Camille Duvall

Duvall's brother Sam also happened to be one of the sport's fiercest competitors. Perhaps one of the most talented sister-brother duo in any sport, Sam and Camille Duvall early on earned the nicknames "Golden Boy" and "Golden Girl."

As Camille matured, her popularity increased at the same rate, if not faster, as her skills on the water. Many believe her rising fame was due in no small part to her beauty. Duvall matured into a tall, statuesque woman whose physical presence, many said, was as impressive as her skiing feats. Her looks earned her the moniker "The Golden Goddess."

But her records clearly indicate that she came to win, not to show off for the crowd. In fact, Duvall was often unhappy—and rightly so—about the attention paid to her appearance. She wanted the emphasis on her achievements and what she could accomplish as an athlete. After high school, Duvall returned to Florida (the family had moved to Dallas during Camille's high school years) to concentrate solely on her skiing. She soon suffered a knee injury that, though not serious, pushed her away from the sport for a few years.

After a brief hiatus from water skiing, Duvall returned to the sport in 1981 and surpassed her former accomplishments. She rejoined the U.S. Elite Water Ski Team, and from 1983 to 1987 she helped that team to world championship victories. She also won the 1985 Women's World Slalom Championships, going on to capture many national, professional and Masters titles in the process.