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Published in Wake Magazine

Volume 16: Issue 5

The first Ladies Wakeboard Camp held at Cables was four days of all things wakeboarding.  Liquid Force, Nautique and Cables Wake Park along with Courtney Angus had joined forces to put together the jam-packed camp.  Six ladies took up the challenge of participating in both the cable and boat clinics of the camp, while another eight joined in for the morning cable clinics.  They were here to learn to shred and learn to shred they did.

Thursday started with a boat set on the Nepean River.   We were fortunate enough to have a brand new Nautique, glassy conditions and no other boats on river… due to the rain and freezing cold conditions.  But there were no princesses amongst these ladies.  Most braved the cold to ride without a wettie top or steamer, as the riders were keen to make the most of coaching from Australian Wakeboard Nationals champions Bec Gange and Anna Bielen.  The ladies ranged in boat riding experience and were keen to learn everything from surface switching and one wake jumps to wake-to-wake jumps and back rolls.  Lisa Parson and Bronwyn Brown gained stability in their board control, working on their edge to pop off the wake better.  Sophie Crawford, Shavaurn Hanson and Ellen Moon made clean wake-to-wake jumps by the end of their sets, with Sophie and Shavaurn getting a few indy and stalefish grabs in as well.  On their last few passes Sophie and Shavaurn got close to front and back rolls as they worked on not popping off the wake to early and cutting into the wake on the best edge to get more lift for their rolls.  After everyone’s sets Anna and Bec took to the water to show us how it was done.  It was very inspiring to watch as they busted out wake-to-wake steezed out grabs, 3’s and tantrums amongst many others.  The girls took some heavy falls, especially Bec’s Tantrum to blind where she was sucked back up into the wake nose first to side slap the water.  She popped up out of the water laughing only to try it again and ride away.  This was great motivation as we realised that no matter what level of riding you’re at stacks are still going to happen, so just get back up and keep trying.  After almost five hours in the boat, soaking wet and freezing cold, it was time to head back to Cables.

Day two started bright and early with a two-hour session on the left foot cable.  After a quick warm up ride the ladies got straight to it.  With a list of tricks consisting of hitting a kicker for the first time, to board sliding the Nessy and Alps, all the way up to tantrums and switch back 3’s off the wave kicker these ladies meant business.  The mini ladies where on fire, throwing down on every obstacle and gaining cheers from the crowd of parents watching.   Eight-year-old Kyla Noyce picked up half cabs off the wave kicker.  Zahra Kell nailed her list of tricks, which included front 3’s, back 3’s and back rolls, off the wave kicker too.  The rest of the ladies where riding just as hard, as there where some terrific stacks and plenty of swimming across the lake to run back to the dock and try it all again.  By the end of the two-hour set everyone was exhausted, but couldn’t wipe the smiles away as the ladies continued talking wakeboarding while checking out the awesome goody bags they had gotten from Liquid Force.

After lunch the six ladies and coaches headed back to the Nepean River for the second boat set.  With the muscles well and truly starting to burn, each rider went for a twenty-minute set, with a focus on gaining board control and practicing technique for tricks tried during Thursday’s set.  The end result was some stylish and clean wake to wake jumps, switch one-wake jumps and apart from dropping the handle, a few front and back rolls.  Finishing up the day tired, hungry and every muscle aching, we headed back to Cables as the sun disappeared over the horizon.

Saturday morning and another early morning cable set.  Black Diamond’s Scotty Kell joined Bec and Anna coaching the clinic.  Most of the ladies were keen to practice their bag of tricks in preparation for the Jetpilot King of the Kicker comp later in the day, so the wave kicker was the place to be.  Nina Brown and Sophie Crawford continued to work on 3’s and Holly Watt got close to raleys off the kicker.  Ellen Moon, Jazzi Neville, Kyla Noyce, Nicole Hughes and Zahra Kell all carved it up on the dance floor, getting in some practice for the Rail Jam comp tomorrow.  The highlight of the morning session was Kyla Noyce hitting the dance floor toeside, the taxi and then getting half way along the inside flat bar on her heels.  These ladies were learning fast and the guys watching on the sidelines were starting to get nervous.  The ladies were killing it!  With a newfound collection of tricks, the ladies competed in the Indy 2 Tower challenge and then the Jetpilot King of the Kicker comps.  There was plenty of cheering from the banks as the chicks from the ladies wakeboard camp supported each other as they gave it a go and shredded.

The final day of the wakeboard camp rolled around.  The 8am starts of the previous day went out the window as all the ladies slowly dragged themselves to cable for their last session.  After 3 days of non-stop riding, the exhaustion was starting to show.  But after the initial slow warm up, everyone was back out on the water.  The two-hour session was put to good use with practice runs getting thrown down in preparation for the Liquid Force Rail Jam, which started straight after.  All the ladies competed well in the Rail Jam, but at the end of the camp everyone was stoked to have learnt so many new tricks.  Freezing temps, rain or aching muscles could not keep the ladies away.  And when it was all over, the only question left was… when is the next Ladies Wakeboard Camp?

Ladies Wakeboard Camp