It’s a page in the history of sport that is turning, which those under 20 probably don’t know about. This Monday, former water skiing champion Patrice Martin, one of the most successful in the history of French sport, announced on his social networks the death of his father and trainer, Joël, at the age of 84 years.
“He had just celebrated his 84th birthday… It is with deep sadness and enormous emotion that I regret to announce the disappearance of my dad, Joël Martin,” wrote the one who chairs the water ski federation and wakeboarding since 2009 in a post that he accompanied with photos of his father. “The ceremony will be held on Monday in Nice. In his memory, I invite you to share with us the beautiful memories with him. »
He had just celebrated his 84th birthday…
It is with deep sadness and enormous emotion that I regret to announce the disappearance of my dad, Joël MARTIN
The ceremony will be held on Monday in Nice
In his memory, I invite you to share with us the beautiful memories with him ???? pic.twitter.com/PbXHUtoCYK— Patrice MARTIN (@patricemartin12) October 30, 2023
It was Joël who introduced Patrice to water skiing from a very young age, and accompanied him to the summits of this discipline which he dominated without sharing in the 1980s and 1990s. Together, the father and “the little prince of water skiing” have built one of the biggest records in the history of French sport, with 12 world champion titles, 34 European champion titles, 6 gold medals at the World Games and 26 world records.
