POLK CITY, Fla. — Marshall Cole of Calabasas, Calif., won a gold medal at the 2001 Water Ski Racing World Championships held in mid-October on the Colorado River near Las Vegas. Cole finished first in three of the biennial tournament's four races to earn the overall title in the Junior Boys division.

Kyle Cummings of Yucca Valley, Calif., also earned a medal for the United States, securing the silver in Junior Boys after finishing first in the final race of the championships. Junior U.S. athletes Lacey Nordblad of Claremont, Calif., and Riley Landreth of Carlsbad, Calif., also competed in the event, finishing fourth and fifth in Junior Girls.

More than 50 of the world's top water ski racing athletes — competing in four rounds of marathon races — vied for the team world title in the Elite Team category. The U.S. Elite Water Ski Racing Team claimed the team gold medal,

Members of the U.S. Elite Water Ski Racing Team were: Graham Cole of Calabasas, Calif.; Todd Haig of Beaumont, Calif.; Ashley Lathrop of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; Debbie Nordblad of Claremont, Calif.; Erin Saunders of Agoura Hills, Calif.; and Martie Wells of Colton, Calif.. Phil Kramer of Placenta, Calif., and Deann Shannon of Orange, Calif., were alternates for the team.