As many of you know, KTVB meteorologist Larry Gebert is an avid water skier. Larry has been water skiing every week for the past 18 years. This past weekend marked 936 consecutive weeks, or 18 years, that he’s taken part in the sport. His sons recorded the event and you can watch on the video along with this story.
Larry describes in his own words how he got involved in water skiing and his 18-year streak on skis.
My water skiing streak was a reluctant start as I really just enjoyed water skiing and a friend at work, Channel 7, was bragging about skiing as long as he could past the normal season end.
I just wanted to go skiing so I offered to buy some gas and tag along. That started in February 1997. We were a group of 4 avid skiers who just wanted to stay in water ski shape.
I skied with them several weeks in a row and then had a conflict on the day they were going and had to miss. I came back and skied several weeks again and had another conflict.
I could see the way they were writing things down and keeping track this "Streak" was owning them not the other way around. Finally one day in November 1998 the group challenged me to ski with them and also maintain a streak. Each one of them dropped out of the group for various reasons.
I recruited family members (wife, son) to join but they also dropped out for various reasons. Now I am the only one who continues and there is no doubt the "Streak" owns me.
One of the most difficult challenges is not the cold, ice or snow, it is vacation. If you are going to ski once a week, every week you have to find water skiing while on vacation.
I have skied in 4 foreign countries, and 7 states in the U.S. I have met many different ski enthusiasts and made new friends.
I was named the "Most addicted water skier in America" by Waterski Magazine in 2005 after continuing in spite of having a broken leg. The doctor told me I was insane, but also asked me for a ski lesson.
Now after cancer and a variety of other minor injuries the streak goes on and I don't know when it will end. No there is no Guinness World Record for this, but my mother said I can be the president of the world's smallest and dumbest club.