Biography

Vital Statistics

Birthdate:  May 31, 1977                    Birth place:  Modesto, California

Current Residence:                            Riverbank, California

Height: 5'                                            Weight: 125 lbs

Occupation:                                         Computer graphics

Began Skiing:  13                                Began Competing:  14

Events: Slalom, Trick, Jump

Division: MP-3  (Multi Plegic – Level 3 – lowest level of injury, unable to stand to ski) uses a sit ski Injured in surgical accident 9 days after birth

Sponsors:     OS Systems Drysuits

Hobbies: Synthesizers, computers, photography

Career Highlights

• Gold Medal as US TEAM Member at ’03 World Championships in Florida (USA)
• Individual Silver Medal for Slalom ’03 Worlds
• Individual Bronze Medal for Trick ’03 Worlds (4 way tie)
• Full page feature in June, 2001 issue of  Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine
• USA WaterSki (National governing body for the sport) Male athlete of the month - March, 2001 – note “Athlete of the Month” makes no distinction between ablebodied/disabled
• Silver Medal as US TEAM Member at ’01 World Championships in Australia
• Individual Gold Medal for Overall ’01 Worlds (Overall is combined score of slalom,            jump & trick skiing)
• Individual Silver Medal for Slalom Skiing ’01 Worlds
• Individual Bronze Medal for Trick Skiing ’01 Worlds
• 2000 National (Overall) Champion
• Gold Medal as US TEAM Member at ’99 World Championships in England
• Individual Gold Medal in Slalom at ’99 Worlds (his first world competition)
• 2 Time World Record Holder
• 3 Time National Champion
• Student at Modesto Junior College, majoring in Graphic Arts & Design
• Volunteers with Modesto Society for the Handicapped
• Exhibition skied at Marine World Africa USA, thereby exposing general public to waterSkiers with disabilities
• Exhibition skied at Mid Valley Water Ski Club’s  January 1st,“Polar Bear Ski Day”
• Exposes and encourages others with disabilities to try waterSkiing

Ski Club Affiliation

TEAM KeNevA WaterSki Club

Future Career Plans

None... who knows... I'm taking suggestions!

Most fun skiing experience

Winning Slalom MP3 at the 1999 World Championships in England

People I look up to or who have helped me

Kent Sandhagen, Matt Oberholtz, Mom & Dad, Steve Hornsey, Bill Bowness

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In his day to day life Mark looks much more mainstream than the photo at the top of the page.  His hair is clean-cut, he doesn't wear nail polish.  This look has been his way to mentally prepare for a tournament.  You see most folks don't look at someone in a chair, nor someone with colored hair . . .  because they're uncomfortable.  Mark's in a chair with colored hair, you can't help but look.  His attitude isn't combative, it's empowering. When folks do look it fortifies him to rise above.  This photo was taken in England at the '99 World Championships (it is courtesy IWSF.  You bet he took a ribbing from the guys of other countries about his painted nails.  Mark was USA - all the way home with his individual  and TEAM Gold Medals!  That folks is TEAM spirit . . . evidently it worked:)

While Mark "ANIMAL" frequently dazzles people with wild hair colors for competitions, he's also been dazzling them with a few gold medals and record performances.  The reigning world champion and 2 time world record holder Mark pulled out all the stops and became a 3 event skier, earning the Overall World Championship in 2001.  (Silver in Slalom, Bronze in Tricks, 4th in Jump) Only 24 years old, Mark's got lots of years of competition ahead of him.  The photo below was taken at a TEAM  dinner in Australia, over my right shoulder , across the bay is the city of Melbourne. (Oops, Kent's on the left, Mark in the middle and Neva on the right.)

Mark has exhibitioned at Marine World, Africa, USA, skied at Mid Valley WaterSki Clubs Polar Ski Day (January 1st) and almost every major holiday since 1997.

Mark was dubbed "ANIMAL" by his coach Kent Sandhagen the first time he saw Mark ski.  Like a Timex watch (or maybe it's a Duracell battery) Mark kept going, and going, and going.  Kent said "You're an ANIMAL, a ski ANIMAL!" 

When not skiing Mark "ANIMAL" is a college student who keeps taking off a semester of school to travel the globe to waterSki.  Mark is majoring in Graphic arts and design . . . you can see some of his work below and elsewhere on this keneva.com site:)  Please (and thanks) email Mark (MTurner Designs) if you'd like to discuss him providing graphics for a project of yours, or if you'd just like to chat.  

In addition to his skiing greatness, Mark volunteers with Society for the Handicapped, at whose clinic he learned to waterSki in 1990.  Mark has volunteered in KeNyA's classroom, teaching graphic arts to the students as well as sharing his life story with them.  You could have heard a pin drop the first day Mark rolled into KeNyA's fourth grade classroom (years ago) with green hair.  The students in Los Banos were not prepared for a guy with green hair in a wheelchair, you know they didn't want to stare or anything.  Anyway he won over every heart in the classroom as soon as he started talking about his own elementary school experiences . . . fourth grade he said, was the toughest year of his life.  Lonely, no one to play with at recess, kids tripping him, laughing at him; situations many students could identify with.  After our art time ended it was time for recess, the students wanted Mark to go outside with them.  As soon as he rolled onto the playground he was surrounded by students, asking questions, oohing and aahing over his accomplishments.  He turned to me and said, I never had this many friends on the playground when I was in school.  Both Mark and the students were equally gifted by his presence.

He's a cool guy, but be wary of any "ANIMAL" advice he gives you.  He helped Kent and I move a few months ago.  Our friend (and TEAM KeNevA Ski Club Member) Ross Kersthold and Kent loaded our heavy coach on the trailer, saying it was all they could do to carry it.  It was to be Kent and me to unload it and move it in.  "ANIMAL" had a suggestion . . . he wanted to back the trailer up to the front door, tie a rope around the couch and attach it to his truck by the back door . . . then he'd gas it and the couch would zoom off the trailer, right through the front door.  When Kent and I said no, Mark said all we'd need was some plastic and it'd slide right on through.  I don't think so Marko, let's wait and try that with your couch!

 

Skiing Bio

1990 Learned to ski

1995 First place, DisAbled Division @ Tournament (Sunspray Lake)       

1995 Third place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Slalom)

1996 Third place, Western Regionals (MP3 - Slalom)

1996 Fourth place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Slalom)

1997 Exhibitioned - Polar Bear Ski Day - Mid Valley Water Ski Club

1997 Second place, Western Regionals (MP3 - Slalom)

1997 First place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Slalom)

1997 Exhibitioned - Marine World, Africa USA

1998 Exhibitioned - Polar Bear Ski Day - Mid Valley Water Ski Club

1998 First place, Western Regionals (MP3 - Slalom)

1998 First place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Slalom)

1998 Tied existing World Record

1998 Selected to US DisAbledWaterSki TEAM

1999 Second place, Western Regionals (MP3 - Slalom)

1999 First place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Slalom)

1999 Tied existing World Record

1999 First Place, World DisAbledWaterSki Championships (MP3 - Slalom)

2000 Second place, Western Regionals (MP3 - Slalom)

2000 Second place, Western Regionals (MP3 - Jump)

2000 Second place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Slalom)

2000 Second place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Jump)

2000 Third place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Tricks)

2000 First place, US DisAbled Nationals (MP3 - Overall)

2000 Selected to US DisAbledWaterSki TEAM

2001 First place, World DisAbledWaterSki Championships (MP3 -Overall)

2001 Second place, World DisAbledWaterSki Championships (MP3 - Slalom)

2001 Third place, World DisAbledWaterSki Championships (MP3 - Tricks)

2001 Fourth place, World DisAbledWaterSki Championships (MP3 - Jump)

2201 Male Athlete of the month (March, 2001) (USA Water Ski)

2001 Feature - Sports Illustrated for Kids (June 2001 issue) 

Disabled? Mark-o went on a week long white water rafting trip to the Grand Canyon.  

Click on the Grand Canyon Link to see some awesome photos!