SATURDAY REPORT : We kicked off at exactly 10.00hrs today and those misty warm conditions continued – not great for photos but excellent for our Cable Wakeboard Riders as the chilly water was flat calm. The Opening Ceremony was really a VIP speech occasion for our Riders from 19 Countries as this was no ordinary competition. In celebrating the World’s first Cable Wakeboard event at an Olympic Rowing facility, special best wishes came from Mr Wang Du, Director of China Watersports Administration, Mr Lu Yingchuan, Acting Director of Beijing Shunyi District Government and many other special guests. IWWF President Kuno Ritschard responded with our thanks for all their much appreciated interest and support on this historic day – and with the hope that this would be the first of many more here in China.

As you will see from www.CableWakeboard.net – the results on this Qualification Day are fascinating. With a great total of FIVE Riders from Asia making it through to Sunday, this is certain proof that Asia has reached Cable lift-off stage. Watch out for Ken Tackmann THA, Mark Griffin PHI, Jaemjan Padiwat THA, Fahkrudin Mohammed Yasin SIN, and of course the 15 year old sensation Im San KOR on Sunday. While some of these names may be new to you, they have certainly made their mark here today.

Our apologies for not being able to provide a Webcast on this occasion – but the sound track is live at this Website below. Roll on Sunday’s Finals as we wait to see who the World’s first Cable Gold Medal winners will be here at Shun Yi Olympic Rowing Lake.

WAKEBOARD IN SPOTLIGHT AGAIN AT BEIJING’S OLYMPIC ROWING LAKE

FOR ITS HISTORIC FIRST MAJOR COMPETITION

Thomas Lin, IWWF VP, Yang Fenghui, GM Beijing Shunyi Aquatic Park, Des Burke-Kennedy, Marketing & Media IWWF

The worldwide growth of Wakeboard Cable Parks is gathering further international momentum. All eyes will be on this sport which is scheduled to make a final presentation to the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee this week in St Petersburg, Russia, for inclusion in the 2020 Games.

Beijing’s magnificent Shunyi Olympic Rowing, Canoeing and Swimming Lake, was constructed for the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. It has now acquired a spectacular new and well-timed additional feature. With Wakeboard on the shortlist of the International Olympic Committee, the Shunyi facility has now introduced a full size Wakeboard Cable Park for the public. By any standards, this is an impressive sports venue with an estimated 6.35 million square meters of water surface area, all man-made, and perfect for Wakeboard !

In association with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) and organized by the Chinese Water Ski Association, this first major international Wakeboard event at Shunyi is scheduled for June 7/10. The impressive international entry list of male and female Riders includes Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Chinese Taipei and USA.

This inaugural event is a highly significant step forward for both Beijing’s magnificent Shunyi Olympic Rowing Lake facility and the sport of Wakeboard. Last week, Barcelona’s Castelldefels Olympic Rowing Lake also launched its first Wakeboard facility which will open to the public shortly. President of the IWWF, Kuno Ritschard, stated that this low cost youth focused environment friendly sport adds a totally new dimension to health and fitness options at a time when exercise for all age groups is such an important global challenge.

Organised by the Chinese Water Ski Association and sanctioned by the IWWF Asian Confederation, the official timetable for the Shunyi Olympic Park Opening Competition is as follows :

FRIDAY June 7

09.00 – Riders Registration & Briefing

11.00 – Pro Women Practice

13.30 – Pro men Practice

20.30 – Riders Briefing

SATURDAY June 8^th

09.00 – Official Opening Ceremony at Shunyi

09.30 – Pro Women Semi-Finals

12.00 – Pro Men Quarter Finals

16.15 Pro Men Last Chance Qualifiers

SUNDAY June 9th

09.00 – Pro Women Last Chance Qualifiers

10.30 – Pro Men Semi Finals

13.45 – Pro Women Final

14.45 – Pro Men Final

16.30 – Award Ceremony

END

WORLD CUPS STOPS NUMBER 37 AND 38 CONFIRMED

On May 3/5 we will be back in Palembang Indonesia for the 37th World Cup Stop – WAKEBOARD+JUMP+SHORTBOARD.

We will head for Shunyi near Beijing in China on June 7/9 for our 38th World Cup Stop and this time it will be CABLE WAKEBOARD

Watch out for all the details here shortly !