Sacramento State students will be slicing through the water, jumping off ramps and showing off their tricks. And they’re going to do it while on skis.

The Sac State Water Ski team will compete in the 2006 National Collegiate Water Ski Championships starting tomorrow and continuing until Saturday. The event will take place on the Bell Acqua Lake 1 and Bell Acqua Homeowners Assoc. Lake 2, which are located by the Rio Linda airport on E Street.

The National Collegiate Water Ski Association consists of four conferences, the West, Southern, Eastern and Midwest. Sac State is in the West Conference.

Members of the Sac State Water Ski team will compete in three different events – the slalom, trick and jump – where their individual scores are tallied together to create the team score.

Many may think since the skiers are in the water and not on a court competing as a team, they might not have the same chemistry or a bond that other teams do.

Some of the skiers have been competing together since they were five years old and freshman Kaitlyn Wilson, who competes in all three events, said, “We have that family-type bond,” she said. After a sixth place finish last year, senior Robert Reagh, who competes in the slalom, said the eastern teams and most other competition had lost key players, where Sac State has gained three freshmen who have “amazing skill.” He said he believes Sac State will have a good chance this year, saying, “I see us in the top five.”

“We would be pleased if we were in the top five,” said Sacramento State Aquatic Center Director Brian Dulgar, who is helping with the Water Ski Club.

Sac State’s closest competition will be West Conference rival Arizona State University.

Senior Brandon Scholes, who competes in the jump, predicts a sixth-place finish and is looking forward to the competition with ASU.

“There’s everyone we don’t really have a chance of beating and everyone under us can’t catch us,” Scholes said. He believes next year’s club will be even better and have a good chance against ASU, but as a senior he won’t be able to compete.

“ASU is losing a lot (of players) next year. Hopefully we will take top five.”

For more info, visit www.sacstateaquaticcenter.com.

Karyn Gilbert can be reached at [email protected]