The two-time World Waterski Racing Champion, Liz Doogan-Hobbs MBE, has been officially inducted into the IWWF International Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Antwerp.

It was announced in December last year that Liz was one of the 2023 inductees and last weekend she travelled to Belgium with her husband, Rupert, for the specially arranged ceremony.

Liz described the honour as the “icing on the cake”. It is awarded to individuals who have made an incredible contribution to their discipline, their community, their clubs, federations, confederations, the World and the IWWF.

Liz became British Water Ski Racing Champion aged 16, a title she defended seven times and won her first of four European Championships before her 18th birthday. She became World Champion for the first time at 21 and successfully defended the title, a feat never achieved before.

Liz was already in the European Waterski Racing Hall of Fame but now she has been recognised in the IWWF’s International Hall of Fame which encompasses individuals from all the sport’s disciplines.

‘I am not often speechless, but when I received a telephone call to tell me I had been accepted into the World Hall of Fame I was truly emotional,” Liz said.

“I’m not ashamed to say I cried, a lot! It really is very special to be recognised now for all the hard work and dedication it took to become a World Champion, not only for me, but also for my racing team, without whom I couldn’t have achieved so much. My dad is so very proud, but he still says as my driver he came across the line first and beat me!”

Liz Doogan-Hobbs receives her Hall of Fame award

Congratulations to Liz on her well-deserved honour!