The International Water-Skiing Tournament at the Saint-Georges Pool in Beirut

Its beginnings in Lebanon:

Water skiing in Lebanon is a newfangled novelty. Six years ago the face of our sea had not yet made the acquaintance of the water ski; today we have in this art a record we may rightly call enormous, in proportion to this small country! The first and last credit for the rise of water skiing goes to Mr. Michel Nader, owner of the Saint-Georges pool. By his energy and under his eye this branch of sport took its first steps, until it came to have standing and account among the foremost nations in the world of sport.

What, then, of water skiing in Lebanon? And why is so loud a stir being raised around it at this particular time?

The international tournament, August 17–20:

"The international water-skiing tournament is to be held in Lebanon" — so runs the news; it is listed among the official events of the tourist year and the Emigrants' Summer, and preparations have been going forward for months at full speed... Lebanon faced competition from Monaco (Monte Carlo) and won in the end by vote — for those members of the federation who had previously visited Lebanon expressed their sincere admiration for our seashore and for the arrangements that could be assured should the international tournament be held here. Thus the matter was settled, and between August 17 and 20 last, Beirut witnessed, for the first time in its history, an international water-skiing tournament in which twelve nations took part: France, Switzerland, Mexico, Italy, England, Belgium, America, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Austria, and Lebanon.

As guests of the Lebanese Skiing Federation:

The water-skiing teams began arriving in Beirut shortly before the date of the tournament; they numbered seventy persons — judges, observers, and competitors — and they stayed as guests of the "Skiing Federation." Most of the teams consisted of four men and two ladies — and the Saint-Georges pool in those days rang with graceful figures and with an excellent sporting spirit that spread good cheer. It was noticed that the fair sex, among the spectators, outnumbered the rough sex!

The prizes were four:

Prizes were given to those who excelled in the arts of "weaving" (the slalom), then "free figures," then "jumping," and finally to the one who gained the greatest number of points. The women competed before noon and the men in the afternoon. As for the opening ceremony, it was an exhibition, in which the champions displayed their surpassing skill in light acrobatic maneuvers...

The women's world championship:

The final results of the women's world championship came out as follows:

First — the champion of the United States, who placed first in the slalom and jumping and second in free figures.

Second — the champion of Switzerland, who won the free-figures title and came second in both the slalom and the jumping contests.

Third — the champion of France.

Fourth — Austria.

Fifth — the United States.

Sixth — Belgium.

The men's world championship:

First — Mendoza, champion of the United States, who won the slalom and jumping titles and placed second in free figures.

Second — Simon Khoury, champion of Lebanon, who came third in free figures, fourth in the slalom, and fifth in jumping.

Third — the champion of Mexico.

Fourth — the champion of the United States.

Fifth — Mexico.

Sixth — the United States.

Seventh — France.

At the Beiteddine Palace:

After the close of the tournament on Saturday evening, August 20, the delegations proceeded to the Beiteddine Palace, where His Excellency the President of the Republic received them and himself distributed the cups and prizes to the winners.

A closing word:

Finally, we can only congratulate the Lebanese Swimming and Skiing Federation on its success in organizing this championship on so high an international plane, which brightens Lebanon's face before the world — and it is, beyond doubt, one of the feats of the Commissariat of Tourism and Summering, which watches over the flourishing of the artistic and sporting renaissance in Lebanon.