Mercury Marine Lauded For Role In Water-Ski Pyramid Record

ByMatt Trulio

With triple Mercury Racing 300XS outboard engines on the transom of a tow boat and 80 athletes behind it, the Rock Aqua Jays water-ski team of Janesville, Wis., established a Guinness World Record for building the largest human pyramid on water skis in August. Earlier this week, members of the team thanked Mercury Marine by presenting company representatives with plaque during a ceremony at Mercury’s headquarters in Fond du Lac, Wis.

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Certified by Guiness as a world record, this 80-water-skier pyramid was accomplished in August.

“This record shows how passion, talent, and teamwork can come together in a common goal to execute a remarkable feat,” said Kevin Ostermeier of the Rock Aqua Jays, who was responsible for putting together the record run,” in a press release from Mercury Marine. “The power of those Mercury engines made a huge difference for us.”

A total of 80 skiers in multiple four-tier pyramids traveled 1,148 feet on the Rock River—about twice the distance necessary to officially surpass the previous 64-skier record. Joining the Rock Aqua Jays were skiers from the Aquanuts team from Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and the Webfooters from Fremont, Wisconsin.

Although a pair of tandem boats pulled the skiers from the dock area, the lead boat released when they reached open water and the record run was accomplished behind a single boat. The skiers initially broke the existing record with a 70-skier pyramid, then added 10 more individuals on a subsequent run to establish the 80-skier record. Guinness officially confirmed the record.

Members of the Rock Aqua Jays presented Mercury Marine and Mercury Racing representatives with a plaque in appreciaton for the company’s support in their record-setting achievement. 

Founded in 1961, the Rock Aqua Jays have won 20 national water-skiing titles since 1975. They annually perform ski shows on the Rock River twice weekly from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. According to the release, “Their shows provide a platform for teaching members and the public about safe boating and water-skiing techniques. They were the first amateur team to build three-tier, four-tier and five-tier pyramids.”