Page 43 - Tropic Magazine Issue 36

TROPIC • CAIRNS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Images courtesy of Neville Fry

World records Marc Richards, then Chief Naval
Architect at engineering firm NQEA was
heavily involved, outfitting the 22-metre
REGIONAL HISTORY
catamaran with booms. “It got quite
Cairns set world records for interesting,” he said. “It was a real tribute Wayne Mawer was the youngest
the highest number of skiers to the local industry and the local people.” skier involved in the 1986
behind a single boat three times In 1984 they made another attempt, attempt at 12 years of age.
outshining their previous achievement
in the 1980s. and setting a secondary record for the He went on to become a world
champion skier and wakeboarder
greatest number of people on single skis.
Words: Renee Cluff and was recently named in
However, when 87 Florida skiers eclipsed the International Waterski and
Often, amazing feats begin with a ‘what their feat, they decided to really up the Wakeboard Federation’s Hall
if’ and that was certainly the case when ante, attempting to tow 110 skiers behind of Fame.
a world record was set in Trinity Inlet another new boat, Reef Cat,
in 1983. Tourism cruise boat company in 1986.
Hayles had just taken ownership of a new Thousands of spectators turned up to
catamaran and General Manager Reg watch the early morning spectacle.
Reddicliffe and his then business partner While ten skiers tumbled, the group
Ray Fry pondered how many skiers it I think there were achieved the record for 100 skiers, then
could tow. each participant successfully dropped a
They approached the Cairns & District seven kilometres ski to again break the single ski record.
Power Boat and Ski Club with plans to of ski rope For the Harbour Master at the time, Paul
break the world record set in Florida, by Matthews, it was a huge relief.
towing 80 skiers. “In the beginning I was Neville Fry “My greatest problem was to make sure
very skeptical that a club organisation Former Commodore, that we weren’t going to get our name in
Cairns & District Power
with volunteers had the necessary Boat and Ski Club lights in a negative way,” he said. “It was
discipline – with the number of skiers pretty to watch when we got them all up.
we’re talking about – to actually keep it “It was unbelievable.”
in control,” Reg reflected. From the get-go, potential skiers were The record stood for 24 years, eventually
While the attempt was successful, with 54 carefully selected. Neville Fry, the former being broken in 2010 by 114 Tasmanian
skiers remaining upright, the formation Vice Commodore of the Cairns & District waterskiers.
included skiers behind skiers, which Power Boat and Ski Club said two world
almost led to disaster when one of the champions were involved. In partnership with the
participants in front fell and became “Back in the 80s, skiing was very, very big Cairns Historical Society
tangled by the neck in a rope behind him. in North Queensland,” he said.
The team knew it could improve on its “People were just lined up wanting to join MORE: cairnsmuseum.org.au
methods and techniques. and come onboard.”

43 • tropicnow.com.au