significant milestone for Italian waterskiing and remained the national benchmark until Edoardo Marenzi improved it in the United States in 2025 with 11,480 points.

Among the most significant Italian achievements at San Gervasio is also Gianmarco Pajni‘s Under 21 National Tricks Record. During the third round of the 2017 Flip & Jump Contest, the local athlete scored 10,930 points, a record that still stands today.

A Story Still Being Written

Records tell an important part of our history, but they are not the only reason why so many skiers choose San Gervasio as their training destination each year.

Over the years, Jolly Ski has grown alongside the athletes who have skied here, continuously evolving to provide the best possible conditions for everyone—from beginners approaching their first buoys to professionals preparing for international competition. The addition of our second lake represents another step forward, allowing us to expand training opportunities and welcome even more skiers. And while we continue to celebrate the history written on Lake 1, we cannot help but wonder about the records that will one day be set on Lake 2.

Have you ever skied at San Gervasio? We look forward to welcoming you to Jolly Ski and giving you the opportunity to experience firsthand the place where some of the most remarkable achievements in waterskiing history have been made.