WINTER PARK, Fla. (April 4, 2017)—The Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour, the longest-running professional wakeboard competition circuit in the world, will kick off its 25th anniversary season with a first-time stop in Birmingham, Ala., May 12-13. The event will take place at Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park featuring a picturesque setting, many outdoor activities and a beautiful sand beach.
During the May 12 qualifying rounds, some of the world’s top professional men wakeboarders will compete for one of eight coveted spots on the tour line-up. Winners will join the eight highest-ranked competitors from 2016, who pre-qualify for the 2017 tour, for the first official competition of the year on May 13.
Pre-qualified riders include Mike Dowdy (2016 overall winner) and Supra Team riders Nic Rapa (2016 Rookie of the Year) and Cory Teunissen (2015 Rookie of the Year).
In addition to high-flying wakeboard action, the Supra Boats Pro Wakesurf Tour brings one of the hottest up-and-coming sports in North America to each city. Wakesurfing—riding the boat’s wake without the help of a towrope—saw an astonishing 30 percent year-over-year growth from 2012 to 2015, according to the Water Sports Industry Association.
Noah Flegel, Parker Payne and Aaron Witherell pre-qualify for the 2017 Supra Boats Pro Wakesurf Tour.
“Oak Mountain State Park is the perfect venue for the Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour,” said Rick Tinker, president of Supra Boats, title sponsor of the tour. “It combines glass calm water conditions for the athletes with top-tier amenities for the fans in the crowd.”
The Supra Boats SA550 is the official tow boat for the tour again in 2017. Purpose-built to create clean, consistent and controlled wakes, it is designed to push athletes to new levels while preserving strict handling and a balanced ride for those onboard.
New for 2017, each Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour event will be livestreamed on Wakeboarding’s Facebook page for national viewing.
