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Team USA wins ski show

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2012 World Water Ski Tournament

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JANESVILLE — It was all an all-American day with blue skies, warm sunshine and a huge win for Team USA at the World Water Ski Show on Sunday.

Team USA swept competition away the tournament at Traxler Park in Janesville with a performance Sunday afternoon that garnered a commanding, 539-point lead over second-place China to earn top honors in the weekend-long competition.

It was a win for Team USA, but in a way, a win for the Janesville Rock Aqua Jays, said team USA member and Rock Aqua Jays show director Dave Rezin. Of Team USA's 35 members, eight skiers are active Aqua Jays.

He said the team members meshed well to take on competitors from China, Canada, Australia and Belgium.

"It's not often that you get this caliber of skiers together in one place at one time," he said. There were no egos, and it's been exciting and a big surprise to see what we've been able to throw out there on the water this weekend," Rezin said.

Rezin called the outcome one of the best water skiing experiences his team members have had. "This will go down as one of the top skiing performances of our lifetime," Rezin said Sunday.

The American team had solid ski routines throughout performances Saturday. The group made about 70 jumps with a handful of falls, he said. Rezin said the team hoped to tighten up Sunday, and avoid most spills.

That happened.

Team USA cleaned house in showmanship, individual club acts and in overall show, the three major categories on which skiers are judged.

The tournament was a big draw this weekend. Attendance totals were not available Sunday but estimates for headcounts were at 5,000 to 10,000, a day, according to the Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.