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Press release Malaysian waterski darling Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah can certainly stand tall after rounding up the International Waterski and Wakeborard Federation (IWWF) Waterski World Championships on a high. With nothing to lose, the 16-year-old delivered another outstanding showing in the women’s tricks final to score 7,440 at the Water Sport Complex, Putrajaya today. The score was better that her achievement  of 7,320 in the preliminaries and it is yet another new Asian open women’s tricks record. She finished ninth following several upsets with American Erika Lang and Canadian Neilly Ross fumbling their runs. Aaliyah also finished 10th in the women’s overall category with a score of 1,984.63. “I think it was a pretty good way to finish despite the fact that I fell at the end and I’m lucky that the judges didn’t take away those points from my tricks run,” said Aaliyah who has a personal best of 7,600. “I’m usually not so consistent with my scores because nerves g...

PRESS RELEASE It’s a huge breakthrough for Malaysian waterski darling Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah after she reached her first final at the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) Waterski World Championships. Starting eighth in the women’s tricks preliminaries series 2, the teenager was at her calmest under intense pressure as she racked up a total of 7,320 points at the Water Sport Complex, Putrajaya on Friday. That temporarily put her in the lead and it proved to be more than enough as she eventually finished ninth. Only the top 12 skiers progress to the final and Aaliyah’s achievement is a massive step forward as she becomes the first ever Asian skier to reach a tricks final. Additionally, her score of 7,320 is also a brand new Asian record, erasing her own previous record 7,250. It is shy of her personal best score of 7,600 but the spunky 16-year-old was simply elated to make the final. “I really don’t know what to feel right now. It’s just so cool to be in...

PRESS RELEASE Ukraine’s sudden emergence in the waterski world is due to a passionate lover of the sport – Alexy Martynov. A former water skier and a successful businessman, Martynov has virtually put Ukraine on the world map of waterski from his efforts that started 12 years ago when he formed the Sentosa waterski club and school in Dnepropetrovsk. Danylo Fil’Chenko, a pioneer product of the club, is competing in the on-going International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) World Waterski Championship in Putrajaya. He sees action in three events – Slalom, Tricks and Jumps. Fil' Chenko said he owes his rise in the sport to Martynov and the club. “Martynov not only set up the club but has been sponsoring the Ukrainian team to all the competitions,” said the 20-year-old who is studying construction management at the University of Louisiana Monroe in USA. “The Ukrainian national team is virtually the Sentosa club team. It was only recently, when our team started getti...

PRESS RELEASE Asian skiers will have more reason to look forward to the Waterski World Championships which starts today at the Putrajaya Lake. This is because for the first time in history, the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) has approved of a parallel ‘Best Asian Skier’ category to run alongside the main world meet event. This is indeed a significant move aimed at giving recognition to the passion and dedication of Asian skiers as well as giving the sport a push towards development in this region. With waterski in Asia traditionally lagging behind the American and European counterparts, it is highly unlikely for the Asian skiers participating in the world meet to make it through to the finals. The only Asian skier who could make the final is Malaysian sensation Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah, who is currently ranked No. 12 in the IWWF world rankings in tricks. But it is still a very tall order for the 16-year-old who is going up against som...

PRESS RELEASE Teenage water skier Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah (pic) has taken a giant leap forward by adding another feather to her growing list of achievements. The 14-year-old was in her element as she claimed a first ever podium finish in tricks at the prestigious Nautique Waterski US Junior Masters at the Callaway Gardens, Atlanta on Friday. Aaliyah, a triple gold medallist at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, had taken second spot in the first round with a score of 6,530. That was just what she needed as only the top three skiers out of six, progress to the final. Aaliyah then stayed consistent enough when it mattered to produce a final score of 6,400, behind Canada’s Paige Rini who finished with 8,020. It was just shy of her season best of 6,960 and some mark off her national record of 7,600 but it was enough to secure her a second placed finish after American Kristen Baldwin only came third with 5,570. It is quite the achievement for the talented young...

Yoong siblings with their mother and coach Norzeela Sulaiman in Florida. PRESS RELEASE WATERSKI siblings Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah, Aiden Yoong Hanifah and Adam Yoong Hanifah will be looking to rewrite some national records after a two-week stint in Florida. The trio have spent the last two weeks training at the renowned Cory Pickos ski school at Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. They have performed above their personal bests during training and the Florida Inboards Record tournament this weekend will be the perfect test for them. The 14-year-old Aaliyah will be looking to better at least one of her three records from slalom, jump and her pet event - tricks. The triple SEA Games gold medallist has never failed to rewrite her tricks record every year. She currently holds a personal best of 7,600 points achieved during the Asian Oceanian Championships in Australia last year while she also holds the Asian record of 7,250 points. In slalom, she will look to do better than the 0...

  Press Release The Malaysian Waterski & Wakeboard International to be held in Putrajaya's Presint 6 Water Sports Complex this weekend has drawn some of the best skiers in the world to compete with Malaysia's top skiers.   Sara Vesterlund, the Swedish U21 slalom champion and Singapore's Kalya Kee will be the main challengers for Malaysia's SEA Games double gold medallist and Asian slalom champion Phillipa Yoong in the women's slalom event. Thailand has entered Asian wakeboard champion and SEA Games gold medallist  Padiwat "Bomb" Jaemjan, who is not a stranger to Putrajaya as he had graced the competition here two years ago to thrill the spectators with his fantastic air tricks. Guy Tanaka at 13 years of age and touted the boy wonder of wakeboard from  Singapore will give "Bomb" a tough fight in the open men's event. Malaysia's own wonder girl, nine-year-old Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah (pic ) and destined for world rankings, will fi...