shawano ski sharks

Council OKs water shows continuing at Smalley

Published by admin on Thu, 04/11/2024 - 2:37pm

The Shawano Common Council signed off on a five-year use agreement with the Shawano Ski Sharks on April 10 to allow their summer water skiing shows to continue at Smalley Park.

Council members received appreciation from Ski Sharks leader Dave Passehl, who also indicated a solution to the equipment storage situation could be coming next month. This revelation came weeks after a contentious meeting of the Shawano Parks and Recreation Commission where longtime Shawano residents criticized the view from their homes of the equipment the Ski Sharks use to put on their shows.

Ski Sharks equipment eyesore for neighbors

Published by admin on Thu, 03/28/2024 - 11:19am

The city of Shawano is working out a way to reduce the amount of Shawano Ski Sharks equipment being stored at Smalley Park in order to appease frustrated neighbors.

A Shawano Park and Recreation Commission meeting on March 27 was, at times, contentious, as a former city administrator, his wife and a retired dentist spoke about how the equipment at the park spoils their view and puts area children at risk if they play on it, and representatives of the Ski Sharks took some of the comments as an attack on an organization that has utilized the area for 40 years.

Ski Sharks take second place at state tourney

Published by admin on Tue, 07/25/2023 - 8:46am

The Shawano Ski Sharks saved the circus, and in the process, they finished in second place in Division 2 at the National Show Ski Association (NSSA) state tournament in Wisconsin Rapids on July 18-21.

All told, the team racked up more than a dozen awards as a team and individually.

Ski Sharks perform first summer show

Published by admin on Thu, 06/08/2023 - 11:37am

The Shawano Ski Sharks performed their first show of the summer on June 7 at Smalley Park on the Wolf River, debuting their new theme “Ski Sharks Save the Circus.”

A solid crowd was on hand to watch the team’s first show, which was put together by Jack, Ryan and Sam Strachan.

The brothers’ show is all about taking a circus and putting it on the water. As the theme implies, the skiers are doing their best to keep the circus going by entertaining and getting more fans in the seats.

Ski Sharks members part of new world records

Published by admin on Mon, 10/03/2022 - 11:30am

Even though the final Shawano Ski Sharks show was on Aug. 17, the team has been busy over the past few weeks.

Several Ski Sharks members have been part of world record attempts, and the team has began to plan for the 2023 season.

Keuschel part of new world record

Ski Sharks member Brad Keuschel was one of the skiers that formed a 93-person human pyramid on Sept. 10 on Rock River in Janesville.

Recently, the accomplishment was officially named a Guinness World Record for the largest human water skiing pyramid formation.

Ski Sharks finish 4th at state

Published by admin on Mon, 07/25/2022 - 9:28pm

The Shawano Ski Sharks turned in a solid showing at the Wisconsin State Water Ski Show Championships on July 21-22 on Lake Wazeecha in Wisconsin Rapids. The team earned a couple of awards, had several individuals place well and claimed fourth place as a team.

The Ski Sharks performed as a team on July 22, racking up 1,256.8 points to come in fourth in Division 2. Shawano finished behind the Crivitz Ski Cats (1,410.02), Badwater Ski-ters (1,289.68) and Water Walkers (1,269.66).

Ski Sharks eager to keep up recent success at state

Published by admin on Mon, 07/18/2022 - 6:30pm

The Shawano Ski Sharks have had plenty of success at the Wisconsin State Water Ski Show Championships over the past few years and are ready to keep the trend going this week.

The Ski Sharks will be headed to South Wood County Park to compete on Lake Wazeecha over a couple of days. Several Ski Shark members will be competing on July 21 before the team competes together during the afternoon on July 22.

Ski Sharks’ Carsten McHugh wins freestyle jump competition

Published by admin on Mon, 07/18/2022 - 11:46am

Photos and story by Morgan Rode • Sports Editor

Three members of the Shawano Ski Sharks competed in the Division 2 national qualifiers event on July 16 in Shawano, with Carsten McHugh taking home a first-place finish in the intermediate freestyle jump competition to lead the trio.

Ben Wagner placed third in the freestyle jump competition, while Faith McHugh came in 10th in the 360 swivel event.

Carsten McHugh earned a score of 90 on his three jumps. He landed his first two jumps, doing a helicopter for a mark of 63.33 and spread eagle for 26.67.

Ski Sharks make return for 2022 season

Published by admin on Thu, 06/09/2022 - 2:51pm

Smalley Park was once again filled with community members and water skis for the Shawano Ski Sharks’ first official show of the 2022 season on June 8.

“I think what we have is a lot of awesome skiers that are ready to roll,” said Ski Sharks president Dave Passehl. “You just never know how the first show is going to go. You don’t know how the theme is going to go. You don’t know how the time is going.”

Due to inclement weather in the past month, Passehl said that the team had limited practice time to prepare for their first show.

Ski Sharks members headed to Florida to break records

Published by admin on Mon, 10/18/2021 - 7:05pm

Members of the Shawano Ski Sharks are headed to central Florida this week to try and help break some world and national records.

The event is titled Chain of Records and will run Oct. 20-24 on Little Lake Eloise in Winter Haven, Florida.

Over the five days, a total of 16 national and 12 world record attempts will be made. A schedule of Chain of Records can be found at https://www.chainofrecords.com/schedule/chain-of-records-2021-2.