Monday, January 4, 2010

NW Wakesurf Accociation blog is moving!

The NWWSA is phasing out this blog group and our discussion group site. For
future information please see our Facebook site at:

http://www.facebook.com/NWWSA

Also, we finalized the Dates and Venue for the 2010 NWWSA Wakesurf Open!

July 30 - August 1 (Friday - Sunday)
Lake Sammamish State Park
http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Lake%20Sammamish

Stay tuned to http://www.nwwsa.org and our facebook site (above)

Any questions? Feel free to email us at info@nwwsa.org

Surf On!

Monday, August 31, 2009

RESULTS OF THE 1ST ANNUAL NWWSA WAKESURF OPEN

MASTERS
1st – Scott Culp
2nd – Jeff Walker
3rd – Judy Walker

OPEN
1st – James Walker
2nd – Sean Cummings
3rd – Wes Beck

AMATEUR FEMALES
1st – Caroline Villeneuve
2nd – Susanne McCully
3rd – Kaley Sparling

AMATEUR MALES
1st – Jimmy Sparling
2nd – Richard McCully
3rd – Kevin Riffle

JUNIORS
1st – Maddie Garcia
2nd – Thomas Garcia

BIG TRICK COMPETITION
Bret Van Den Heuvel (reverse saddleback)

(check out nwwsa.org for photos of the Awards ceremony, and check out kenstanek.com for photos of the entire event)

The 1st Annual NWWSA Wakesurf Open was a huge success!

On August 29, hundreds of spectators converged on Vasa park to witness 50 wakesurfers compete in five divisions for awards, prizes and fun.

It was an event of firsts
-First sanctioned wakesurf competition in Washington state
-First inclusion of a "big trick" competition
-First live web broadcast of a wakesurf competition.

That's right, Wake9.com showed up to install video cameras on both boats. The cameras transmitted back to shore where it was projected onto a large screen, giving spectators a terrific view of the surfers. The transmission was also simultaneously broadcast live on the web where it was viewed by over 800 people (about 30 at any one time) with over 400 watching for at least 1.5 hours! Stay tuned to their page at: http://wake9.com/blogs/1st-northwest-wakesurf-open/ for other video clips of the competition.

And don't forget to check out http://www.kenstanek.com for a complete photos gallery of the entire three day event!

Also, Ray Jijina took aerial shots from the Kenmore Air seaplane. See them here

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE COMPETITORS AND THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS AND TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS EVENT SO MUCH FUN!

Stay tuned for information on the 2nd Annual NWWSA Wakesurf Open!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

AUGUST 25, 2009 NEWSLETTER and FINAL EVENT UPDATE

JUST TWO DAYS TO GO!

In these final few days before the big event, all of us at the NWWSA are working hard and fine-tuning every last detail. We hope that the information below will answer most of your questions. If not, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email at info@nwwsa.org.

When we began planning this event last year we could have only hoped for this degree of response and enthusiasm from our competitors and sponsors. We want to thank everyone who has offered his or her time and financial assistance. The event would not be the same without your help and we aim to show that all of your contributions were put to good use. We are also extremely thankful for the support and financial assistance of our major corporate sponsor Citrix Systems.

MotoPlex of Lynnwood, Centurion and Inland Surfer have also made this event possible by providing the beautiful Centurion Enzo SV24 competition tow boats for the event.

We expect this will be the last general email concerning the tournament, so please review it carefully. Some of this information has been repeated from previous emails for the benefit of our newer NWWSA members. We can’t wait for this weekend when we can meet all of you in person!

TOURNAMENT UPDATE

As we have mentioned before, the tournament is full. If you are a registered competitor and your plans have changed, such that you will not be able to attend, please let us know as soon as possible. For those of you on the wait list, while it does not look like we will be rotating any additional folks from the wait list to the competitor list, we would still love to see you all at the event.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY, August 28, 2009

• 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Vasa Park: Practice runs on the course will be available behind the tournament boats. This will be a great opportunity to check out the new Centurion Enzo SV24 and get familiarized with the course. There will be a sign-up list at the registration tent on the beach. In order to sign up for a practice run you must first be pre-registered and have received your wristband. Included in each competitor’s registration packet will be the heat list that will indicate when each competitor will be competing at the tournament on Saturday. Priority for the practice runs will be given to registered competitors but time permitting, all members are welcome to try out the wake. There will likely be several other members on the lake with their own boats, so we hope everyone will be able to surf. Vasa Park has a $4 (adults) and $1.50 (children) entry fee for everyone except registered competitors and designated volunteers.

• 6:00 p.m. Issaquah Brew House: The official practice runs will end at 5:00 p.m., so that everyone can get ready for dinner and drinks at the Issaquah Brew House (35 W Sunset Way, Issaquah). This no-host evening is not limited to competitors or members, so bring your friends!

SATURDAY, August 28, 2009

• 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.: Parking lot across from Vasa Park: All competitors must be at the MANDATORY COMPETITOR MEETING at 8:30 am sharp. In order to start the first heat on time it is essential everyone arrive on time for the meeting. The competitor meeting will take place across the street from the entrance to Vasa Park. During the meeting you will hear from dock starter Mike Cameron who will explain the logistics of the tournament, and from head judge Mac Page who will explain the judging criteria and rules.
• 9:00 a.m.: Vasa Park opens. There is a $4 entry fee (adults) and $1.50 (children) for everyone except non-registered competitors, members and designated volunteers.
• 9:15 a.m. – 7:00 p.m: Competition. It is essential that each competitor be checked in at the competition site at least one hour prior to your scheduled heat. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.
• 7:30 p.m. – Midnight, Jeff Page's home: Awards ceremony and BBQ starts. Further details below.

SUNDAY, August 28, 2009

• 10:00 a.m. – 6 p.m., Lake Sammamish: For those of you who have requested it, we will be matching you with a local surf boat for some surfing on Lake Sammamish. We are currently planning to have one dock be a central meeting location, and will start surfing at 10:00 a.m. Everyone participating will be encouraged to bring food and drinks to share on the dock. More details will be provided on Friday and Saturday.

COMPETITOR PRE-REGISTRATION AND REGISTRATION

Pre-registration will be available on Friday at Vasa Park. Registration will be available on Saturday at Vasa Park. We strongly encourage all competitors to pre-register on Friday as your registration packet includes the heat list so each competitor can see when they will be surfing.

Each registered competitor will also receive their backpack, generously provided by Northwave, tournament t-shirt and wristbands. The wristbands will allow you access to the park and admission to the BBQ. There are a few extra t-shirts for sale at the event, but additional shirts can be ordered and shipped to you. Order forms will be available at the registration desk.

RIDER EQUIPMENT

Each competitor is responsible for providing his or her own equipment, (i.e., vest and board). You are responsible at all times for your own equipment! Competition vests are allowed during the tournament.

AWARDS AND PRIZES

Each division will have first second and third place awards. The awards will be handed out at 8:00 p.m. at the BBQ. There are also merchandise prizes including Inland Surfer surfboards, Nice-Rack Custom Tower Accessories, with additional prizes from Coastal Surf Boutique, Ronix and Pyramid Breweries. There will be a "Big Trick" prize in the open division for whoever throws down the best trick of the day during the final 300’ of their run.

Raffle tickets for additional prizes will be sold at the tournament.

VIDEO AND PHOTOS

Robert Garcia and his family will be providing a live video feed from the tournament boats that will be broadcast to monitors on shore for spectators. Even if you have already competed or are awaiting your heat, this will be a great chance to watch some of the best surfers around compete. As mentioned earlier, we'll have plenty of photographers on hand, as well.

VASA PARK RESORT

Vasa Park Resort is located approximately 15 minutes east of downtown Seattle, and is easily accessible from I-90. For directions and more information on the park click: http://www.vasaparkresort.com/1530.html

Admission to the park is $4.00, payable at the door. Admission to the park is included on Saturday for competitors, members and designated volunteers. There will be a NWWSA representative at the gate at all times to facilitate admission to the park.

All entrants to the park have access to all the amenities at the park including the swimming beach, swim dock, volleyball and basketball court.

FOOD VENDORS

Two food vendors, Dante’s Inferno Dogs and Jumpin’ Jack’s Coffee will be at the event on Saturday, and we encourage all of our members and spectators to purchase food from them. Alcohol is permitted in the park, but no glass is allowed in the beach area.

BOAT ACCESS TO VASA PARK

Spectators or members can arrive at the tournament (after 9:00 a.m.) by water. Although there is no dock to tie up to, boats can anchor just off shore. A $7.00 mooring fee must be paid to the park, and the receipt placed on your dashboard. Spectators arriving from water are still required to pay the $4.00 Vasa Park admission fee and members and competitors should register at the NWWSA desk as well.

BBQ DETAILS

Jeff and Deb Page have been kind enough to host the BBQ and awards ceremony on Saturday night. The BBQ starts at 7:30 p.m, with the awards starting at 8:00 p.m. Jason Wilson will be roasting two whole pigs with side dishes and beer will be donated by Pyramid Breweries. If you have any dietary restrictions, or would prefer beverages other than beer, feel free to bring what you like.

The BBQ is over capacity at this point, so unfortunately we can’t open the doors to the public. For those of you who have already reserved a space at the BBQ but have not yet paid, you will be able to pay at the BBQ. Please bring exact change if possible.

BBQ DIRECTIONS AND PARKING
1418 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Bellevue, WA 98008

The Page’s house is on Lake Sammamish, 5-10 minutes north from Vasa Park. To get there by car, start at Vasa Park and continue north on West Lake Sammamish Parkway until you reach the “North Rosemont” neighborhood as indicated by a large sign. The Page’s house is the last house at the northern end of the neighborhood. As there is no turn-around at the end of the neighborhood we do not recommend driving all the way to their house. Parking is very limited, so we encourage car-pooling. Acceptable parking areas will be marked with neon orange NWWSA signs. Please be careful to not block any driveways or garages. There will be golf carts shuttling people up and down the neighborhood to your cars, but it’s not a very long walk to their house either way.

You are welcome to arrive at the BBQ by boat; however, dock space has already been assigned. Guests are more than welcome to anchor their boat just off shore.

NWWSA DISCUSSION BOARD

As always, the discussion board that can be useful for coordinating rides to and from the airport or the event, organizing accommodation logistics, or just to connect with other members to buy/sell equipment, discuss techniques, or find a wakesurfing partner. Sign up at: http://groups.google.com/group/NWWSA.

Thanks again to our sponsors and volunteers. We couldn’t have this event without you.

The Board
NW Wakesurf Association
PO Box 6097 - Bellevue, WA 98008
Phone: (206) 234-8586 - Fax: (206) 621-1365
www.nwwsa.org

Monday, August 24, 2009

Official event start times are now set.

Friday, August 28
12:00p - Practice runs and early registration at Vasa

Saturday, August 29
8:30a-09:00 - Mandatory competitor meeting at Vasa
9:15a-7:00p - NWWSA Wakesurf competition! at Vasa
7:30a-12:00a - BBQ at Page House (stay tuned for address and parking directions).

Monday, August 17, 2009

2nd NWWSA SUNDOWNER - Aug. 17

One of our sponsors, Pyramid Brewery, has asked us to have our next social event at their alehouse in downtown Seattle. This will be a great location for our second social event and we hope many members, sponsors, guests and friends will be able to attend. This will be the last formal social event before the tournament so let’s all show Pyramid how much we appreciate their support.

Here are the details:
Monday, August 17, 2009 6:30 p.m. at the Pyramid Alehouse
located at 1201 1st Avenue South, across the street from Safeco Field.

AUGUST 11, 2009 NEWSLETTER and EVENT UPDATE

HELLO AGAIN EVERYONE,
The tournament is only a couple of weeks away now, and the board has been extremely busy working to finalize all the remaining details. We wanted to provide you all with an update along with some further details for the tournament weekend.

SECOND NWWSA SUNDOWNER
The first NWWSA Sundowner at the Issaquah Brew House was a great success, with 30 surfers showing up to discuss the upcoming event, surfing and drink beer. Lots of beer. It was great putting faces to names and meeting such a diverse group of people with such a common interest.

One of our sponsors, Pyramid Brewery, has asked us to have our next social event at their alehouse in downtown Seattle. This will be a great location for our second social event and we hope many members, sponsors, guests and friends will be able to attend. This will be the last formal social event before the tournament so let’s all show Pyramid how much we appreciate their support.

Here are the details:
Monday, August 17, 2009 6:30 p.m. at the Pyramid Alehouse
located at 1201 1st Avenue South, across the street from Safeco Field.

TOURNAMENT UPDATE
The tournament is still full, but several people on the waitlist have already been moved onto the competitor list. We will let any wait listed members know the minute a space becomes available. If you are a registered competitor and will not be able to compete, please let us know as soon as possible. For those of you on the wait list, we would still love to see you all at the event, even if you are unable to compete.

Friday, August 28
• 12:00p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Official practice runs on the Vasa Park course with the tournament boats on a first-come first-served basis, with priority being given to registered competitors. There will likely be many other member boats surfing on the lake all day and those boats will also have access to the course.
• 6:00 p.m.: We will all return to the Issaquah Brew House located at 35 W Sunset Way, Issaquah, WA 98027 for a no host social/cocktail hour/dinner. The Issaquah Brew House is less than ten minutes from Vasa Park. Carpool can be arranged for out-of-towners.

Saturday, August 29
• 8:30 a.m – 9:00 a.m.: Mandatory competitor meeting at the Vasa Park meeting hall (located across the street from the Vasa Park entrance). It is imperative that all competitors arrive on time to hear from the judges, review tournament rules and find out their competition heat. The first heat will start at 9:15 a.m.
• 9:15 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.: 1st Annual - NWWSA Wakesurf Open at Vasa Park! Remember that admission to Vasa Park is included for members and competitors with your NWWSA wristband, but all others must pay $4 at the gate.
• 7:00 p.m.-midnight: Member and Competitor BBQ and awards ceremony at Jeff and Deb Page’s house on Lake Sammamish. Chef Jason Wilson of Seattle’s Crush restaurant will be roasting two whole pigs, with beer provided by Pyramid Breweries. As we have mentioned before, please let us know if you are bringing additional guests so we can have an accurate headcount. Each additional gust is $15.00 and we ask that payment be made by August 19. See www.nwwsa.org for payment options, including PayPal.

Sunday, August 30
• 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., interested members, competitors and guests will be paired with a local Lake Sammamish host for a day of wakesurfing and relaxation.

FOOD
Jumpin’ Jacks Coffee and Dante’s Inferno Dogs will be selling food and drinks at Vasa Park during the tournament. The NWWSA will provide lunch for the volunteers. Alcohol is permitted in the park, but no glass is allowed in the beach area.

COMPETITION SPECIFICS
Competitors in each heat will be transported together from the beach at Vasa Park by boat to the “party barge” that will be anchored off shore. The barge will be the staging area for each heat. Each heat consists of three or four competitors from the same division. A run consists of two 1500’ legs: an outbound leg and a return leg. Competitors will start their outbound leg from the barge and finish at the far end of the course where the towboat will stop, turn and pickup the competitor to complete their return leg, finishing their run back at the barge. At the end of each heat, competitors will be returned to shore. Each competitor is allowed one run, and is permitted to fall twice on the outbound leg and twice on the return leg. If a competitor falls, the tournament boat will turn and pick up the fallen surfer to continue their run. However, if a competitor falls a third time during a leg, or less than 300’ from the end of the leg, a PWC will pickup them up and take them to the drop zone at the end of their leg; either at the far end of the course or at the barge.



Each competitor will be judged by three independent judges observing from the tournament boat. To ensure consistency, every competitor in each division will have the same boat driver and same three judges. At the end of the day scores will be compiled and trophies and awards for each division presented at the BBQ. Spectators will be able to watch the event from the beach at Vasa Park, or watch from the water on either side of the course. Official NWWSA boats and PWC will keep the course clear during the event, and ensure the safety of the riders and spectators.

NWWSA DISCUSSION BOARD
Remember to sign up and check out the discussions at:
http://groups.google.com/group/NWWSA.

NWWSA LOCAL CHAPTERS
There have been several inquiries about starting local chapters of the NWWSA. If you are interested in starting a local chapter, please contact us.

We hope to see everyone at the next sundowner and at the tournament.

Surf On!

The NWWSA Board
NW Wakesurf Association
PO Box 6097 - Bellevue, WA 98008
Phone: (206) 234-8586 - Fax: (206) 621-1365