Lake Norman Marina in Sherrills Ford hosted the 35th annual Lake Norman New Year’s Day Barefoot Challenge Jan. 1.

Thirteen barefoot water skiers jumped into the lake despite the rain and mid-40s temperatures on New Year’s Day.

Mooresville resident Jeff Blair won the competition for the 12th consecutive year, racking up 717 points.

Denver resident Todd Wulfhorst and his sons Eli and Alex also participated in the event.

The tournament partners with Samaritan’s Feet, a nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, for the “Bare Foot for Bare Feet” campaign. Samaritan’s Feet provides shoes and for 300 million children around the world who suffer from foot-borne diseases and infections due to a lack of shoes.

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