World top wakeboarders present in Knokke-Heist
The Cold Water Classic had been on the program for two years. The organization wants to put Belgium on the wakeboarding world map together with Knokke-Heist, but unfortunately we had to renounce the organization of this in both 2020 and 2021.
2022 does offer the opportunity for a top-level competition, although there are still some consequences: the organization sees that some wakeboarders do not yet dare to travel far. Perhaps the water temperature is holding back some wakeboarders. “Next year we will find out whether it is due to the temperature, but before that we also called it the Cold Water Classic… a bit of the Tour of Flanders for wakeboarders in possibly harsh conditions and with a water temperature that will be around ten degrees “, says organizer Frank Vanleenhove.
The organization has already managed to get some nice names. Women’s world champion Julia Lupij will make her appearance, as will the wakeskating world champion Maxim Gery, vice world champion Dennis Hildebrand and number one on the current world ranking Mike Wisse.
It’s also looking forward to the local heroes this weekend: Kaat Bastiaans (4e World ranking) U18 and Pauline Appelmans (16e) in the women’s open, but also Louis Eggerickx, Glenn Vandenberghe and Rolf Devriese in the men’s wakeboarding, numbers 21, 24 and 28 respectively and all from Knokke-Heist. They started wakeboarding on Lakeside Paradise 10 years ago and have now become international stars.