JANESVILLE - A quartet of Green County residents helped propel the Rock Aqua Jays Water Ski Show Team to the championship at the 38th annual Indmar Marine Engines Division 1 Show Ski National Championships Aug. 10-12.
It is the Rock Aqua Jays' second straight national title and the 17th in its history. Four members of the Rock Aqua Jays are from Green County - Roni Stapelmann (Cook), Jeff Cook, Ben Kopp and Laura Chopp. Chopp has been on the ski team for seven years.
"It felt satisfying," Chopp said. "We worked really hard all season. We have a lot of talent coming out of the area."
The national championship served as a little redemption for the Aqua Jays.
The Mad-City Ski Team of Madison won a state championship ahead of the second place Aqua Jays earlier this summer. On Saturday, the Aqua Jays finished with 2,221.48 points to win the national title, which was 172.6 points ahead of the Mad-City Ski Team.
The Aqua Jays opened with a five-tier pyramid, which was the highest scoring pyramid at the national championship. The barefoot line also received the highest score at the competition.
"Our three four-tier pyramids were flawless," Chopp said.
The team also took the top spots for sound crew, pick up boat, tour boat teams and the docking equipment crew. Chopp is impressed by the team's continued success.
"It says something about our team because people want to be a part of the Rock Aqua Jays," she said. "People are willing to drive 30 to 45 minutes for practice. We call ourselves a big family. It's nice to be a national championship team. I'm glad I'm a part of it."
Last year the Aqua Jays captured their first amateur national championship since 2005. The y have also won seven Triple Crown championships, including the inaugural title in 1981,12 Wisconsin state championships and 17 National Water Ski Show Tournament titles.
They have a storied history that started more than a half century ago when 30 Janesville area residents gathered at Parker Pen to form the Rock River Boat Association. The association's mission in 1953 was to improve the Rock River channel by promoting water safety, help cut down on pollution and promote boating safety. The City of Janesville allowed the Rock River Boat Association to use the clubhouse at Traxler Park, which was once named Goose Island.
In 1961, Tom Kuhlow, Billy Manthey, Wayne Manthey and Roger Sterk formed a ski club, "Rock Aqua Jays." The club first included 25 members and focused on three-event skiing and performed ski shows. In 1976, the club switched from a three-event club that focused on slalom, jumping and trick skiing to more advanced show skiing. The Aqua Jays were the first amateur team to have built a three-tier (1974) and a five-tier pyramid (1993).
The club hosts shows every Wednesday and Sunday night from the end of May through Labor Day.
It is the Rock Aqua Jays' second straight national title and the 17th in its history. Four members of the Rock Aqua Jays are from Green County - Roni Stapelmann (Cook), Jeff Cook, Ben Kopp and Laura Chopp. Chopp has been on the ski team for seven years.
"It felt satisfying," Chopp said. "We worked really hard all season. We have a lot of talent coming out of the area."
The national championship served as a little redemption for the Aqua Jays.
The Mad-City Ski Team of Madison won a state championship ahead of the second place Aqua Jays earlier this summer. On Saturday, the Aqua Jays finished with 2,221.48 points to win the national title, which was 172.6 points ahead of the Mad-City Ski Team.
The Aqua Jays opened with a five-tier pyramid, which was the highest scoring pyramid at the national championship. The barefoot line also received the highest score at the competition.
"Our three four-tier pyramids were flawless," Chopp said.
The team also took the top spots for sound crew, pick up boat, tour boat teams and the docking equipment crew. Chopp is impressed by the team's continued success.
"It says something about our team because people want to be a part of the Rock Aqua Jays," she said. "People are willing to drive 30 to 45 minutes for practice. We call ourselves a big family. It's nice to be a national championship team. I'm glad I'm a part of it."
Last year the Aqua Jays captured their first amateur national championship since 2005. The y have also won seven Triple Crown championships, including the inaugural title in 1981,12 Wisconsin state championships and 17 National Water Ski Show Tournament titles.
They have a storied history that started more than a half century ago when 30 Janesville area residents gathered at Parker Pen to form the Rock River Boat Association. The association's mission in 1953 was to improve the Rock River channel by promoting water safety, help cut down on pollution and promote boating safety. The City of Janesville allowed the Rock River Boat Association to use the clubhouse at Traxler Park, which was once named Goose Island.
In 1961, Tom Kuhlow, Billy Manthey, Wayne Manthey and Roger Sterk formed a ski club, "Rock Aqua Jays." The club first included 25 members and focused on three-event skiing and performed ski shows. In 1976, the club switched from a three-event club that focused on slalom, jumping and trick skiing to more advanced show skiing. The Aqua Jays were the first amateur team to have built a three-tier (1974) and a five-tier pyramid (1993).
The club hosts shows every Wednesday and Sunday night from the end of May through Labor Day.
