Water skiing pioneer Donald Sylvester Ibsen (1910-1993) was a star athlete at Roosevelt High School, and made his first pair of water skis the summer he graduated, in 1928. Within 10 years he had started the Olympic Water Ski Club and created a water ski team to perform shows around the Northwest. He also appeared on the pages of Life magazine, in full business-suit attire, as he "commuted" to work via water ski. Ibsen's company made and sold water skis in addition to representing other marine equipment manufacturers. He never stopped teaching and encouraging others to water ski, and was inducted into the Water Skiing Hall of Fame in 1983.
In this image Don, center, water skis on Lake Washington with his sons, Donald G. (1935-), left, and Ronald William (1937-), right. As of 2017, Ron continues to operate the Ibsen Company in the Seattle area.
Handwritten on verso: Don Sr. and his sons Don Jr. on his right and Ron on his left. They are enjoying water skiing on KGlas skis on Lake Washington in Seattle. Don Jr. has been part of the crew of the World's Fastest Boats, Slo Mo Shun H & 5 for the past 4 years. Ron has won quite a few trophies water skiing. Theirs is truly a marine family.
Caption information source: The Seattle Daily Times, July 29, 1937, page 4 Caption information source: The Seattle Times, September 24, 1993, page B8
Physical Description: 1 photographic print: b&w ; 8 x 10 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
