Bailey Sutherland turned the tables on her St Hilda's Collegiate schoolmate at the Perkins Pond water ski course at the weekend.
Philippa Dingle had won the girls 16 and under championship title at the Otago-Southland secondary schools championships two years in a row.
Sutherland, the bridesmaid in the previous two years, finally stood at the top of the podium. She won the girls event at the fourth annual championships at the Millers Flat course with a score of 89 points. Dingle was second on 86.5 points. Georgia Power (St Hilda's) won the girls 16 and under novice event with 49.50 points and her sister Anna was second with 45 points.
Jake Stewart (Southland Boys') won the boys 18 and under championship event with 91.5 points from Blue Mountain College skiers Elliott Hancox on 66.5 and Keegan Limmer on 31.
The boys 18 and under novice event was won by George Blackie (Dunstan) with 59.50 points.
Sam Perkins (Blue Mountain College) won the boys 16 and under novice event with 53.50 points, ahead of South Otago's Josh Telford (44).
Sutherland, Dingle and Georgia Power helped St Hilda's retain the team trophy with 261 points, ahead of Blue Mountain College (Sam Perkins, Elliot Hancox, Zoe Hancox, 166.50) and Southland Boys' on 145.75.
The event is focused on the water ski slalom in which skiers make their way through a course of six turns. Speeds range from 37kmh to 55kmh for girls and 58kmh for boys.
Four skiers - Dingle, Sutherland and Jake and Dan Stewart (Southland Boys') - are heading to the national slalom championships at Lake Karapiro next month.
