Former water ski racing champion Liz Doogan-Hobbs inducting into Sporting World Hall of Fame in Antwerp

A former water ski racing champion has been induced into the World Sporting Hall of Fame.

Liz Doogan-Hobbs, chief executive of concert, events and production company Liz Hobbs Group Ltd, was inducted into the World Sporting Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Antwerp, Belgium over the weekend.

Liz is probably the UK’s best-known female water-skier of all time. By the age of 15, her passion and natural ability for competitive water-skiing took Liz to international level where she secured sponsorship herself to train full time and represent Great Britain.

From Liz’s early days in competitive sport her motto was ‘first is first, second’s nowhere’, a mantra that followed her through an illustrious sporting career.

Her determination to succeed stemmed from a young age. Liz suffered with asthma and, due to the severity of the condition, she was told she would never make it in sport.

A chance family holiday at the age of nine changed her life forever. Liz tried out water-skiing and immediately discovered an affinity with the sport which, through training enabled Liz to take control of her asthma. She never looked back.

Liz became British Water Ski Racing Champion at 16, a title she defended seven times and took the European Water-Ski Racing title before her 18th birthday, a title she made her own four times.

Liz went on to become World Water-Ski Racing Champion at 21 and successfully retained the title, a feat never done before.

At speeds approaching 100mph on a ski, Liz showed fearless courage and determination to be the best.

Liz broke the British, European and World Speed Records and retired undefeated champion of the world.

She was nominated for the Sports Personality of the Year Award, won the Sports Writers of the Year Award and most notably was awarded the MBE for her Services to Sport by Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace.

2015 saw Liz inducted into the European Waterski Racing Hall of Fame, recognising her unprecedented achievements in the sport.

The term Hall of Fame has been attached to most sports, as a type of museum, preserving and display our sporting heritage and those that helped create it.

The ultimate accolade for any world level sports Hall of Famer is the celebration of sporting prowess and honours and only those accepted as having been outstanding enough in their sport qualify. Ultimately only elite athletes of exceptional world level proven and exceptional ability are admitted.

A Hall of Famer is someone who played their sport for a long time, had an exceptionally high peak, was elite and added value throughout their career.

Of her award she said: “I am not often speechless, but when I received a telephone call to tell me I had been accepted into the World Hall of Fame I was truly emotional. I’m not ashamed to say I cried, a lot.

“It really is very special to be recognised now for all the hard work and dedication it took to become a World Champion, not only for me, but also for my racing team, without whom I couldn’t have achieved so much. My dad is so very proud, but he still says as my driver he came across the line first and beat me.”

After retiring from competitive sport, Liz moved into television and radio presenting her own ITV show Hobbs Choice for eight years, her own show on BBC Radio 2 and hosting Sky Sports Saturday, before setting up Liz Hobbs Group to concentrate on artist management for sports, theatre and television personalities.

From that beginning she launched the events division, fusing her passions for sport and music.

The development of live music after sporting events in cricket, rugby, horse racing, golf and football opened music up to a new audience. Liz’s company is now widely recognised as one of the largest producers of music events in sporting venues.

Liz has always strived to help and support others and all her concerts contribute to worthy causes. She was a trustee of Breast Cancer Now and, during her 10-year term as chairman of the Pink Ribbon Ball, led a team to raise over £3m to help fund vital research into finding the cure for breast cancer.

Liz travelled to Belgium over the weekend with her husband Rupert to receive her honour.