By Kirsten Gordon
Tega Cay, S.C. — Local show ski standout and member of the Carolina Show Ski Team in Tega Cay, Liam Klotzbach, has earned another prestigious opportunity to represent the nation’s best after being selected from a competitive national application pool to attend the 2027 Team USA Show Ski Training Camp and Tryouts, taking place August 9–11, 2026, in Evansdale, Iowa.
Attendance at the training camp is a vital step toward making the final Team USA roster that will compete at the 2027 IWWF World Show Ski Championships in Warsaw, Indiana, September 15–19, 2027. Athletes will be evaluated on technical skill, consistency, versatility, teamwork, creativity, and overall performance.
The invitation follows the 2026 Division I National Show Ski Tournament, where many of America’s top show ski athletes competed before Team USA officials selected a limited number of athletes to continue in the World Team selection process.
For Klotzbach, the invitation is another milestone in a career that has made him one of the most respected and exciting athletes in the sport. Among show ski fans, Liam Klotzbach is simply known as “Birdman.” The nickname has become synonymous with one of show skiing’s most recognizable jumpers—a skier known for soaring high above the water, landing with remarkable consistency, and continually pushing the boundaries of freestyle jump skiing.
Widely regarded as one of the premier jump skiers in show skiing today, Klotzbach has built a national and international reputation by pairing technical precision with fearless creativity. Spectators routinely marvel at his signature one-ski front flip—one of the sport’s most difficult tricks—which he often carries more than 115 feet through the air, placing him among freestyle jump skiing’s elite performers.
His résumé reflects years of competing—and winning—against the world’s best. Klotzbach first gained international attention in 2017 by capturing the freestyle jump title at the Sino-American International Water Ski Championships in China. He went on to become U.S. National Champion in Freestyle Jump in both 2018 and 2020, establishing himself as one of the sport’s premier aerial athletes.
His success has continued the world stage. In 2022, he earned the silver medal at the World Freestyle Jumping Championship while also helping Team USA capture the World Show Ski Championship team title. Three years later, he returned to international competition with another outstanding performance, finishing fourth in the world in freestyle jumping while once again helping Team USA bring home the World Championship team gold.
Beyond championship podiums, Klotzbach has consistently helped redefine what is possible in show skiing. He has won multiple stops on the prestigious Buck Up Freestyle Jump Tour, captured the CornFest Three-Trick Line competition, was part of the first four-man single-ski front flip ever performed at a National Tournament, and helped pioneer the world’s first triple jump act—historic achievements that have pushed the sport into new territory.
Whether performing before thousands of spectators or competing in freestyle jump events across the country, Klotzbach has earned respect for making extraordinarily difficult tricks look routine.
Klotzbach began his show ski career with the legendary Muskego Water Bugs in Wisconsin, one of the nation’s premier show ski clubs known for developing elite athletes. He later joined the nationally recognized Mad-City Ski Team, continuing to refine his skills while competing among the country’s best performers.
His talents soon led him into professional waterskiing. From 2017 through 2019, he performed at the world-famous Tommy Bartlett Show in Wisconsin Dells, where generations of visitors have watched some of the world’s finest water ski athletes. In 2022, he expanded that professional career by joining the water ski cast at SeaWorld San Antonio, bringing elite show skiing to audiences from around the world.
Throughout his career, Klotzbach has continually sought opportunities to compete in freestyle jump competitions whenever possible, challenging himself against the sport’s very best while continuing to elevate the level of competition.
Now living in North Carolina, he brings that same elite experience to the Carolina Show Ski Team, thrilling audiences during the team’s Friday night performances at Windjammer Park and helping elevate one of the Southeast’s premier competitive show ski organizations. Liam and the Carolina Show Ski Team perform exciting jump acts, human pyramids, barefoot skiing, doubles, swivel skiing, precision team acts, and family-friendly entertainment for all ages.
Despite his accomplishments, teammates and coaches consistently describe Klotzbach as humble, approachable, and dedicated to helping others improve—qualities that have earned him admiration both on and off the water.
Klotzbach is no stranger to wearing the red, white, and blue. When he first joined Team USA, teammates introduced him as “consistency, character, and a joy to watch on the water.” Those words continue to define his career today.
The upcoming Team USA Training Camp marks the beginning of preparations for the 2027 World Show Ski Championships, where the nation’s top athletes hope to once again represent the United States against the world’s best.
Team USA recently congratulated the athletes invited to training camp, recognizing that each invitation reflects years of sacrifice, dedication, and countless hours on the water. The organization emphasized that earning an invitation is only the beginning of the journey toward making the final team.
Unlike many sports, show skiing demands complete trust among teammates. Every performance requires athletes to execute complex pyramids, precision timing, coordinated choreography, jumps, doubles, barefoot skiing, swivel skiing, and specialty acts—all while moving at high speed across the water. Success comes not only from athletic ability but also from partnership with the boat drivers, spotters, dock management, jump ramp management, teamwork, creativity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Those qualities are exactly what Team USA seeks as it builds the roster that will compete at the 2027 World Championships.
Follow The Carolina Show Ski Team
Join the Carolina Show Ski Team community on Instagram @thecarolinashowskiteam or on Facebook at Carolina Show Ski Team for the latest show schedules, event locations, athlete news, and behind-the-scenes content. Fans are encouraged to attend a show this season to experience one of the country’s fastest-growing water sports and watch Liam perform live before the summer ends. To make donations to the team, visit: https://www.carolinashowski.org/donate
Follow Team USA
Stay connected with Team USA as preparations begin for the World Championships by following the USA Water Ski Show Team on Instagram at @usawaterskishowteam. The account features athlete profiles, training camp updates, competition news, and exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage leading up to the 2027 World Championships.
Congratulations to Liam Klotzbach and the athletes invited to the 2027 Team USA Training Camp. Their selection represents years of hard work, determination, and countless hours dedicated to mastering one of the world’s most demanding sports. Every invitation reflects a commitment to excellence and the dream of representing the United States on the international stage.
As Team USA begins its journey toward the 2027 World Show Ski Championships, one thing is certain: the next chapter promises extraordinary athletic performances, unforgettable moments, and inspiring stories.
For local fans, there is now another reason to look to the skies for the Birdman. With one of the most decorated freestyle jump careers in modern show skiing already behind him—and the possibility of another World Championship ahead—Liam Klotzbach continues to prove that some of the sport’s biggest moments begin with taking flight.
Some of Liam’s many awards:
-2017 Sino American International Waterski Championships in China, 1st place
-2018 National Champion in Freestyle Jump (1st place)
-2020 National Champion in Freestyle Jump (1st place)
-2022 2nd place World Freestyle Jumping Championship
-2022 USA Waterski Show Team Member, team 1st place in World tournament
-2025 4th place World Champion Freestyle
-2025 USA Waterski Show Team Member, 1st place team finish in World Tournament
-2-time Buck Up Freestyle Jump Tour Stop winner
-Corn Fest 3-trick-line winner
-Part of the first 4-man single ski front flip at a National Tournament
-Part of Worlds first triple jump act
-Professional Waterskier at Tommy Bartlett Show in WI Dells 2017-2019
-Professional Waterskier at Sea World, San Antonio, TX 2022
Sign up here to receive the Tega Cay Sun "day" Spectator every Sunday morning with all the news from the week directly to your inbox
Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
