
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 29, 1990                   TAG: 9007310326
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MORE LAKES FOR STATE GAMES' WATER SKIIERS

I WOULD like to thank those folks responsible for the Virginia State Games. My limited involvement as a water-ski judge and participant exposed me to a small piece of the games, but a rewarding one nonetheless. I hope all the sports enjoyed the benefits of planning and organizing evident in the water-skiing competition at Smith Mountain Lake.

While the water conditions themselves may not have been ideal, the organization and planning of the tournament's sponsors and officials made for a smooth event. The tournament accommodated many new participants to the competitive aspects of water skiing, primarily from the Western Virginia area. I was glad to see the enthusiasm of new competitors in Roanoke, especially since competitive water skiing in Western Virginia is just starting to blossom.

If the games are held in Roanoke next year, I know that the same organizing and planning for the water-skiing events will be old hat. However, I hope that city or county authorities will see their way clear to make other bodies of water available, since these other smaller lakes or reservoirs have vastly superior tournament conditions.

The private water-skiing lakes in central and western Virginia have demonstrated the ideal water conditions that are possible. As an example, the city of Virginia Beach has made one of its lakes available to Tidewater skiers for tournament use. In the future, I hope that the Roanoke area can find the same spirit of cooperation and accommodation. ROGER S. HAMMEL HERNDON

by CNB