Mario Pigozzi is urging the Dominican Olympic Committee to provide fixed funding for water skiing after his family won 10 medals at Santo Domingo 2026. The 56-year-old Italian architect told Diario Libre that official support would create a development pipeline for young Dominican athletes.
Pigozzi built an artificial lake in 2004 at the Catalina Ski Lake in Boca Chica and covers its operating expenses himself. He also subsidizes participation costs for more than 1,000 children training at his water skiing school.
The Pigozzi family built the only competition venue for water skiing in the Caribbean region. Their efforts account for 95 percent of all Dominicans who practice the sport.
High Equipment Costs and Facilities
Gold medals won by Robert, Andrea, and Paolo Pigozzi have helped keep the Dominican Republic in contention for fifth place in the Santo Domingo 2026 medal table. However, Pigozzi emphasized that severe economic hurdles limit the sport's expansion.
Water skis and essential gear must be imported from abroad, while specialized tow boats cost $180,000 each. Pigozzi said that although his family keeps fees low and opens the facility to the public, he cannot fund the sport for the whole country without government investment.
Family Legacy and Athlete Careers
Pigozzi first arrived in the Dominican Republic in 1986 as a 17-year-old accompanying his father on a sailing trip from Italy to Miami. After bad weather diverted their vessel from Martinique, they settled in the country.
Four decades later, Pigozzi and his wife Niurkys Perdomo have built one of the most successful sports families in Dominican history. Their son Robert Pigozzi, a 2019 Pan American gold medalist who lives abroad, reached the top three on the professional circuit in the United States and plans to continue his father's work.
Their triplets also pursue distinct paths alongside competing. Andrea Pigozzi focuses on the jump event because he aspires to be a commercial pilot, while Paolo Pigozzi works in video and analytics for the New York Yankees baseball academy. Francesca Pigozzi studies marketing and hopes her athletic success inspires young girls to overcome life's obstacles.
