A rising star in the world of international water sports had added to her already-long list of accolades.

Penticton's Kate Pinsonneault, 18, was named Canada's female junior water ski athlete of the year after notching several podium finishes at tournaments across the globe.

Water Ski Canada, the sport's national governing body that made the announcement, said Pinsonneault had an "outstanding" 2024 season.

"Throughout the year, Kate continued to shine at the 2024 Canadian Water Ski Championships, where she secured four first-place finishes in the U17 girls' events and placed third in the Open Women鈥檚 Finals' overall event," it said.

Pinsonneault, a local Grade 12 student who recently secured a full-tuition scholarship at the University of Louisiana Lafayette, capped off her season by winning seven medals at the Pan Am Water Ski Championships in Bogota, Colombia.

She also made her mark at the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation U17 World Water Ski Championships in Calgary, where she finished fourth in Jump while wearing the red and white Maple Leaf.

On the heels of her stellar 2024 campaign, the Penticton teen kicked off her 2025 season last weekend by qualifying for the prestigious Masters' Waterski and Wakeboard Tournament. Pinsonneault will be the lone Canadian and one of just seven junior water skiers in the world to compete at the event.

"It's my favourite event and extra special this year because it's my final year as a junior (athlete)," she said of the 66-year-old tournament, set to take place south of Atlanta from May 23 to 25.

Pinsonneault said she's excited to start her post-secondary journey in Louisiana, where she'll be studying biology and competing on the school's water skiing team, the "Ragin' Cajuns."

Among her first big tests south of the border, she shared, will be water skiing at the 2025 National Collegiate Championships in El Centro Calif., from Oct. 16 to 18.

In conversation with Black Press Media at the end of her 2024 season, Pinsonneault thanked her father for helping her reach the world stage of athletics.

"Without Skaha Lake and my dad spending countless hours driving for me, I wouldn鈥檛 be where I am today, and I am forever grateful for that."