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PINEVIEW RESERVOIR, Weber County — If you’ve never heard of wake surfing, it’s just what it sounds like — it’s a combination of wakeboarding and surfing.
Instead of holding onto a rope attached to a speeding boat, the surfer lets go and attempts to surf the wave created by the boat (known as a wake.) Participants also replace the wakeboard for a shortboard (a surfboard that is only 5-7 feet.)
If you’ve been to Lake Powell or Bear Lake in the last few years, you’ve probably seen wake surfers up and down the water. And now the Centurion World Wake Surfing Championship is being held in Utah for the first time.
The championship will take place at the Pineview Reservoir in the Ogden Valley from Thursday to Saturday.
The popularity of the sport in Utah was an influence in the decision to host the world championships in Utah, according to one of the event sponsor's, BoardCo President Troy Mann.
“The magnitude and growth of wake surfing in the region inspired us to want to bring the highest levels of competition here and sustain it — getting Utah its ravenous water sport culture and amazing venues on the big stage,” Mann said. “We see it as a great opportunity to catalyze more growth and participation in the sport generally, and earning the bid to host the World Championships in Utah for the first time in its 23-year history is a big deal.”
Event organizer Tony Duffy said they had been producing wake surfing events in locations with a similar geography as Utah's for several years and have made a tour stop in Utah during the last three years of the World Series of Wake Surfing.
The event is compared to “wake surfing’s equivalent of the Olympic Games.” Competitors travel from all across the world to participate.
An exciting addition to this year's championship event is Utah native Maggie Phipps. She was born and raised in Ogden and began wake surfing when she was 14. Now 16, Wednesday will be Phipps’s debut in a worldwide wake surfing competition.
“Since I’ve been competing a lot this season, I know what to expect,” Phipps said. “But this is my first world competition. It’s new and I’m a little nervous, but I’m going to go out and ride the best I can.”
The 2018 Centurion World Wake Surfing Championship is open and free to the public. Along with world-class wake surfing, the event will also offer music, food, games and beach access during all three days of the competition. Parking fees may apply.
Visit the event website for more information.
