AALTEN — When it comes to madcap events, America has always been ahead of the field. But the Dutch can hold their own as well. On Saturday 27 July, the Gelderland town of Aalten will host the Dutch water-skiing-behind-cars championships for the third time.
Organiser Henk Houwers is proud to have been the first to introduce the event in the Netherlands. “A few years ago I saw water-skiing behind cars in America. I immediately thought: why shouldn’t we do that in our country too? After all, we have plenty of ditches and stretches of water for it.”
Speed is not what matters in the Aalten championships. On the 550-metre course along the Slingebeek, near Goorzicht campsite, the judges will assess the sixty beginners and experienced competitors on technique, presentation and clothing. As for the latter, the strangest outfits can be expected. “Some turn up dressed as an old granny, others as a Batavian,” Houwers says.
“The nice thing is that anything goes, but nothing is compulsory. Even blowing a kiss to the judges can earn you extra points.” The event starts at 2 p.m. and during the interval there will be a rowing race on 400-kilogram tree trunks.
