Joel Poland is widely regarded as the most talented waterskier of this generation. Known as "The Ninja or The Alien" for his freakish athleticism and ambidextrous ability, Joel didn't just climb the ranks… he has rewritten the record books! He is currently the IWWF World Overall Record Holder, a title he has held and broken multiple times, most recently in late 2025 with a staggering performance (running into 10.25m slalom, tricking 12,000+ points, and jumping over 230 feet!).
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We are proud to call Joel Poland a Shuswap Ski & Board Team Athlete. When he isn't crushing world records, Joel represents our brand on the global stage, proving that the gear we sell handles the highest pressures in the world of competitive waterskiing.
Joel’s success is built on a foundation of world-class coaching and design. He trains extensively at Matt Rini’s Water Ski School in Orlando, where he works with legendary coach and ski designer Matt Rini to perfect his technique.
This collaboration led directly to the development of the Radar Graviton Trick Ski and the latest shapes in the Radar Vapor waterski line. Designed by Matt Rini and proven by Joel Poland, these are the skis Joel uses to flip and spin his way to 12,000+ points as well as run 41 off.
Joel Poland has successfully run the 41-off (10.25m) in tournament. Joel ran the full 10.25m pass in 2023. This feat placed him within 2.5 buoys of the Slalom World Record… which is 2.5 buoys at the next shortening, 43-off (9.75m).
Completing 41 off is considered the "Holy Grail" of slalom skiing. Only a tiny handful of skiers in history (like Nate Smith, Freddie Winter, and Charlie Ross) have done it. For an "Overall" skier like Joel (someone who also jumps and tricks) to do it is virtually unprecedented in the modern era. Joel runs at 41-off constantly. He is one of the most consistent 39-off (10.75m) skiers in the world, meaning he almost always clears the 39-off pass to get a score at 41-off. Making him not just a threat in Overall events but also in Open Men Slalom divisions.
In World Record-setting performances (like his 2024/2025 records), he typically scores between 2 and 4 buoys at 41-off. In the 2024 Masters Qualifiers, he scored 3.5 and 4 buoys at 41-off, which commentators noted were "among his best ever" scores, solidifying his ability to get deep into that line length repeatedly. Joel is a skier who consistently attacks 41-off (10.25m) and is one of the few humans to have ever completed that pass, proving the versatility of the Radar Ski gear he rides and his dominate show of athleticism.
Ride Radar Graviton Trick Ski designed by Rini and used by the World Record Holder, Joel Poland.
Ride the Radar Vapor Pro Build Slalom Ski that fuels Joel’s next attempt at 43-off (9.75m).
Growing up in England, Joel grew up wakeboarding and after a few years of that he got into waterskiing. After attending "Jump camp" in Orlando, Joel became extremely driven towards progression, practicing all 3 disciplines of waterskiing (slalom, trick, and jump). Hear about grabbing your trick ski, sky flying, college waterskiing, getting banned from Australia, keeping skiing fun, competition vs. camaraderie, getting a boat sponsor, G.O.A.T. skiers, and getting wrecked on a dirtbike right before a tournament and much more in Episode 48 of the Grab Matters Podcast!Â
Grab Matters while historically known as the "bible of wakeboarding" podcasts,has become a must-listen for the entire watersports industry by breaking down the walls between wake and ski. Hosted by Hunter Thane, it delivers unfiltered, long-form conversations with the biggest names on the water. The "Grab Matters" Podcast features deep-dive episodes with Shuswap Team Athlete Joel Poland (Ep. 48 & 84) and good friend, former Radar Brand Manager Brooks Wilson (Ep. 65 & 84). They strip away the PR polish to talk about the reality of pro skiing - from the financials of the sport to the mental game of breaking World Records.
Ep. 48: The Most Talented Waterskier of This Generation (Joel Poland’s origin story).
Ep. 84: Does MasterCraft Own the Masters? (A roundtable with Joel Poland , Brooks Wilson and Freddie Winter).
Instagram:Â @joelpoland
