Page 20 - RADC Bulletin 2022

AMS Wakeboarding Pte Hughes
From the 10th to 13th of May this year
all AMS members were offered the opportunity to attempt wakeboarding
at Box End Park on a four day AT event.
I was fortunate enough to try out wakeboarding last year for the first time for half day and remembered how tiring it was so the thought of four days gave me some foreboding. However, this was an opportunity that I could not miss and with CoC permission I found myself quickly putting my name down.
Box End Park has a very large lake in
the middle with the cable going all the way round. The lake is also linked to a second large lake where proper wakeboarding can take place using a powered boat. The boat could go as fast as necessary and could teach you how to wakeboard or water ski (which ever one took your fancy). There was also a little café where we ate our three meals of the day and relaxed whilst having free unlimited tea and coffee to keep us warm when out of the water.
The weather was promised to be very warm that week, however, like usual, the lovely British weather had other plans for us and kept us on our toes with some cold gusts of wind and a few rainy showers here and there, but nothing too bad that could dent our morale.
Our day consisted of breakfast at the café at 08:00 before getting suited and booted to begin our day. For the people attending that were not very confident at wakeboarding (myself included) we had the opportunity
to use the knee boards first so that we
had the chance to go around the lake to practice before going around on an easy
up wakeboard (this is where your feet are not connected and will slide out if you took a tumble into the water). We then began to try and find our balance on the cable. As the cable does not stop you have to learn quite quick how to avoid faceplanting in the water and to try and keep your balance.
After lunch that’s when the boat became available. I prefer the boat as I found that my balance was improved with more freedom to move around. This format was repeated for the 3 full days of learning how to wakeboard. I did manage to find my balance on the cable a few times however did not go very far and often found myself slapping the water with my face. In wakeboarding off the back of the boat my confidence began to grow and was finding myself able to balance through waves and was able to manoeuvre left and right.
The final consisted of a planned competition all with different categories available and graded according to your capability on the cable. After all the faceplants I had over the course of three days I was determined to keep my balance. With a little help I managed to stand up
and retain my balance whilst waving at the judges and touching the water. At the end
I found myself being second in the novice women category. I was over the moon to say the least.
I would highly recommend wakeboarding to anyone and support all to take the chance if further opportunities become available as it’s an adrenaline hit sport! If you are interested in taking part in AMS wakeboarding then find out more on the AWWA (Army Water-ski and Wakeboarding Association) on Facebook.
18 RADC BULLETIN 2022
SPORT & AT