Congrats to the CWU Wake TEAM !!!!!!

CWU Wakeboarding Team Takes Third in First Ever Competition.

By: Mike Stepper

Central Washington University’s Wake Team went to their first ever competition in Gerber, California. The team started off on their journey to California on a Thursday night and drove all through the night. They finally arrived at Lake Villa Lagos just after 7am the following morning.

As they pulled up to the lake exhausted they began to pile out and just lay their sleeping bags on the gravel road going around the lake. After about two hours of much needed rest. They began to take advantage of the nice weather and a glassy lake. Each rider took an early morning practice set, and then was also able to take a late afternoon practice set as well. In order to get familiar with the lake and the boat that was going to be towing the event.

After everyone had all the practice they could handle, it was off to Chico State where a kind friend was letting the whole team stay at their house. Later in the night the host team Chico State was having a party, which included a pool-to-pool wakeboard rail setup. However after a long drive through three states. The CWU Wake Team was exhausted and decided to stay in and get some rest.

The rest apparently paid off as the next day, seven of the ten-team riders advanced to the finals in their first team competition. The CWU Wake Team merely had at least one rider in each division going into the finals.

Kaleigh Day led the team going first off the dock in women’s wakeskate. She qualified second and then later in the finals took home first place in women’s wakeskate.
Next up for the CWU Wake Team was their strongest division: Men’s Intermediate. CWU had two riders qualify for the finals in both first and third. Then in the finals riders Kelly Clinefelter and Sean Doyle both finished one-two respectively.

The following division Men’s Advanced had CWU sophomore Bret Lund qualifying third for the finals and also repeating that same spot to round out the podium in the finals.

After watching the team do so well. The lone wakeskater and CWU Wake Club president, Mike Mckinney seemed to find some inspiration and was able to qualify for the finals. He then repeated with another third place on the podium.

The final division Men’s Open also saw two CWU Wake Team members qualify for the finals. In the finals freshman Thomas Olson took fifth place to give the CWU Wake Team much needed points. Nick Haisch also was able to place fourth in Men’s Open to give CWU enough points to beat Long Beach State for the third place podium. By earning a spot on the podium, the CWU Wake Team guaranteed themselves a berth to Collegiate Nationals in the spring. Also, joining them on the podium was: 1. Sacramento State University 2. Chico State University


Day 1 - Saturday October 25th
The following riders have advanced to day 2

Women’s Wakeskate:
1. Madi Rooney - Long Beach
2. Kaleigh Day - Central Washington
3. Tori Rodman - Chico
4. Jessica Ulvang - Chico
5. Colleen Doyle - Chico

Women’s Wakeboard:
1. Claire Manning - Chico
2. Allison Whitney - Sac
3. Monica Koppit - Sac
4. Jessica Ulvant - Chico
5. Jordan Raber - Chico

Men’s Intermediate:
1. Kelly Clienfelter - Central Washington
2. Dustin Handell - Long Beach
3. Sean Doyle - Central Washington
4. Danny Wilson - Chico
5. Kyle Klaski - Sac

Men’s Advanced
1. Mitch DeAngelis - Sac
2. Eric Christensen - Long Beach
3. Bret Lund - Central Washington
4. Ryan Stanley - Sac
5. John Forrester- San Jacinto

Men’s Wakeskate
1. Chris Olesiewicz - Sac
2. Drew Peterson - Chico
3. Mike McKinney - Central Washington
4. Tyler Rossi - Sac
5. Alex George - Long Beach

Women’s Open
1. Shelby Kantar - Sac
2. Shawna Hoffman - Butte
3. Dani Petraitis - Shasta

Men’s Expert
1. Justin Montgomery - San Jacinto
2. Nathan Long - Butte
3. Chad McInnis - Sac
4. Anthony Sawyer - Chico
5. Nick Culvert - Sac

Men’s Open
1. Dan Bright - Sac
2. Marcus Kistler - Chico
3. Jake Weaver - Sac
4. Nick Haisch - Central Washington
5. Thomas Olsen - Central Washington




Finals - Day 2 – Sunday October 26th

CWU Wake Team Riders on Podium:

1. Kaleigh Day Women’s Wakeskate

1. Kelly Clinefelter Men’s Intermediate
2. Sean Doyle Men’s Intermediate

3. Bret Lund Men’s Advanced

3. Mike Mckinney Men’s Wakeskate