For the Gazette

CENTRAL WISCONSIN – Faith and Alexis Dix have qualified to compete at the International Waterski & Wakeboard Foundation World Barefoot Championships in Mulwala, Australia Feb. 12-19.

Alexis is a high school senior at Lincoln High School and long-time member of the Wisconsin Rapids Aqua Skiers with her family.

She will be competing as an individual in the trick and slalom barefooting portion of the competition. “Qualifying for Worlds has been an exciting experience. On Jan. 8, the second day of the Last Chance World’s Qualifier Barefoot Tournament in Lake Grew, Florida, I qualified in both tricks and slalom,” she explained.

“It was such a relief to know that I will be skiing at the World Barefoot Championships in Australia. The tournament is less than a month away and I could not be more excited to travel to Australia for this amazing opportunity.

“I must thank my home ski team, the Aqua Skiers and my parents for the support. I also want to thank my sister, Faith, for pushing me to where I am today, for believing in me, and always being there for me.”

Her sister, Faith, is currently ranked first in the world for female barefooters under 23 years old and was the only female selected to compete with Team USA at the World Barefoot Championships.

She will be competing with Team USA in slalom, trick and jump barefooting.

Faith has spent the last year and a half in Winter Haven, Fla., working and skiing at the World Barefoot Center.

After the World Barefoot Championships in February, Faith will be moving to the Gold Coast in Australia to become a professional show waterskier at Sea World Gold Coast.

“I am so excited for another adventure that still incorporates skiing and this time it is not only going to take me across the country, but across the world. The timing of a spot opening at Sea World and competing at the World Barefoot Championships is perfect and both are something I had only dreamed of achieving.

“I never saw myself to be known as a barefooter but since moving to the World Barefoot Center a year and a half ago that changed and here I am going to compete at the world level representing my country.”

The IWWF World Barefoot Championships will be livestreamed on Youtube worldwide.

For more information, visit https://iwwf.sport/world-title-events/barefootworlds2023.