Wake Nation breaks ground on expanded facility

The first cable wake-boarding park in the Midwest opened last summer in the northern Cincinnati community of Fairfield.  Wake Nation received national attention becoming one of a select few cable wake-boarding parks in the entire nation that appeal to a recreational activity are growing in popularity among those competing professionally, and those just looking to get out and hit the wakes.

Shortly after opening, Wake Nation hosted the USA Wakeboard Cable National Championships which attracted thousands from around the country to Cincinnati.  Now the park is expanding with a new lake that broke ground earlier this month.

"The new lake is called "The Practice Pond" and it features an easy start cable system unlike any other in the country," said Wake Nation's Bill Mefford.  "The Practice Pond is designed to give children and beginners a place to learn to ride a wakeboard at a slower speed than on the main lake and will feature a starting dock on each end of the pond that will create an easy up-and-back system facilitating more launch repetitions which generates a faster learning curve."

The new lake will sit adjacent to the existing 10-acre main lake where riders currently have the ability to wakeboard, water ski, kneeboard and wakeskate without the need for a boat at speeds of 18 to 20 miles per hour.  The Practice Pond has been specifically designed for kids age five and up, and wakeboarding beginners, according to Mefford.

"When riders prepare for a launch the cable is not moving as opposed to the mainlake where the cable is constantly moving at approximately 20 miles per hour," Mefford explained.  "Once the rider is ready to start a Wake Nation instructor will start the overhead cable system and the rider will be gently pulled onto The Practice Pond water at a relatively slow speed for about 250 feet."

The new lake is expected to be completed in time for the 2010 season that begins on Saturday, May 1 and runs through October.  Once open for the season, Wake Nation is open daily from 10am until it gets dark with a variety of pay structures.

Writer: Randy A. Simes
Photography by Scott Beseler
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