WATER skiing brothers Jack and Luke Harrison have returned home after an incredibly successful trip to Europe and America.
Older brother Jack won the men’s Diamond Race in Belgium recently, while Luke won the junior men’s at the Diamond Race and at the Catalina Ski Race.
Jack came home second in the intermediate men’s class at Catalina, behind fellow Hawkesbury skier Cameron Osborne.
The pair said the canal race in Belgium and the open ocean race at Catalina were both very difficult races.
Jack, 18, said he was very happy to bring back the pin for winning the Diamond Race.
“It was tight and rough, it was slow which is good and I came away with the men's win,” he said.
“It is pretty much the only thing you can win ski racing so it is a good thing.
“It was a good feeling to win in Belgium. A fair bit of training went into it, to get a win was good, to get a second win at Catalina would have been good but it was not to be.”
Luke, 16, tasted his own success at both events, winning the junior division at each race.
He said he enjoyed winning, but to him, having fun on the water was equally as important.
“You go out and try your best, you get your adrenaline rush going, you just go as hard and fast as you can, but the win is a bonus,” he said.
"It is a good experience seeing the world and going over there to enjoy yourself.”
Luke said the pair, who live at Pitt Town on the banks of the Hawkesbury River, spent plenty of time together training, often accompanied by their dad, Wayne.
“We go out with dad on the river when he is home from work and if not Jack and I go out on the river by ourselves,” he said.
"Dad always wanted to do water skiing when he was younger. He always used to watch the Bridge to Bridge and he skied it once and he just loves it.”
Jack said the future held even more time spent with his brother, as both of them are about to finish at Bede Polding College and work with their dad’s business.
“I’m going to work with dad and seal some roads. The family business is pretty successful so it would be good to step into that one day and take over,” he said.
Jack said there was a bit of rivalry between the pair and said he knew Luke was gunning for a number of junior records he currently holds.
Luke said he did want to beat Jack’s records, but his goal was simply to do well on the water.
“It is always good to beat Jack, but it is hard. Like he said I am trying to beat his records and all I can do is try my best,” he said.
The Hawkesbury’s Rachael Stapleton also contested the Catalina Ski Race and was the fastest woman.
