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Earlier this year, 67-year-old  Judy Myers decided that she wanted to qualify enough points in barefoot waterskiing to compete in the World Barefoot Championships in Brandenberg, Germany in August. To qualify, she needed to score 500 points in a tournament.

Dubbed the “old Lady” of barefooting, Judy has the skills of someone much younger.  She can barefoot backwards and on one foot, and earlier this spring, she mastered the tumble turn.  Back in March, I sat in the boat and watched her spin around on the water–thinking to myself– I want to learn that!

“So, why do we call you ‘Old Lady?’” Keith St. Onge asked Judy after viewing this photo of her in the boat during a practice run.  “You look like a little kid living your dream back there!”   Judy works for Keith at the World Barefoot Center and when she’s not working, she spends her time footin’ on the water.

In tournament after tournament this year, Judy came close, scoring 450 points.  She decided to add a backwards flying start to her tricks to get her over the 500 mark:

After a couple of unsuccessful starts, Judy IM’d me on Facebook: “They’re building me a tower for tomorrow’s tournament.”

Robbie Groen, a barefooter from New Zealand suggested this solution to Judy.  Sure enough, David Small from the World Barefoot Center and a friend went to work and built an 8-foot platform out of scaffolding and plywood right before the tournament.

“Oh my gosh,” I wrote. “You weren’t kidding that they were actually thinking of tossing a 67-year-old gal off a tower for some points!”

“No, I am jumping off willingly,” Judy said.  “See what happens when you get old and you start to lose your marbles!”

The next day, Judy did indeed jump off that tower and scored 550 points!  She’s heading off to Germany in August. Way to go, Judy!

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