The 2020 Toronto Indoor Wakeboard Championship kicked off this year’s WWA Wake Park World Series featuring an unique pro hockey stadium setting and a solid line-up of pros vying for a share of the $10,000 (CAD) prize purse!
Staged inside the Toronto International Boat Show, over a million gallons of water filled up the hockey arena to create one of the largest indoor lakes in the world. With riders landing their tricks just dozens of feet away from the crowds and music and play-by-play announcing pumping everyone up, it was surreal set-up!
A pass-the-handle jam format pulled by a Sesitec 2.0 ensured non-stop action as riders continually upped the ante to put down their best run of four! Qualifications, including a slot for the top amateur, were very tightly contested to narrow the field down to the top eight men and top six women.
The judging panel of Oli Derome, John Drieling and Leslie Sparks had their work cut out for them!
Men’s finalists: Guenther Oka, Riley Dillon, Mickey Henry, Quinn Silvernale, Nic Leduc, Gavin Giglio, Wes Huber and Aidan Gunningham. Just missing the cut were Dary Znebel, Derek Huntoon, Jesse Jarrett and Wake Purdy.
Women’s finalists: Meagan Ethell, Kelsey Chiappa, Erika Langman, Hannah MacDonald, Amanda Cook and Katherine Shirriff.
When the spray settled it was top ranked Guenther Oka, the reigning WWA WPWS champ, edging out Riley Dillon for the pro men’s title, with Gavin Giglio grabbing 3rd. Meagan Ethell overcame challenges from Kelsey Chiappa and Erika Langman to take the women’s crown! The contest offered equal podium prize money for men and women and highlighted the final weekend of the 10 day Toronto Boat Show!
The after-party offered a night to remember with a packed house to watch the world premiere of Derek Brown’s full length Canadian wake movie “Outhouse 3 – the Turd”!
Shout out to the Toronto International Boat Show, WWA, Wake Canada, Alliance Wake, Boarderpass Canada, Ontario Wake, Boardsports and Connelly Wake for supporting the contest!
