ABBY Burge is making a splash in the sport of waterskiing, following in the wake of her mother.
The Sutherland Shire youngster is the daughter of world champion Leanne Campbell, so already she has water running through her blood.
Last year proved a defining one, with the 10-year-old Abby and mum Leanne both winning national titles.
Last week Abby added the under-10 girls' state title.
After racing neck and neck with two other girls, Abby took the lead for a convincing last lap and victory.
"Abby has really got the bug," said Leanne, who won the 2011 world title, and in Spain last year finished second in the 2013 world championship. "I'm still trying to hold her back a bit, but she just wants to go faster.
"She was riding a new long race ski for the first time in a race, and she has started riding a finless ski in training (finless are harder to control)."
While Leanne says she is considering her own future in the sport, she is more than happy helping Abby's blossoming career
In fact, Leanne drove for Abby in last year's big 201 kilometre Bridge to Bridge race, where she teamed up with Australian champion Nellie McMillan — their first Bridge to Bridge — and won the under-10 girls' section.
"They had to start in the afternoon, got some pretty rough water for the first part of the race, and it took them 1 hour 50 minutes, which is a very long time on a ski for young girls, down the Hawkesbury River," Leanne said.
