LIFE on the waterskiing circuit will now be a little easier for Jacinta Carroll.
The 16-year-old was yesterday presented with her award and $2500 prizemoney for being named this year’s junior Bendigo Bank Sports Star of the Year winner.
The Connewarre teenager was selected from a crack field of six regional athletes to take out the honour.She said the prizemoney would help her in a number of ways.
‘‘It basically means it keeps me pursuing my career,’’ she said.
‘‘It means I keep getting training out of it and get waterskiing, as a sport, out there (in the public) because it’s not a very big sport.’’
Carroll said she travels to Port Macquarie three or four times a year for training and the money would contribute to that and buying equipment and repairs.
‘‘Jumpsskis are $3000-$4000 and slalom skis are about $1200,’’ she said.
Carroll trains on the Barwon River at St Albans and near an old coal mine at the back of Winchelsea.
Her next big aim is the World Under-21 Water Ski Championships in Mexico at the end of October, but is unsure how that will conflict with VCE exams.
‘‘This is my last year in juniors, and I’m aiming to break the Australian record in jumps, which is also the world record,’’ Carroll said.
‘‘At the moment it’s 45.5m, and it’s held by one of my coaches, Karina Nowlan.’’
