Wakeboard School

Reporter: Felicity Urquhart

 

Fliss is getting some serious air on a wakeboard…or maybe not.

 

Black Diamond Wakeboarding School is located on the Hawkesbury River in NSW, Australia. This is approx 1 hour from Sydney’s CBD.

 

Surrounded by grassy fields, waterfront palm trees and mountains on either side of the river, Black Diamond Wakeboarding School provides the ideal environment for riding and relaxing. Black Diamond can cater for riders of all abilities, whether you have never ridden a wakeboard before or are a touring professional, Scotty will help develop the mechanics required to progress to the next level. From hourly lessons through to week-long camps, Black Diamond has you covered.

 

 

Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding is a surface water sport which involves riding the wake of a speed boat on a single board. It was developed from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques. Before it was called wakeboarding it was called skurfing (ski + surfing).

 

Wakeskating

Wakeskating is an adaptation of wakeboarding that employs a similar design of board manufactured from plywood or from fibreglass. Unlike wakeboarding, the rider is not bound to the board in any way, which gives the sport its own unique challenges. Instead, the top surface of the board is covered with griptape, (in a similar fashion to a skateboard) or a soft, high-traction, foam covering that is kinder to riders in the inevitable crashes. Riders usually wear shoes while riding to afford themselves extra purchase on the board, similar to skateboarding.

 

Scotty Kell

Black Diamond Wakeboarding School is owned and operated by one of the wakeboarding world's most highly respected rider/coach combinations – Scotty Kell.

 

Scotty has been at the forefront of Australian Wakeboarding since the beginning, pushing himself, students and the sport in the right direction for over 10 years. He is responsible for developing a lot of the hot, young talent you see coming through the professional ranks right now and is likely behind the progression you see from amateur riders on your local river/lake.

 

With regular appearances from Australia's top riders and ‘stopovers’ from some of the world's finest, it is never difficult to draw inspiration – after all you will be riding in one of Australia's premiere locations, behind the latest offerings from Nautique Boats and in the company of some of the world's greatest wakeboarders.

 

 

Lessons

They run 1/2hr & 1hr lessons as well as a bunch of packages which make it quite affordable to give wakeboarding a real go.

 

On the $200 package we’re featuring you get 3 lessons (20mins each), tramp session + lunch.

 

If you want to make a weekend of it you can stay overnight…

 

Accommodation

All the accommodation is on-site at the school located only a few metres from the water.

 

It’s shared, bunk style accommodation in a cabin with two bedrooms and a shared entertainment room with TV, DVD, VCR and Sony PlayStation including an array of the latest and oldest wakeboarding videos.

 

There is also a beach volleyball court, table tennis and trampolines onsite and available for your use.

 

Meals are included in all their overnight and day packages. All meals are prepared on-site at the school. All meals are of high quality and the menu varies from week to week.

 

More Information   Black Diamond Wakeboarding School 2580 River Road, Wisemans Ferry   Telephone: (02) 4566 4511 www.blackdiamondwakeboarding.com.au   For $200 you get three lessons on the water, a tramp session and lunch.   And for all you need to know about getting out on the water, give our mates at the BIA a call on 1300 7 BOATS or set sail for their website at www.bia.rog.au

 

Prices correct as at 15/12/07