Surf Cat

Eve-Ellen Skewes (14) from Foxton retained her Open Women’s Cable Wakeboarding title for the second year running at the New Zealand Cable Wakeboarding National Championship held at Off the Loop Cable Wakeboard Park in Foxton on Saturday.

Eve’s father Gavin Skewes won the 40+ Veteran Men’s category.

There were 41 wakeboarders from around New Zealand, and three international riders from Finland, Norway and the UK competing in seven different categories from Under 11 Mini boys and girls to the coveted Open Men’s and Women’s titles.

The Open Men’s title was claimed by Reno Henry from Northland, a man so devoted to the sport, he spent three years building his own lake to practice on. Henry also took the overall New Zealand National Cable Wakeboarding Champion Award.

Chief Executive of Off the Loop Glen Butcher said the event was a great success with riders really enjoying the course.

“The event went just exactly as we wanted it to go. It was perfect weather, we had lots of spectators and double the entries of the last nationals which was held in Auckland.”

As well as prizes from the sponsors of the event, winning riders gained points to qualify for the World Cable Wakeboard Championships being held in Thailand in September 2020.

Another home win was scored by Glen Butcher, who came first in the 30+ Masters category.

Harry Wells and Jazlyn Wells, both of whom train at Off the Loop, scored first places in the Under 19 Junior Men’s and Women’s categories, and local girl Mila Tucker Nathan, 9, won the Under 11 Mini Girls.

The event was free for spectators who were treated to displays of wakeboarding with competitors showing off their spins, inverts, air tricks and scarecrows (a front roll with a 180 degree front side rotation).

Commentary was provided by Danny D-Rascal and Cole Simmons who told the audience they weren’t there for their superior knowledge of wakeboarding but for their ‘comedic value’.

It was the first time the national championships have been held in Foxton. Off the Loop Cable Wakeboard Park opened in December 2018 and at 185m is the longest of the four cable wakeboard parks open to the public in New Zealand.