While plenty of siblings enjoy playing sports like netball and football together, Charlotte and Elle Keen prefer to fly across the lake at more than 60km/h.
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The Albion Park sisters spend most weekends doing barefoot water skiing. And Charlotte, 15, and Elle, 11, are very good at what they do.
The duo have qualified for the 2020 International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation's World Barefoot Water Ski Championships.
The week-long competition will be held at Helles Park, Georges River in April and pits the world's best open, junior and senior division barefoot water skiers against each other.
"It's going to be pretty exciting to compete at a world level but I think it will be tough," Charlotte said.
Charlotte and Elle booked their places with strong performances at last week's national barefoot championships in Liverpool.
Charlotte finished fourth in the slalom and tricks, taking third place overall in the junior girls group while Elle secured a first in tricks, second in slalom and first overall in the sub juniors girls category.
Charlotte said the key to their success was being fearless out on the water.
"I got up to 68km/h and Elle goes 62km/h," she said.
"It's such an adrenaline rush with the water going past your ears. You feel like you can do anything you want on the water.
"It's a lot harder going barefoot because when you've got shoes on, you go a lot slower. You've got to be fearless."
Charlotte and Elle were taught the sport by a family friend about three or four years ago. Their dad Gary also does barefoot water skiing and the Keens travel together for training and events.
They are all members of the Barefoot NSW Water Ski Club, which is based in south-west Sydney.
"It's a fun sport," Elle said.
"It's cool being able to do it with my sister and Dad. We go out together every weekend."
Charlotte encouraged any interested people to get out and try barefoot water skiing. As for her best advice?
"Have fun and be careful," the teenager said.
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Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
