Team Shuswap Athlete Spotlight: Kate Pinsonneault Takes the International Stage
We are incredibly proud to highlight one of the brightest rising stars on Team Shuswap Ski and Board, Kate Pinsonneault. Born and raised in Penticton with her early roots on Skaha Lake, Kate has grown from a top-ranked national talent into a formidable presence on the international and pro waterski circuits.
This past summer brought some massive competitive milestones. We got to watch her absolutely shine right in our own backyard during the Rocky Mountain Pro Am at the Predator Bay Waterski Club in Calgary. Competing in the U21 overall division, she clinched a huge victory in the Jump event, an achievement that officially qualified her for the highly prestigious 2027 Waterski Masters in Georgia!!! It is fantastic to see her successfully transitioning into professional-level events and immediately leaving her mark.
Right now, Kate is down at Lago Manene in Paraguay, representing Canada at the 2026 Pan American Waterski Championships, where she is pulling double duty by competing on both the Canadian U21 and Open teams. The site holds a lot of great momentum for her as it’s the exact location where she captured a gold medal in Jump at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games. That victory ultimately qualified to represent Canada at the upcoming 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Despite an intense travel and competition schedule, Kate remains deeply committed to the local BC watersports community. Over the summer, she spent time training with the WSWBC team at the Kamloops Waterski Club, Chimney Lake, and her home waters of Skaha Lake. She also took the time to host a WSWBC waterski camp and stepping up to coach the Zone 2 team at the 2026 BC Summer Games in Kelowna.
Looking ahead, her itinerary is packed. She’ll be returning to her college ski team at Florida Southern to compete at the Syndicate NCWSA Collegiate National Championships, followed closely by her next major global competition: the U21 IWWF Waterski World Championships in Peru in January 2027.
Kate's ultimate goal is to become a world champion. With her relentless drive and dominant recent performances, she is well on her way. Join us in cheering her on as she continues to represent Canada, and Team Shuswap Ski & Board, at the absolute highest levels of the sport! You got this, Kate!!!!Â