Traxler Park Established
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1929
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Traxler Park (named after Janesville's first city manager Henry Traxler) established at Goose Island, just north of the heart of downtown, on the east shore of the Rock River.
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1930
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Bathhouse building built for swimming beach at Traxler Park (building is currently home to the Rock Aqua Jays).
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Rock River Boat Association & "Aquacade"
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1953
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Rock River Boat Association formed.
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1955
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Members of the Rock River Boat Association marked the Rock River channel from Janesville to Jefferson and built a boat bypass at Indianford Dam.
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1957
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City of Janesville allowed the boat association to use the bathhouse at Traxler Park as a clubhouse and storage facility.
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The Janesville Gazette and WCLO radio station sponsored "Aquacade," an event featuring swimming races, boat races, a boat parade, and water ski shows performed by Star Zenith Club skiers and Rock River Boat Association members. The"Aquacade" drew over 15,000 spectators in each of the five years it was held.
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1959
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Early spring flooding leaves Traxler Park and much of Main Street under water. Exactly 50 years later late spring flooding would be even worse.
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The Formative Years
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1961
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Tom Kuhlow, Billy Manthey, Wayne Manthey, and Roger Sterk formed a water ski club and purchased a kit boat, which they named "4 Aces." They named the ski club, "Rock Aqua Jays," Rock (for the Rock River), Aqua (Latin for water), and Jays (Janesville High School bluejay mascot at the time).
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| The Rock River Boat Association allowed us to use the bathhouse, which was then used as a clubhouse and storage facility. We had about 25 members and focused primarily on traditional 3-event water skiing, but managed to perform a few water ski shows each summer. | |
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We were one of four founding members of the Wisconsin Water Ski Federation.
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1963
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Hosted the Wisconsin State 3-Event Tournament.
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1964
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Hosted the Blackhawk Open 3-Event Tournament.
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1971
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Started performing weekly water ski shows on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer.
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1974
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Added Sunday evening performances.
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| Built the first-ever 3-tier pyramid on the water. |
Transition & Creation of National Tournament
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1975
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Earned first-ever tournament victory at Lamb's Farm Invitational.
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| Duane Snow and John "J.R." Wilson developed National Water Ski Show Tournament, which we hosted. | |
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1976
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Transitioned from a traditional 3-event club to a show ski club and purchased a public address system, erected bleachers, and began improving site.
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1978
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Upgraded to a professional sound system.
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1979
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Won National Water Ski Show Tournament for the first time.
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| Started and hosted the Blackhawk Division II Tournament. | |
| Secured two premier industry sponsors: Correct Craft Boats (Nautiques) and Connelly Skis. | |
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1980
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Won Wisconsin State Water Ski Show Tournament for the first time.
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1981
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Built the first-ever 4-tier pyramid on the water.
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| Won all three major tournaments (Lamb's, regional qualifier, and nationals) to become first-ever "Triple Crown Champions," a phrase coined by a member of our team. | |
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1982
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Established scholarship fund in memory of Kevin Freund, who died in a boating accident on Memorial Day.
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| Developed a junior program for new and younger members. (Today, the program is known as the B Team.) | |
| Themed shows became a mainstay in water ski show performances. Having the best combination of theme and water skiing afforded us unprecedented success over six years, beginning in 1985. |
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