Mike Murphy’s Time Line of Skiing
1956: Murphy learned to ski behind a 12
foot wooden boat with a 18 hp Mercury motor in Pine Flats, Central Ca.
1956-1965: Murphy enjoyed recreational
skiing with an emphasis on water time. He and his family (parents, two
brothers and sister) skied every weekend, rain or shine. They spent
most of their time at Pacific Landing in Long Beach, Ca. The teenage
phenom concentrated on slalom, tricks, barefoot (a considerable feat
at the time), and racing. Starting in 1962 at age 14 Murphy won three
Catalina Ski races in the Outboard Division. This 52 mile race takes
place yearly across the open ocean off the California coast.
1965: Murphy graduated from high school
and spent the summer at the Lake Arrowhead Ski School in California.
He taught skiing and was known as the "water guy". He earned
his reputation by instructing beginners while in the water on a pair
of trick skis or combos. He was wet from 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-5:00 the
entire summer, teaching hundreds to ski in assembly line fashion.
In the 60s and early 70s Murphy won a multitude
of circle races in various divisions and categories, and at the time
was considered one of, if not the best competitor.
1966: At age 18 Murphy skied and was part
of management as a skier-supervisor in a Tommy Bartlett ski show at
the Texas World’s Fair.
1967-1968: He continued working for Bartlett
in Wisconsin Dells. Murphy and Bartlett formed a lasting friendship
that lasts today. In fact, it was Murphy who taught Tommy to ski on
his 70th birthday.
Winner of Lake Mead 75-mile race, men’s
open division.
Regionally ranked competitor in 3-event
skiing.
1970-1974: Murphy skied 4 seasons at the
Marine World Africa, USA ski show near San Francisco, Ca.
1972: Murphy and Bud Hulst co-invented
the first production kneeboard, the Knee Ski. He spent a year on the
road criss-crossing the nation in support of his new product.
1974: Mike went to work for Ski Master
and spent the majority of three years on the road at boat shows in the
winter and performing on-water demo days across the country in the summer.
1975: Murphy spent six months show skiing
for Tommy Bartlett at the World’s Fair in Okinawa, Japan.
During his 8 years as professional show
skier, Murphy mastered all of the show acts and became recognized as
one of the world’s top show skiers. His accomplishments include
slalom criss-cross, around the world, hot dog slalom, front barefoot,
back barefoot, shoe skis, kneeboarding, doubles, star doubles, trios,
pyramid, clown, boat act, boat jumping, long distance jumping, jump
act (including ramp helicopters), and flat kite. He was also was one
of the first three US skiers to fly a delta wing kite in a show. Through
the years Murphy has continued to put his show skills to good work.
He has participated in hundreds of local ski shows and exhibitions worldwide.
1975-1979 Murphy performed several waterski
evaluations for various publications including Powerboat and
Popular Performance Boat.
1976: Murphy founded Tunnel Board (a kneeboard
company) with Andy Remy. He spent another year on the road.
1978: Murphy won the Endo’s International
Ski Drags in Long Beach, Ca with a speed of 118.92 mph. He used a borrowed
ski that was right foot forward (he is left foot forward) behind an
unfamiliar boat driver.
1976-1983: Mike opened a pro shop and ski
school on the Colorado River near Parker, Arizona. He personally taught
thousands to ski with his unique in the water style. He organized weekly
ski shows during the summer that drew thousands. He passed the torch
to Mike Mack in 1984 and the shows are still a welcome diversion on
the River. Murphy continues to periodically perform in the shows. During
the early eighties Murphy was also influential in the formation and
training of the Lake Havasu Ski Show. They also performed weekly shows
during the summer in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
1984-1985: Murphy was on the road again.
This time it was for Herb O’Brien. Murphy traveled the nation exhibiting,
selling, and demoing HO skis. He was instrumental in helping to get
HO on the map.
1978-1979: Murphy traveled to South Africa
for two seasons to instruct skiing at a resort.
1979-1983: Murphy gave back to skiing when
he spent many days each summer pulling and teaching physically and mentally
challenged children and adults. He organized the event, and donated
his time pulling and skiing with hundreds of riders on kneeboards, ski
seats, cocktail carts, and inner tubes. A once a year weekend event
was eventually included as a regular part of the Arizona Special Olympics
and has since been carried on by Mike Mack.
Murphy has taken a special interest in
physically challenged skiers throughout the years. In addition to his
work with the Special Olympics he has taught the blind to ski, a man
with one leg to barefoot, and has specially rigged sit down hydrofoils
for paraplegic riders to experience the thrill of flight
1980-current: Murphy opened a waterski
pro shop in Mira Loma, Ca.
1983, 1984, and 1986: Murphy fine tuned
boats for Eliminator and Ski Sleek during tests for AWSA approval. They
all passed.
1989: Murphy co-invented the first sit
down hydrofoil. Patent number 5,100,354. Which can
be viewed at the US Patent and Trademark Office web site.
1990 and 1994: Murphy performed at waterski
pro tour stops on his hydrofoil. At age 43 he became the first rider
to ever perform a flip on a sit down hydrofoil.
1991: Murphy toured with the International
Outboard Grand Prix Association giving hydrofoiling exhibitions for
crowds up to 20,000.
1991-97: Murphy spent his summers on the
road servicing dealers and performing on-water demo days. Winters were
spent at boat shows selling the product and staying in touch with industry
insiders and the skiing public. During this time Murphy is only on the
road 10 months of each year. During this time he also invents many of
the new tricks of the sport including the submarine, helicopter, skidder
wake jump, skid roll, and more.
1993: Murphy takes up Kite Skiing (the
rider flies an acrobatic kite that pulls him through the water). His
record run is over 25 miles on Lake Havasu.
1997: Murphy and Woolley split up. The
future of hydrofoiling is uncertain.
1997: Murphy organizes a trip for his 79
year old mother, Mary Murphy. Mary rides her hydrofoil 26 mile across
open ocean on her 79th birthday. Coverage includes Inside
Edition and various tabloids.
1998: Murphy founds a new company producing
a sit down hydrofoil: Sky Ski. Murphy is able to implement years worth
of improvements in a single year.
The Future: Murphy will undoubtedly continue
his lifelong pursuit of skiing, traveling, performing, selling, instructing,
and innovating.
Worldwide Skier
Murphy has spanned the globe as an ambassador
of skiing. Many of the following were not just one time stops or locations.
He often spent months in a particular area. An atlas was needed for
Mike to remember all of the places, and even with that a few have probably
been left out.
England, Wales, Scotland, France, Italy,
Portugal, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Netherlands, Morocco,
Japan, China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Tahiti, Australia, New
Zealand, Bahamas, South Africa, Kenya, Rhodesia, Costa Rica, Brazil,
Canada, Mexico, and the United States. That’s 30 countries on six
continents.
Mike believes that he has skied more miles
at more sites than any other skier. This is very possible because he
has been at it non-stop for nearly 40 years. He has never taken a break
or gone into "retirement" during his grueling year round training
and traveling. During the last few years his pace has even accelerated.
Information
Over the past 43 years Mike has participated
and excelled in just about every aspect of skiing. For much of that time
he has been considered the best in the world at kneeboarding, hot dog
slalom skiing, and hydrofoiling. He co-invented and pioneered two waterski
products enjoyed by tens of thousands, the kneeboard and sit down hydrofoil.
He has been an innovator of new tricks, with over 50 to his name, and
the list is still growing. These are just a few of the highlights of a
skiing career marked by versatility and longevity.
