: : WATERSKI & WAKEBOARD WORLD CUP SDN. BHD. : :

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Here are some of the very nice PR photos shot by Thow Simpson at Heli Lounge Bar roof top in Kuala Lumpur last month before the Asian Championships in Jakarta.

He added that, "Twelve year old Arianna finished 5th in the finals with a personal best score of 3120 points which is equally remarkable since by the best world standards of progress a beginner trick skier takes at least 2 years to reach this level but she took only 12 months to break the 3,000 points magical barrier. Aaliyah herself took nearly 2 years to achieved this when she won the SEA Games Gold in 2011." 

Veteran skier Alex Yoong, nursing a very sore body from a bad fall in jumping yesterday, finished a credible 9th in the tricks final and 11th in the slalom final today. He also finished 12th in jump even though he missed the cut for the jump final. 

Well done and congratulations to the entire team members, athletes and coaches as well as family members who are here in Jakarta's waterski venue in supporting the Malaysian team.

Malaysian Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (MWWF) is sending a very young contingent of seven skiers to the 2013 IWWF Nautique Asian Championships to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia from the 25^th to 29^th September.

The team’s average age is only 15 and they will be led by veteran waterskier and former F1 driver Alex Yoong who is the most senior at 37.

The youngest team member is Aiden Yoong Hanifah, making his international debut at 7, the same age as when his more well-known sister Aaliyah, now 10, also made her debut in the 2010 Asian Championships.

The rest of the team comprises up and coming female waterski athletes Arianna Chow and Nurulanis Mohd Isa who are both 12 and Syahir Rasimin and Owen Huish, both 15.

Double Asian slalom champion Phillipa Yoong will be a non-skiing team captain this time as she is under treatment and nursing a fractured spine injury sustained from years of competitive skiing.

She has been busy coaching from the boat however and together with international coach, Marian Malaquin from France, has been instrumental in coaching and getting the team prepared in the final centralized training stint in Putrajaya for the past two weeks.

Phillipa Yoong who is also MWWF’s Vice President said, “We are all very happy with the progress of our skiers and their state of preparedness. Our target is a minimum haul of one gold, 2 silvers and a bronze which will be a good achievement for Malaysia’s young team.”

“The Malaysian team is able to make this trip with a larger than usual number of team members as a result of recognition of waterski’s success in the past and funding from National Sports Council, Perbadanan Putrajaya, RipCurl and others. MWWF is grateful for this,” she added. 

A total of 81 waterskiers and wakeboarders from 15 Asian nations will be participating in the 2013 Nautique Asian Championships.

Aaliyah with her father, Hanifah Yoong

Results San Gervasio, Italy

Results Fisclham, Austria

Click HERE for Aaliyah Yoong's Latest Resume

* FEATURE SKIER *

Results

Open Results

The nine-year old was the favourite to retain her title she won by defeating her half-sister Phillipa last year, but it was not to be when she fell at the second pass doing her first trick.

Aaliyah was competing in the championship together with her younger brothers seven-year old Aiden and five-year old Adam for the first time and wanted to make it a memorable outing.

Aiden had earlier in his debut competition won the Under-12 Wakeboard and was second in the Mini-Slalom event. Adam also competed in the Under-12 Wakeboard event but finished 5th out of six competitors.

Earlier, Aaliyah bag gold in the Slalom Intermediate. But it was the Tricks event Aaliyah was looking forward to excel, especially after having improved on her personal best score of 4740 points a fortnight ago in the IWWF Waterksi World Cup in Palembang, which saw her move up in the World Rankings for Open Women Tricks from 100 to top 70.

Aaliyah had done well in the preliminary on Saturday to score 3930 to finish top and earn the right to take the water last. But all that came to nought with her early fall.

However, Aaliyah took it sportingly. Anyway it was no shame in losing out to Tsurayya who is much older - 21 year old - and more experienced having been in the competition for 12 years.

"It has always been close rivalry between me & Tsurayya and today I gave the victory to her because I was not focused," said Aaliyah.

Aaliyah was also happy for her teammate Arianna Chow who took up the tricks event only five months ago and finished ahead of her in second place. Tsurayya scored 3150 to win while Arianna attained 1940 and Aaliyah had to settle for 1810.

Hanifah Yoong, Aaliyah's father and coach, said that it was the first time his daughter and two sons were competing together.

"It would have been great if Aaliyah had won the tricks event but all is not lost," said Hanifah. "Aaliyah realises her mistake and I believe she will come back stronger."

Hanifah said thast Aaliyah, Aiden and Adam were all put in the swimming pool when they were six months old and were skiing when they were five.

Aaliyah's next major assignment will be the Asian Championship in Palembang later this year.

> More event photos HERE <

* FEATURE EVENT! *

Event Schedule

There is going to be fun and excitement for water sports lovers both young and old this weekend at the 5^th annual Malaysian National Waterski & Wakeboard Championships at Putrajaya.

The event being held in conjunction with 2013 Festival Belia Putrajaya has attracted 63 athletes from 10 nations who will participate in Tricks, Slalom & Wakeboard events for men & women as well as age groups boys and girls.

The waterski is fast growing especially with the achievements of nine-year-old year old Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah in the Junior World Championships and in the World Cup, which has caught the attention of the young.

The organisers, Malaysian Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (MWWF) have therefore introduced the “Waterski Open Day” on Sunday 26 May for the public to participate in on-water and off-water activities for free. Families who attend the event to support the national team can enjoy reverse-bungee jumping and tubing, also free of charge.

There will also be face painting, colouring contests and rowing machines challenge. Spectators are advised to arrive early from 10am onwards on Sunday 26 May to catch the Malaysian team in action.

The Malaysian team comprise Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah, Arianna Chow and Nurulanis Mohamad Isa with team captain Phillipa Yoong sidelined after suffering a back injury in training.

Aaliyah is favourite to win one of the main events, the Open Women Tricks with Indonesian champion Nur Tsurayya Priambodo from Surabaya as her biggest challenge.

MWWF has also donated 20 free waterski lessons to the lucky winners of the colouring contests for children and other contests on Sunday.

The preliminary rounds will be run on Saturday 25 June from 8am to 4pm while the finals for the 16 events will be run on Sunday 26 May from 8am to 4pm. Admission to the event is free and all other activities for the attending public are also free.

For more information or enquiries about the event call +6012 272 1948 or +6012 387 7115 or email Hanifah@waterski.com.my .

AALIYAH YOONG MOVES UP TO TOP 70 IN WORLD RANKING

Following 9-year old Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah’s fine performance of improving her personal best score to 4740 points in last weekend’s IWWF Waterski World Cup in Palembang, she has now moved up in the world rankings for Open Women Tricks from top 100 to top 70.  

She also moved up to 18^th in the world rankings for U17 Girls Tricks from 29^th before the World Cup.

“This augurs well for her bid to become one of the best skiers in the world before she is 15. Her main target is the Asian Championship in Palembang this year and then for next year she will focus on getting a top 5, if not a podium, in the Junior World Championships for U17 to be held in Ukraine,” said Hanifah Yoong, Aaliyah ‘s father who is her coach .

Her mentor Clementine Lucine of France who is the current world record holder for Women Tricks and who also won in the World Cup last weekend, was full of praise for Aaliyah.

 “It is not easy to achieve a personal best score in a top flight event like the World Cup,” said Clementine.

“To be able to better her personal best in two top flight events in the past three months shows that she has her head firmly on her shoulder. She will go far.” added Clementine.

Aaliyah, a Nexus International School student who turns 10 in July this year, will participate in the Malaysian Nationals on the 25-26 May to be held in Putrajaya before going to France and Austria in Europe at the end of June for training and to compete in the Meuzac Cup in France and the Fischlham Cup in Austria.

AALIYAH BETTERS HER SCORE AGAIN TO 8^TH SPOT IN THE JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP’S FINALS!

Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah delivered what she promised by bettering her personal best score of 4,410 points achieved in the preliminary round last Thursday with a stunning 4,710 points in the finals this morning.

She also finished one better with 8^th at the finals of the girls under 17 tricks event at the IWWF Junior World Waterski Championships for under 17 boys and girls in Mulwala, Australia this week.

In the process she again bettered her own national women tricks record and the IWWF Asian junior girls tricks record for under 17 girls set only 2 days ago in the preliminary round.  `

With these consistent scores and showing her aptitude to tackle the demands of a world level event despite her tender age at 9 (going on to 10 in July 16, 2013), Aaliyah has impressed the world’s best coaches attending the championship. They described her as being a strong challenger for the world titles in the years to come as well as a young lady with nerves of steel and unafraid of the pressure of top level international competition.

The winner of girls trick with a new world record score of 8,850 points is 17 year old Erika Lang of USA who is expected to begin her career in professional waterskiing and join the world’s elite skiers challenging for the open world titles in the immediate coming years. This is Erika’s first world title after 2 other attempts in 2010 in France and 2008 in Peru. Second is the highly promising 11 year old Neilly Ross from Canada who scored 6.480 points to push Natalia Cuglievan, 15, of Peru into 3^rd spot.

Asked how she felt just before her finals runs, Aaliyah responded, “I was not nervous at all and I just felt all ready to get into the water to give my best,”

“The practice yesterday which my father arranged was really good as I was starting to lose my focus with 2 days not being on the water and I must thank my sister Pipa for helping me in the warm up before the final runs today.” she added.

Malaysian Waterski & Wakeboard Federation’s Vice President, Phillipa Yoong who attended the world championships as one of the 14 jury members judging the event said in response to Aaliyah’s accomplishment, “This is an all round wonderful story for Malaysian waterski as Aaliyah’s fine performance in her very first Junior Worlds is bound to spur on the many young Malaysian trainees we have in our fold. The future looks very good for Malaysia to reach world class standards in waterski.”

Aaliyah is sponsored by Perbadanan Putrajaya, the National Sports Council of Malaysia, Nautique Boats, Nexus International School and WWWC for her 2013 campaign which will see her competing in 8 events internationally in Australia, Indonesia, France and Malaysia this year.

Mulwala, Australia – Thursday 21 Feb 2013: Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah has done Malaysia proud once again when she became the youngest water skier to enter the finals of the IWWF Junior World Championships for under 17 boys and girls.

She did it in style to also better her national women tricks record  and the IWWF Asian junior girls tricks record for under 17 girls with a score of 4410 points in the preliminary round at Mulwala, Australia this morning.

She shocked the mostly 15 to 17 year olds comprising 25 girls from 15 countries when she did a ninth best score of 4410 points to make her way comfortably into the finals for only 12 girls.

Leading the pack was Erika Lang of USA followed by compatriot Anna Gay and Natalia Cuglievan of Peru. These three will fight for podium spots along with 4^th best finisher Neilly Ross of Canada and Brooke Baldwin of USA.

Via a news release from the tournament site in Mulwala, nine year old Aaliyah said, “I am so grateful for so much support from Malaysia and from other parts of the world

as well. This made me wanting to do my best each time I get into the water. The job is not done yet. Now I want to be amongst the best 10 under 17 girls in the world on Sunday’s finals.”

Hanifah Yoong, his father and coach who accompanied Aaliyah to the world championships remarked that he had every confidence in Aaliyah to keep to her word but if it doesn’t happen she will still be loved by all in her family. She has time in her hands, saying, “She stands at only 4’ 4” tall and weighs a mere 28kg but she has a heart of an ox in competition. It is only important for us that she continues enjoying training and competing without anyone needing to push her to do it.”

The finals for girls tricks will be run at 6.30am (Malaysian time) on Sunday 24 Feb 2013 and for those who are interested to follow live results go to: http://www.iwwfed-ea.org/competition.php?cc=T-12IWWF05&page=live

Aaliyah is sponsored by Perbadanan Putrajaya, the National Sports Council of Malaysia, Nautique Boats, Nexus International School and WWWC for her 2013 campaign which will see her competing in 8 events internationally in Australia, Indonesia, France and Malaysia this year.

Despite having to punch above her weight in the under-17 competition, the Malaysian Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (MWWF) is confident Aaliyah will reach her first final in an event of such level after impressing at the national trials last week.

The 9-year old recorded a personal best of 4,800 points at the trials to better her previous best of 4,220 which she set at the Asian Championships in South Korea last year.

"We have been looking to see her move up a level before this event and are happy that she was very impressive at the trials we had before Marian (Malaquin) left last week," said Norzeela.

"Our target is to have her make the final (top-12) in the tricks event in Muwala and with her being able to hit 4,800 relatively consistently things are looking good. There are many factors which could affect things on the day, however, based on past records (in the competition) she should be able to make the final with her current level of ability."

Norzeela added that Aaliyah will have to adapt quickly to the much colder climate as well as the shallow depths of the Max Kirwan Lakes if she is to do well at the event.

"From what we have heard the lakes there are much shallower than what we have here in Putrajaya and that will be a challenge for Aaliyah," said Norzeela.

"This (shallowness) will likely force us to run the boat at a slower speed to help with buoyancy. We have simulated such conditions with Aaliyah here with her practicing in a wet suit (for cold conditions) and a running slower pace. She will, however, have to get used to the real conditions there as soon as  possible as she only has tomorrow (today) to practice."

"This is important as she will only have two runs in the preliminaries on Tuesday (tomorrow) to get the score she needs."

Aaliyah left for Muwala yesterday and was accompanied by MWWF executive secretary Hanifah Yoong, who is also her father. The final of the event, should Aaliyah qualify, will be held on Sunday.

The Malaysian Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (MWWF) believes it has discovered 3 talented youngsters who are on par or may even outshine nine-year-old prodigy Aaliyah Yoong in the future.

MWWF executive secretary Hanifah Yoong said the trio, Nurulanis Mohd Isa, Arianna Chow both 11, and seven-year-old Aiden Yoong, Aaliyah's younger brother, only joined the federations training programme in November, but have been quick to impress.

"They only have recently join our programme, having no formal training beforehand, but have progressed at amazing pace," said Hanifah.

"We have kept a detailed record of Aaliyah's training record since she started and having compared their (trio's) performance in training compared to Aaliyah's (during the same phase), they have managed to consistently outscore her.

They have great potential and if they can dedicate themselves to the sport with support of their parents, I am confident they will be able to go on to achieve great success within the next few years.

"This is also great news for MWWF's 10-year programme to develop a world champion as we cannot put all  our hopes on Aaliyah alone."

Hanifah added that Nurulanis and Arianna will compete in the Asian Championships in Indonesia in September to give them exposure on the international stage, but will first be tested at the National Championships in Putrajaya in May.

"Based on the current level of performance they have shown, I believe all three will do well at the National Championships," said Hanifah.

"We will definitely be sending Nurulanis and Arianna to compete in Indonesia. We will have to wait and see how Aiden progresses as he is much younger.

"Due to their age they will be competing in the tricks category. We do not expect them to deliver any medals as this will be their first competition abroad."

Hanifah said Shamal Norman and the Yoong siblings Alex and Phillipa as well as Aaliyah will likely make up the rest of the squad competing at the Asian Championships.

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