The 2025 IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships have kicked off in Hasselt, Belgium, and New Zealand’s three-skier team has wasted no time making an impression.
Led by captain Brad Dutton, the squad combines youth and experience. Tauranga’s Ellison Hollands and Hamilton’s Amos Ratuki contest the junior divisions, while Kyle Taylor tackles the hotly contested men’s F2 field, supported by drivers and observers Jeff Weake, Gene Hollands, and Greg Dutton.
For Hollands, this championship marks her second World campaign after finishing sixth in Junior Girls at Gosford in 2023. Ratuki also returns after placing eighth in Junior Boys at the last edition, bringing fresh confidence from his U16 and U19 national titles. Taylor faces one of the toughest assignments of all, racing up to an hour at speed in the gruelling F2 class.
The opening round proved the Kiwis were ready. In men’s racing marred by chaos and described as “carnage”, Taylor held his composure to battle into sixth in F2. In the juniors, Ratuki impressed with fourth in Boys, while Hollands stole the spotlight with a superb victory in Girls.
Her 37-minute, 11-lap run covered nearly 50km at an average speed of 77km/h, earning maximum points and New Zealand’s first World Championship race win since 2015.
“This is huge for us,” the team reported. “Ellie, Gene, and Jeff nailed it — safe, fast, and on top of the podium.”
With three more rounds to come across the week, the team knows consistency will be key. Each skier’s four results are combined to determine the world champions, making clean runs and steady points just as important as outright wins.
Belgium has already delivered its challenges, with venue changes shifting all racing to Hasselt after blue algae closed the Viersel course. But the Kiwis are thriving, supported by strong teamwork and sharp preparation.
For fans back home, late nights and early mornings are part of the package. Live coverage streams free on the official Waterski Racing Europe Facebook page.
One race in, Hollands has already written her name into New Zealand waterski history — and her teammates are proving they belong on the world stage too.
