George Athans
Encyclopedia
George Athans, CM
(born July 6, 1952) is a former Canadian world-champion water skier
who won 10 consecutive national titles from 1965 to 1974, the first at age 13. Also known as George Athans Jr. to distinguish him from his father, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame diver George Athans Sr.
Born in Kelowna
, British Columbia
, Athans was a member of the Canadian water ski team from 1966 to 1974 and participated in his first world championship in 1967. Athans won the world water ski championship in 1971 and 1973 and was named Canada's male amateur athlete of the year in both of those years. At his final national championship in 1974, his closest competitor was his brother, Greg Athans. A knee injury prevented Athans from competing for the Canadian title in 1975 and he retired from competition.
During his competitive career, Athans moved to Montreal
to attend Sir George Williams University. He competed in the Canadian Superstars
competition in 1978 (finishing fourth) and 1979 (second). Following his retirement, Athans worked as a commentator for CBC Sports
and founded Athans Communications, a video production company based in Montreal.
Athans was made a Member of the Order of Canada
in 1974 and has been inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1971), Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
(1974), the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame (1980), the International Water Ski Federation
Hall of Fame (1993), and the Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada Hall of Fame (2004).
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born July 6, 1952) is a former Canadian world-champion water skier
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
who won 10 consecutive national titles from 1965 to 1974, the first at age 13. Also known as George Athans Jr. to distinguish him from his father, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame diver George Athans Sr.
Born in Kelowna
Kelowna
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Athans was a member of the Canadian water ski team from 1966 to 1974 and participated in his first world championship in 1967. Athans won the world water ski championship in 1971 and 1973 and was named Canada's male amateur athlete of the year in both of those years. At his final national championship in 1974, his closest competitor was his brother, Greg Athans. A knee injury prevented Athans from competing for the Canadian title in 1975 and he retired from competition.
During his competitive career, Athans moved to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to attend Sir George Williams University. He competed in the Canadian Superstars
Superstars
Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon....
competition in 1978 (finishing fourth) and 1979 (second). Following his retirement, Athans worked as a commentator for CBC Sports
CBC Sports
CBC Sports is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for English-language sports broadcasting. The CBC's sports programming primarily airs on CBC Television, with some additional broadcasts on bold, CBC.ca, and occasionally CBC Radio One...
and founded Athans Communications, a video production company based in Montreal.
Athans was made a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 1974 and has been inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1971), Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
(1974), the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame (1980), the International Water Ski Federation
International Water Ski Federation
International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation is the international regulatory body promoting water skiing, wakeboarding and other water sports, setting the official rules of water skiing and official tournaments, coordinating the work of national federations. Before 2009 the IWWF had the name IWSF...
Hall of Fame (1993), and the Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada Hall of Fame (2004).