It's Time for the 17th Annual Wake the Desert in San Angelo

Despite the naysayers saying we "don't have much water," somehow our lakes have drawn the attention of a couple of major sporting events over the last few years, as well as brought in thousands of visitors to the community to attend. Starting today through Sunday, July 17, one of our lakes will be the hot spot and place to be for anyone who loves water sports. 

"This is our 17th year, and 'Wake the Desert' is Texas' longest running and largest Wakeboarding Tournament. Chris Kinsey, RCDD of Elite Solutions, Inc. in San Angelo, is the Wake Surf organizer for the Endless Wave Tour.

"We have three stops across the United States, one of which is in San Angelo, and the other two are ones we just did in Wheatland California in June; and the final stop will be the finals and championship in Ft. Worth in August," said Kinsey.

He explained, "For those unfamiliar with the sport, there are two different disciplines they practice; one is Wake Boarding and the other is Wake Surfing. In Wake Boarding, the riders feet are attached to the board with a binding, and they are pulled behind the boat with a rope; similar to skiing, but they're faced sideways and not towards the front. In Wake Surfing, it's just like ocean surfing except it's done behind the boat, and the rider is propelled by the waves generated from the boat."

"Currently, we have pre-registration online for those wanting to participate, as well as on-site registration until the day of the event. Amateurs can register up until Friday morning, July 15. Theirs is a $50 entry fee, and for Pros, the fee is $125. Also, we are offering a $25,000 Cash Purse, which is one of the largest in the industry."  

All participants are expected to provide their own equipment, including a coast guard approved flotation device, a PDF, and their own board. Also, vendors will be on site with a variety of equipment and food for sale.

"Two to three contest boats and drivers are provided by the event coordinators, and we are expecting 150 athletes this year and a couple of thousand spectators," said Kinsey. "Athletes have come from as far away as California and Florida to compete."

Kinsey also said, "We will be offering clinics and boat demos on Thursday, July 14, and, for those interested, they can go to the website and sign up. We teach everything from the beginners learning how to get up to more advanced pro level tricks."

Kinsey added that the event will take place at the Middle Concho Park, off of Red Bluff Road, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

"Spectators can view the event from either the Grassy Meadows side or the Middle Concho Park side of the lake," said Kinsey.

He concluded, "San Angelo is a great venue for us. The constant level in Lake Nasworthy has been really good. We got close years ago, but fortunately for us, it's always been well maintained. With the shore and the river setting, it provides great viewing for spectators; it's great for the boats, and San Angelo just loves water sports." 

For more information, visit www.wakethedesert.com. Also, information on the Endless Wave Tour can be found at endlesswavetour.com.