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Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando

The endurance barefoot contest features some of the biggest names in watersports
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
The Waterfront Orlando on Lake Jennie-Jewel played a perfect host for Feet on Fire 8. Garrett Cortese

The eighth edition of Feet on Fire took place on Wednesday at The Waterfront, Orlando restaurant on Lake Jennie-Jewel, just south of downtown. This classic barefoot contest, created and hosted by Dan-O (Danny Amir), the longtime watersports announcer, brings out athletes young and old from the skiing and wakeboarding worlds to have some totally intense, but totally fun battles on the water. As has been the case at each and every Feet on Fire contest, a good time was had by all while some unbelievable barefooting went down on the water.

Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Chip Fernandez & Parks Bonifay Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Darin Shapiro, wakeboarding legend and lover of barefooting. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Feet on Fire always brings out the classics. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
JD & Chip Fernandez weren’t afraid to get close in their quarterfinal battle. Garrett Cortese

Some of the riders competing included legends like Danny Harf, Darin Shapiro, Parks Bonifay, Shane Bonifay, JD Webb, Shaun Murray, Erik Ruck and Zane Schwenk. Mix those guys with the likes of young bucks Jake Pelot, wakeskater Jake Ramsdell, Cody Hesse, and show ski veterans Tom Oka (Guenther’s dad), Tom Weber (just inducted to the Water Ski Hall of Fame), Kevin Michael (Kevco, former editor of Wakeboarding Mag), and Dan-O himself, and you have a recipe for a hell of an afternoon of barefooting.

Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Tom Oka, Guenther’s dad and a former show skier, had a blast at his first FOF. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Jake Pelot was the recipient of this epic faceplant. Feet on Fire never disappoints in the crash department. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
JD almost lost it in an epic semifinal against Jake Ramsdell, but he held on to advance. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Recent Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee – and the oldest competitor of the event – Tom Weber showed the young bucks what was up by making it the quarterfinals. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
When the handle gets slippery you call in reinforcements. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Kevin Michael vs. Jake Snider. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
As always, Dan-O the Man-O kept it lively and fun. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
JD and Zane before their final run. Garrett Cortese

One of the constant themes of Feet on Fire from over the years is the fact that some of the best performances come from wakeboarders with show skiing and barefooting roots. Daniel Watkins, Chris O’Shea, Zane Schwenk, Shawn Watson, the Bonifay brothers, JD Webb, and others all do well at this event. This year was no different. In fact, after all the head-to-head battles took place, the final round came down to two of those names, each having one FOF twice themselves: Zane and JD. The funny thing about this pairing is that Zane, the legend, first got to know JD when he was just a 4-year-old tike running around Cypress Gardens in spandex as part of the ski show. Basically Zane has been JD’s watersports big bro his entire life. The two footed for nearly five full laps around the course before Zane finally caved and JD claimed his third FOF victory.

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Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Final round preparations for Zane and JD. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
JD and Zane battling on their fourth lap in the final round. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
The look of endurance barefooting… and serious foot burn… Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
Celebratory water tackling. Garrett Cortese
Feet on Fire 8 Lights Up Orlando
JD Webb: 3x Feet on Fire Champ! Garrett Cortese
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