George Blair (Banana George)

Posted October 2, 2007, 9:53 pm in Water Sports
Credit Growing Bolder

George Blair (Banana George)
Born: Jan. 22, 1915

The greatest barefoot waterskier of all-time. George Blair was a successful New Jersey businessman in 1955 when he traveled to Florida at the age of 40 to recuperate from back fusion surgery. An instructor at a ski school near Fort Lauderdale convinced George to try water skiing, back brace and all. His life hasn't been the same since.

After the Age of Seventy

• He has skied on all seven continents and in 69 different countries, which is a Guinness World Records.  He holds the National Jumping Record Veterans division at 34 feet.
• At age 70 (1985), he learned to wake board.
• At age 71 (1986), he barefooted on Whalers Bay in Antarctica.
• At age 75 (1990), he rode an air chair.
• At age 75 (1990), he learned to snowboard.
• At age 76 (1991), inducted into the Water Ski Hall of Fame    
  

  
• At age 83 (1998), he rode his first surfboard.
• At age 85 (2000), he road a bull for a full second.
• At age 90 (2005), he went barefoot water skiing, another Guinness Record.
• At age 91 (2006), he went barefoot water skiing, another Guinness Record.
• At age 92 (2007), he went barefoot water skiing, another Guinness Record.
• At age 93 (2008), he went barefoot water skiing, another Guinness Record.

Quotes

• "I'm not growing older. I'm growing bolder. How do you like that?"
• "I'm a fanatic about eat good food. I don't eat anything with processed white flour in it."
  

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