aven , ▁F L . ▁ ▁The ▁sport ▁of ▁water ▁ski ing ▁remained ▁an ▁obsc ure ▁activity ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁after ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁until ▁Samuel son ▁performed ▁water ▁ski ▁shows ▁from ▁Michigan ▁to ▁Florida . ▁The ▁American ▁Water ▁Ski ▁Association ▁formally ▁acknowled ged ▁Samuel son ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁recorded ▁water ▁sk ier ▁in ▁history . ▁Samuel son ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁ski ▁rac er , ▁sl alom ▁sk ier , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁organ izer ▁of ▁a ▁water ▁ski ▁show . ▁ ▁Par allel ▁to ▁this , ▁an ▁av id ▁sail or , ▁sports man ▁and ▁early ▁ad opter ▁of ▁water ▁ski ing , ▁the ▁young ▁Swedish ▁engineer ▁G unn ar ▁L j ung ström ▁( 1 9 0 5 - 1 9 9 9 ) ▁pione ered ▁water ▁ski ing ▁in ▁sl alom ▁moves ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁A ▁demonstr ating ▁behind ▁a ▁motor bo at ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁the ▁Swedish ▁public ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Swedish ▁Y acht ▁Club ▁in ▁Sand ham n ▁outside ▁Stockholm ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁ ▁Water ▁ski ing ▁gained ▁international ▁attention ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁f amed ▁prom oter , ▁Dick ▁Pope , ▁Sr ., ▁often ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" F ather ▁of ▁American ▁Water ▁Ski ing " ▁and ▁founder ▁of ▁Cy press ▁Gard ens ▁in ▁Winter ▁H aven , ▁Florida . ▁Pope ▁cultiv ated ▁a ▁distinct ▁image ▁for ▁his ▁theme