Anna Gay studied at The First Academy for six years and made a decision to go Hybrid because she wanted more flexibility in her daily schedule. As a professional athlete, her schedule allows her to keep up with her studies when she’s traveling and gets her on the water much earlier in the day. Anna has been water skiing since she was two years old and started competing when she was six. Anna competes in slalom, trick, and jump, but tricks are her favorite event. She’s able to travel all over the world competing and making friends. She also skis for the United States team and represents her country internationally. Her biggest accomplishment has been winning and setting a record at the World Championships, earning over 10,000 points in tricks. She believes the flexibility and extra time training each day has contributed to her great success this year in competitions.
Her parents describe Anna as humble, joyful, thoughtful, and hardworking. They tell that she has a unique ability to compartmentalize. When she is studying she has 100% focus on school work and when skiing she leaves all else behind and focuses. They are proud she does not define herself only as a skier. They believe this helps her keep things in perspective, both successes and failures. She’s also not afraid to take on big challenges. She chose to run cross-country while continuing to pursue her goal of breaking the world record. This was a lot to take on, but TVA gave her the flexibility to do both. She learned to manage her time very well, a skill that will help her all through life.
Her teacher describes Anna as “an amazing student, but an even more amazing young woman. She is one of the leaders of the Comfort Club, whose purpose is to make everyone feel welcome and special. She is amazing at reaching out to others. As an athlete she is simply the greatest female skier of all time. She is the World Champion and World record holder. She does tricks that no other female has ever done. When she goes to a tournament she is a rock star, skiing royalty! However, at TFA she is the most humble genuine student we have walking the hallways.”
Her family competes in regionals and nationals and her father, brother and her get to compete at more of the professional events. She said “Breaking the world record was probably the most difficult thing I have ever done. I worked for years to get everything dialed in and one summer, every tournament was so close. Every time I had one little thing out of time because of a tiny mistake made somewhere else. Once you get the score, you never know if it is going to go through our not. So, actually get a record is amazing and extremely difficult. My favorite event is by far the Masters. I have attended every single year since I was born. It is a huge family event as we sponsor it and last year my dad, brother and I all skied in it. It is one of the greatest events to ski in and so much fun!”
She loves wake surfing, yoga, cycling classes and also training to do a half ironman.
Records
Current Women’s World Tricks Record holder (10,610 points)
Current World Championships Tricks Record Holder(10,010 points)
Current Girls 3 National Tricks Record Holder (10,610 points)
Current Open Women National Tricks Record Holder (10,610 points)
U.S. Open Tricks Record Holder (10,350 points)
Moomba Masters Course Record Holder (10,440 points)
U.S. Masters Course Record Holder (10,220 points)
Awards
2016 USA Water Ski Female Athlete of the Year
2015 American Water Ski Association Tricks Skier of the Year
Latest Career Highlights
2020 Moomba Masters – 2nd Place, Women’s Tricks
2019 Water Ski World Championships – Gold Medalist, Women’s Tricks; Silver Medalist, Team Overall; 6th Place, Women’s Overall
2019 America’s Cup Invitational – Women’s Tricks Champion
2019 GOODE Water Ski National Championships – Open Women Tricks Champion
2019 Masters – 2nd Place, Women’s Tricks
2019 Moomba Masters – Tricks Champion
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Anna Gay an exceptionally talented, Professional Water Skier, 2x World Record Holder and World Champion, here she talks about her workout, diet, beauty secrets and her success story.
Namita Nayyar:
You were born in Orlando and now live in Winter Garden, Florida. You started waterskiing at two years of age with your parents who are water skiers and your coach. You started competing at the age of six years. You won the 2013 Junior Masters – Girls’ Tricks Champion. This propelled your career as a Water skier to the height where you have been at the top of the world with winning the 2021 Water Ski World Championships Gold Medal, in the Women’s Tricks event. Tell us more about this professional journey of yours in the field of waterskiing that you have achieved by your hard work, tenacity, and endurance?
Anna Gay:
In 2013, I won the Junior Masters trick event with 6900 points. This was one of my first big junior wins and I was so excited. From here, I decided that I wanted to one day ski in the pro masters with everyone that I have always looked up to— Erika Lang, Clementine Lucine, Whitney McClintock, etc. That year I finished with my highest score being 7480 points.
The following year I was trying new runs and had a difficult time putting my run together. In 2015, I qualified to ski in my first Pro Masters. I was so excited, but it was a difficult decision as I had to decide to move up to the pro scene or do another year in the junior event. If I wanted to move up, I would no longer be able to ski in the junior event anymore. For me, this meant foregoing overall as well as risking not making the pro event the following year. However, I wanted to ski in the pro event with my dad, Russell Gay, so I decided to move up. It was a very special event and a decision I was very glad that I made. That summer, at the Southern Regional Championships, I tricked 9300 points.
I was so excited to finally put up a huge score as well as securing a spot for myself to ski in the Masters the following year. From there, I won the event in 2016 with 10,010 points and was the first woman to every trick over 10,000 points on Robin Lake. I also won the event this year with 10,190 points.
Full Interview is Continued on Next Page
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
One of the highlights of your career came when you won the 2015 Water Ski World Championships Gold Medal, in the Tricks event. Tell us more about this exceptional achievement?
Anna Gay:
I had struggled all summer long to put together my run. I fell at many of the junior events that I attended as well as record tournaments. I finally tricked 9300 points at regionals in late July of that year. I was stoked to finally trick over 9000 points. This was a huge achievement for me. I was also so excited to even qualify for Open Worlds that year in Chapala, Mexico.
I had worked really hard to get ready for this huge event. I had planned out tricks and runs I wanted to learn the year before in order to prepare for my first Open Worlds. My goal going into the tournament was to make the finals and to stand up my run.
I was 15 years old at the time and was just very excited to be there to compete. I had never imagined I would be able to win. I was second seed going into the finals and went out and stood up my run, even getting in some extra smaller tricks in time. When my score came out I was shocked.
I had tricked over 10,000 points tricking 10,010. This was a huge goal of mine and never in a million years did I expect to trick over 10,000 points, set a tournament record and win my first Open Worlds at 15 years old. This was an incredible year for me. I went from skiing my best score of 7,610 point in 2014 to exceeding 10,000 points, to be one of three girls to ever ski over this point value, in 2015.
Namita Nayyar:
You must have many memories and experiences as a water skier winning different competitions. Share some such experiences which are precious to you and embedded in your heart.
Anna Gay:
Some of my most cherished wins include winning the 2015 Open World Championships. My dad also competed with me and my grandpa got to attend the event and it was so much fun to have the both of them there with me. It was also one of the first pro events that I won. I also won every pro event in 2016 and tricked over 10,000 points and set records at every event. This was the best year I ever had. I also really cherish winning this year worlds.
I had my entire family, grandparents and my boyfriend there with me. It was really special to have them all there. I am also a nursing student at the University of Alabama. To ski and be in the middle of my nursing program made it extremely difficult to do both, and do them well. I had originally thought I would need to take a step back from skiing when I started nursing school, so to win a world in the midst of it was very exciting.
Namita Nayyar:
You have won the 2021 Water Ski World Championships Gold Medal, Women’s Tricks event, and Bronze Medal in Team Overall. What traits do you consider as a water skier led to this meteoritic rise in the sport of waterskiing?
Anna Gay:
For me, I do my best when I am busy. In the fall of 2016, I broke the women’s world trick record. I was running cross country at the time as well as taking multiple AP courses. I would get up at 5 am to run every morning, then go to school all day and come home to ski and do homework until I went to bed. It was a LOT, but I felt like I was able to manage my time well and was able to succeed. The same goes for this fall.
I am in my third semester of nursing school, trying to train and get ready for worlds in all three events as well as compete in collegiate events. It was exhausting, but I believe it is sometimes when I do my best. I think working hard, perseverance, and determination as well as God’s help is what has helped me to succeed.
Namita Nayyar:
You won the 2019 Water Ski World Championship Gold Medal. Elaborate on this exceptional milestone in your career.
Anna Gay:
The 2019 World Championships were held in Malaysia right before my sophomore year of college started. This was a very difficult site to compete at. It was not what I was used to, so leading up to the event I made sure to train in all kinds of weather and water conditions. I made the finals and was able to stand up my run in the finals to trick 10,530 points. This was a new course record and I was thrilled to trick a huge score in such a prestigious event and difficult site.
Namita Nayyar:
You have been waterskiing since the young age of two years under the able coaching of your parents Russell and Jane Gay. Apart from the excellent family support system that you have, what do you consider has been the catalyst to drive you from within, your competitive urge to move against all these odds to come out victorious and become a World Champion?
Anna Gay:
My parents have definitely had the biggest role in helping me become a world champion. They are extremely supportive and have always helped me in any way that they can. In recent years, Sean Hunter, has been instrumental in my skiing career. In college it is a lot harder to get the same kind of training in that I do at home and he has sacrificed a lot to come out to the lake to pull and coach me.
My dad has always been the one to push me, believe in me and encourage me to go out and ski. He always pushed me to do my best, not to compete against others, but to compete against myself. However, at the time Erika Lang, Brooke Baldwin, and Neilly Ross also were training hard and their success as well helped to push me to become better.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Anna Gay:
I love to do yoga, swim, bike, run, and do weight training. These are mostly done during my off season when I have more time and I am skiing less. A goal of mine is to do a half Ironman.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Anna Gay:
I try to stay away from gluten and dairy. I have an autoimmune disease and I am able to stay healthy and compete well when I stay away from these things. I try to fuel my body with nutritious foods that will help me to compete at my very best.
Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Share with us your haircare and skincare routine, especially in the salty sea breeze.
Anna Gay:
I try to drink a lot of water, eat nutritious foods, and use clean products. It is important to me to live a holistic lifestyle to remain healthy, strong and keep inflammation down.
Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding water skiers, who all are your fans and shall like to know from you for their climb to the ladder of success in the field of waterskiing?
Anna Gay:
Work hard and do it even when you don’t want to. For me
http://x-files.pl/iwermektyna-tabletki.html
, a lot of the time I went out it wasn’t because I was dying to ski. I had goals and wanted to achieve them and knew that it would take hard work to get there, but that didn’t mean I was always wanting to ski. It is important to go out with a goal in mind and to think long term what you are hoping to achieve. I believe that hard work and Jesus can help you to achieve whatever you put your mind to.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you have a cheat meal diet, once in a while? What do you enjoy eating the most?
Anna Gay:
I love Mexican food and tacos. I could live off of Mexican food alone.
Namita Nayyar:
Five water ski locations you like the most.
Anna Gay:
Lake Roper in Winter Garden, FL (homesite), Lymanland USA in Tuscaloosa, AL (where I ski at school), the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa, AL (where I will trick at school before class), Lake Hancock in Winter Garden, FL and Lake Grew in Polk City, FL (I have set multiple world records here).
Namita Nayyar:
Tell us athleisure brands you love to wear?
Anna Gay:
Lululemon, Vuori, Athleta.
Namita Nayyar:
Five water ski accessories you always carry with you?
Anna Gay:
Nautique Boats, Quantum and D3 skis, Masterline ropes, handle, gloves, Eagle life jacket.
Namita Nayyar:
Five favorite destinations you wish to travel to?
Anna Gay:
Santorini, Greece, Italy, Kennebunkport, Maine and Turks and Caicos.
Namita Nayyar:
What do you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and the message for its visitors?
Anna Gay:
I love Women Fitness and the diversity of topics they have on their page. They include celebrity athletes, exercises as well as diet and healthy eating. They include everything and have so many topics to choose from.
Namita Nayyar:
Today social media plays a vital role in putting your message across to your followers and fans. What is your message for your followers on Instagram?
Anna Gay:
I hope to grow the sport of waterskiing. I want to put out videos and show competitions in order to grow a bigger following for the sport as well as encourage others to try it.
Anna Gay Social Media Presence
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_annagay/
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness