Wake event at West Edmonton Mall indoor wavepool???

[Canucked]

This is the first i've heard of this event. Has this been terribly advertised or do I have my head in the sand?


Here is a link to the video

http://www.edmontonsun.com/sports/othersports/2009/05/27/9583271-sun.html#/sports/2009/05/27/pf-9583426.html


Bored? Time to wake up.

A handful of the top wakeboarders in Western Canada are competing in the West Edmonton Mall's World Water Park during the inaugural Wake Wave from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.

Billed as the world's largest indoor wakeboard festival, the competition will be surrounded by beer gardens, DJs and a beachfront market.

But all eyes will be on the wave pool, where riders will be towed into the surf alongside a 13-metre slider rail that will raise 1.5 metres out of the water.

"We've never done anything like this before," said co-organizer Trevor Bamsey, Coors Light Alberta's director of party operations, who is bringing in his team of sponsored riders who will go head-to-head for the ultimate prize - a mini fridge.

"We've got 2,200 tickets and I guarantee it will sell out."

The Coors Light Wake Team consists of Edmonton's Brad Buskas and Kyle Dupuis as well as Carter Moore and Fraser Snell of Red Deer, and Kelowna's Chris Canuel. They will be judged on trick execution, degree of difficulty and personal style.

"It's up for grabs. Anybody can win that mini fridge. They'd love a mini fridge," said Bamsey.

The early favourite is Buskas, who won silver in the inaugural wakeboarding competition at the Pan Am Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, in 2007.

Buskas, who began wakeboarding 10 years ago once he finished high school, has returned home after spending six years in the wakeboarding Mecca of Florida.

"Out of everyone here, I've probably wakeboarded the most out of them all combined," said Buskas, who has collected a fleet of 40 boards over the years.

Being able to wakeboard throughout all seasons in the sunny south, Buskas said he rode over 300 times in one year. That's three times more than he can squeeze into one Canadian summer. But still, he's back up north.

"Customs and Immigration had a little bit to do with it," said Buskas. "Once something's put in front of you, it's the old saying, 'Too much of a good thing.' "

Although he's in it to win it, if Sunday's Wake Wave was a popularity contest, Buskas would gladly step aside to let the sport take the podium - especially in front of the next generation of wakeboarders.

"We need to get the little groms out there," he said.

"We're running out. They're our future. I can only ride so long before I'm in a wheelchair."

The balmy confines of the waterpark bring the crowd up close to the action, which typically takes place way out in the middle of a lake.

"I think this is going to revolutionize the wakeboard scene," said Bamsey.

They have brought in a winch especially for Wake Wave that can pull a rider at a top speed of 50 kmh from a standing start in just three seconds.

"This is the new direction of wakeboarding in North America."

Now, instead of having to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a wakeboard boat, the winch brings the wake to the boarder.

"Just last weekend, the crew tried it out in a slough of shallow water.

"Ocean, river, anywhere there's water," said Bamsey, pointing out the World Water Park is well suited for wakeboarding.

"In Alberta, you rarely get to wakeboard in warm water."

And the facility is well equipped to provide a challenge to the contestants.

"There's lots of turbines back there," said mall events co-ordinator Lindsay Lloyd. "There's so much power back in there, they can't even turn it on full or this place would just be washed out.

"It's great, it's local and with us being the Festival City, being able to add an Edmonton-based wakeboarding festival, it's a great opportunity."

Tickets are available at any West Edmonton Mall guest services location for $10 in advance or $20 at the door.

[ky1e]

Canada officially RULES FOR HAVING COORS LIGHT SPONSORED WAKEBOARDERS!!

Bud Light sponsors a couple professional surfers, and I couldn't think of having a cooler New Era hat then a Coors Light or Bud Light!! Screw Red Bull, just imagine getting shipments of free beer every month. I don't think life could be better.

[leviwynnyk]

I have heard NOTHING about this. It's my sons birthday oherwise I'd be there for sure.

[Canucked]

As Alberta people check out this thread if anyone wants to be a third or needs a third in the Edmonton area flip me an e-mail.

My crew appears to be too busy working like a bunch of chumps, my wife has a torn ACL and i'm getting a bit antsy to ride.

I live 2 miles from Half Moon Lake (which i can't get on anymore due to no public boat launch) but we are usually at Wizard or Coal lake...and I carry fully cans of boat fuel!

[leviwynnyk]

Canucked, If you ever feel like making the trip out to Sylvan (Where I live) for a day or evening you are welcome to come ride with us. There are only 2 or 3 of us who usually go, and we ride behind my 08 XLV.

Cheers.

[Canucked]

leviwynnyk, thats sounds great. I'll PM you the e-mail address that links to my Blackberry.

We are going to be at Sylvan lake towards the end of June (i'll have to confirm the dates) for a work function. Maybe we can hook up and ride a few sets.

I'll have my boat as well, is there any lake front hotels with boat slips available?



On another note. I checked out the "Wake and Wave" event at West Ed last night and it was awesome. Hundreds of near naked girls, a big rooftop rail and jumping the wave pool waves. The party was rocking bigtime.

I'll post pics when I get them dumped off my camera.

[leviwynnyk]

Ugggg, I can't believe I missed the event at WEM, sounds killer.

Let me know the dates and if I'm here we'll definitley go for a few sets. We don't have any lakefront hotels (Well there is one but it's very pricey in the summer), and there aren't really any slips to rent either. The launch/slip/hotel situation here actually kind of sucks. But the beach makes up for it! What kind of boat do you have?

Post the pics from WEM!