RURAL ESMOND — Despite consistent wind gusts of about 30 mph, 22 children of Lake Metigoshe’s Club de Skinautique powered through for a crowd of about 250 at Buffalo Lake on July 13.
The waterskiing club of athletes from across the upper midwest and parts of Canada braved choppy waters it seldom sees at sheltered Metigoshe. The conditions prevented the skiers from doing all their acts, but organizers and fans left awed at the balance and range of abilities displayed.
“We weren’t really all that prepared, but personally I think we did a really good job with how windy it was,” show director Jenna Fossum, 19, said. “We practice in some wind, but we haven’t really this year.”
The club pulled off pyramids, ballet lines and individual 360-degree spins while being towed by motorboats. Fossum is one of three club members from Rugby, including her siblings Brady, 17, and Madi, 15.
“I thought it went really well,” club president Marissa Pewe said. “Our motto is unless it’s stormy we ski. It’s good for the kids to ski in bad conditions because when it’s calm you’re even better.”
Pewe said the club started in 1958. The group practices Friday through Sunday from late May through the middle of August.
­Mother Nature’s keeps the club challenged throughout the season. The club performed shows at Lake Metigoshe, July 3 and July 5. The wind was minimal those days, but loads of rain in the weeks before raised the water level.
“We did both of them and we did very well,” Pewe said. “We had a great turnout, so we were happy about that. It was not windy and it was warm the second day. The thing we were dealing with was the high-water situation. The only thing we had to do was move the docks.”
Buffalo Lake Sportsman’s Club hosted the club for the first time in 14 years with help of donations. The gate and concessions go to the sportsman’s club, according to president Wanda Bullinger.