Zambia World Wide

When we arrived back in Kitwe we found that preparations had stated for the annual Ski-Show, the Ski-Show was run by the powerboat section every year. It was the largest fundraiser of the year for the club and much enjoyed by the public. The show was the highlight of the year for the skiers, months of work was put in by all to perfect the various acts that would take place on the day. We had been involved in the previous ski-show, but at that time were limited with the assistance we could give as we were still learning to ski. This year we were all ski-ing and would play a bigger part in the show. Some months before the show was to take place, meetings were held so that members could put ideas forward for acts. Those that were feasible would be tried on land and then on the water. The acts would depend on the capability of the boats we had available which would also have to be taken into consideration. We would also have to look at the equipment we had available to cover the acts that were used, any equipment we were short of we would have to make. There were many other aspects of the show that had to be looked into, sponsorship, extra bars, programmes, tickets and of course groundwork and storage areas. These could be done at a later date. The local drinks companies would be the first we contacted as we would need beer and soft drinks on a sale or return basis, we didn’t have the finance to purchase such a large amount ourselves. Once the initial suggestions had been made we would then form a small committee to take control of the ski-show organising. The committee consists of four or five members and they have total control. Once the initial planning was sorted and the different tasks allocated to various members who volunteered, work and practice got under way. Mike was the organiser, he would arrange the programme, tickets and advertising plus take overall control. Ron and I would see to the equipment as we were in a position to obtain materials and make up the ski- handles, ski-ropes, pulleys and quick release units plus any other equipment that might be required. Iris, Ann and Jan would make the costumes and organise the catering. Pete and John helped with equipment and practice sessions. Between us we had most of the organising covered, other members would help wherever they could.

The ski-Show was always held in May, it took a lot of preparation and many hours of practice. However we all enjoyed the time leading up to the day of the show, it brought the members together and was a talking point for weeks beforehand. The most hectic time for me was the week, leading up to the show. We were fortunate in that the General Manager of the company I worked for gave us a lot of support. The company gardeners cut the grass and tidied up the grounds, the riggers erected a large marquee and the electrical department supplied the cookers and fridges, they also connected them to the club power supply. All of those involved apart from the gardeners worked for me, which meant I spent a lot of time at the club supervising the work. The women had a final fitting of the costumes and others were involved in the delivery of drinks, collecting programmes and tickets and taking on extra staff for the day. Most of the extra staff would be house-servants and company employees that we knew could be trusted and it also meant extra pay for them. On the Saturday before the show the drinks and food would be delivered, the food would be stored in the fridges and the beer and soft drinks would be stored in bins packed with ice. The final job of the day was to rope off the ski area and petrol storage area. After we were satisfied that all was ready, we would have a braai at the front of the clubhouse and take the chance to relax, knowing we were in for a busy day tomorrow. On the Sunday we would be at the club very early as we had to launch the boats, lay out the ski equipment and take the petrol to the safe storage area. Once again the company helped as they always donated 210litres of petrol, this was just over 50% of what we would use on the day.

The first ski show was held in 1975, since then there have been improvements in the standard of ski-ing and also the quality of the acts performed. The first shows that we had any real involvement in were in 1978 and 1979. These shows were modelled on shows members had seen at Surfers Paradise in Australia and Cyprus Gardens in the U.S.A., most of the acts were copied from these shows although there were a number that were developed by our own club members. The show always started with the skiers salute, three boats were used to pull the skiers out of the water, then the two outside skiers would link up to the main boat, the other two boats would then peel away. The salute was performed by seven women skiers, dressed in matching costumes and each holding a flag. Once the salute was over the other acts would begin. Eddie would give a demonstration of Barefoot Ski-ing, which appeared to be quite easy but was in fact very difficult. There was a trick ski-ing exhibition which was fun to watch as the skier would ski backward, sideways and also turn in the air performing a number of stunts. There would also be a slalom demonstration, this performed on a single concave ski and impressive to watch. These are the conventional demonstrations which can be seen at most ski shows throughout the world.