RUISLIP LIDO; SYLVIE HULSEMANN; FAULKNER FALLS; BARBARA COOPER-CLACK; BJORK; SUYDERHOUD; ZUCCHI, JAMIN; BONNET; SUYDERHOUD JUMPS; COOPER-CLACK RECEIVES TROPHY; ZUCCHI RECEIVES TROPHY




Initials GHB/VS/MR/PC



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Background: ITALY'S 16-YEAR OLD LUIGI "ROBY" ZUCCHI TODAY (SUNDAY) DEFEATED THE WORLD'S FINEST COMPETITIONS TO WIN THE OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP A THE INTERNATIONAL WATER-SKI CONTEST AT RUISLIP, NEAR LONDON.

THE BRILLIANT ZUCCHI WAS NOT ONLY THE YOUNGEST COMPETITION, BUT IS ALSO BLIND IN ONE EYE. HE SLALOMED WITH CONFIDENCE AND SKILL TO SURPASS WORLD CHAMPION MIKE SUYDERHOUD OF THE UNITED STATES BY FIVE BUOYS.

SUYDERHOUD, WHO YESTERDAY LEAPT TO A NEW EUROPEAN RECORD WITH 153 FEET SIX INCHES (46.78 METRES), FINISHED SECOND IN THE OVERALL CLASSIFICATION.

BARBARA COOPER-CLACK (UNITED STATES) WAS HANDICAPPED BY A KNEE INJURY, BUT STILL DEFEATED EX-WORLD CHAMPION SYLVIE HULSEMANN OF LUXEMBOURG TO WIN THE WOMEN'S TITLE.

LEADING WATER SKIERS FROM AUSTRALIA, BRITAIN, FRANCE, GERMANY, HOLLAND, ITALY, LUXEMBOURG, SOUTH AFRICA, SWEDEN SWITZERLAND AND THE UNITED STATES TOOK PART IN THE TWO-DAY COMPETITION. RUN UNDER WORLD WATER SKI UNION RULES. THE CONTESTS WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE EVENTS - JUMPING, SLALOM AND TRICKS - FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. THE OVERALL TITLES ARE DECIDED ON AGGREGATE PERFORMANCE IN THE THREE EVENTS.