Lake Como Challenge Results

Seahorse · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 141

What a day, huh?? It began misty and chilly, and ended with the sun beating down on us (while maintaining pretty decent water!), not to mention the entire salad we had to pull out of the boat to keep it from overheating. (Darn weeds - but I hear Lake Como isn't the only place you have to deal with that?!)

We were SO impressed with the turn out and the riding we saw! Not only did we have 7 women, we had a wakeskate division for the first time, and a girl in THAT division! We had 33 riders, and 33 GREAT riders! Here's how everyone fared:

WOMENS:
1. Patty Hicks
2. Lauren Lonergame
3. Kaila Coffey
4. Liz Freeman
5. Ariana Koehler
6. Amy Nack
7. Kailey Koehler

BEGINNER:
1. Gus Shuler
2. Joe Ryan
3. BJ Hoekstra
4. Austin Lutter
5. Dante DiGangi
6. Cody Coffey
7. Keith Rose
8. Devin Kennedy
9. Kevin Kuntsman
10. Lance Duffett
11. Jason Vanick
12. Clayton Bowroski

INTERMEDIATE:
1. Mike Morris
2. Ryan Melcher
3. Johnny Griggs

ADVANCED:
1. John Coffey
2. Hugh Greeley
3. Wayne Bowroski

OUTLAW:
1. Mike Van Patten
2. Mark Norwell
3. Tim Keepers
4. Chad Magnusen
5. Nick Cankar
6. Gunnar Shuler

WAKESKATE:
1. Chad Magnusen
2. John Greeley
3. Rhett Williams
4. Tim Keepers
5. Amy Nack

There are a few people who cannot go unrecognized - without their help I would have lost my mind yesterday (oh, ya, I guess I kind of DID at one point! ) :
Hondo's and Wayne Bowroski for coming to us with the idea
Ken and Karen Koreba for being there
Chrissy Punzio for helping with registration (and being Keni's best friend)
Pam Marschner for manning the shop
Amore, P-Dubs and Kyle for sitting in the boat all day judging
Lisa Collins for her kick-a$$ photos

And extra special thank you's to those people who came out for a fun, relaxing day and ended up working their butts off: The whole Coffey family, especially John! And the whole Koehler Family, who ended up running the "transfer boat" all day!!! Plus JASON VANICK for helping us with the weed issue - good thing you had some experience with weeds and engines!

Thanks again, everyone! We had a GREAT time! I hope you all had fun - let me know what you think. Anything you liked? Didn't like? What should I do different next time?

jvanick · Posted: Jun 14, 2004 4:19 am Post subject:

Keni: thank's for the shout out! No problem on helping you guys out.

Your format and organization was second to none, I've never been at a comp that was as well organized.

i gotta start working on my riding skills for next time... maybe I should just become the boat mechanic for these events and not ride? Wink

-J

colefooter · Posted: Jun 14, 2004 5:57 am Post subject:

Where exactly is lake como at? It sounds like a interesting competition.

jvanick · Posted: Jun 14, 2004 6:19 am Post subject:

Just to the immediate north of Lake Geneva, WI.

-J

Seahorse · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 141

Thanks, Jason! It was great to see you and great to have you there. (And not JUST to pull weeds from my engine.)

Hope to see you at the next ones!

Ridn9high · Outlaw Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 140 City: Livermore

For each division what tricks did the winner throw?

Lizrd · Posted: Jun 15, 2004 7:24 pm Post subject:

I have to comment that the Board Shop puts on an incredible event and this was no exception. Everybody there was a good sport and the atmosphere was really supportive. The judges are great - I have no idea how they can sit in the boat all day and keep everyone's run straight! The pickup boat really helped things to run smoothly, too, even with the weeds.

Not only is the event great but the prizes and swag are abundant. Mike got 1st place in Intermediate and not only did he get an engraved medal but also some cash, a coupon for the Board Shop and a gift certificate for a free massage!! Now who couldn't use that after wakeboarding??!! Everyone who entered the event got a t-shirt and then there were a ton of give-aways at the end - liquid force t-shirts, reef sandals, visors, stickers, gift certificates, DVD's, posters, etc. etc. I think everyone walked away with something!

I have only two suggestions - one of which is due to the amazing turnout that you had. My first suggestion would be to hold the practice runs with the weight that will be in the boat for the tournament. It was great to get a pull in the morning to loosen up and it would have been even better to have the wake the same for the contest. Most contests I have been to don't even offer practice runs so I think you are on the right track.

Second, you might consider dividing up the kids a bit more. I know we were all floored with the number that registered. Maybe hold a junior beginner and a beginner? Or, in the INT league, they call them "mini-outlaw" -- some special division for the little rippers that are just learning to get up on the board and carve around. I know it's hard to break their hearts by not awarding them with a medal. We do a similar thing in horse shows and wouldn't you know it, every time, the judge just can't decide who is better than the other, and everyone in the group gets a first place ribbon. We throw the boys in with the girls since at that level it doesn't seem to matter much. This way everyone leaves smiling and the little ones don't get their butts kicked by a 14-year-old who really knows their way around a wakeboard!

I have to say, if you wakeboard in the Illinois-Wisconsin area and you didn't make it to the event you really missed out! Check out the calendar at www.bsboardshop.com for the next fun contest! If you have never competed before don't hesitate to sign up- it is so much fun!

Lizrd · Posted: Jun 15, 2004 7:30 pm Post subject:

Rndn9high- for beginner division and women's it was W2W 180s, grabs, ollie 180s, 180 grabs, and the wildcard if they wanted one could be anything - one kid came close to a backroll. Intermediate was similar to beginner with a 360 here and there, a tantrum and a backroll attempt. Advanced was a bit of an exception that day - don't ask. Outlaws kept busy with raleys and raley based tricks, 5's, 3's, front roll, back roll, tantrum, etc. It was fun to watch because everyone was so supportive of the different levels.