Big air tricks draw big crowds to Rockett’s Landing!

Crowds up and down the James River at Rockett’s Landing went wild when 11-year-old wakeboarder Mitch Kappler landed a huge Tootsie Roll and beat out the older pros for the Best Trick award at the Rockett’s Big Air pro wakeboarding competition Sunday evening.

Rockett’s Big Air was the first stop of the 2012 AF Wake Series, a mid-Atlantic pro/am watersports series run by 2009 International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation World Champion Adam Fields and his wakeboard school.

The event proved to be a tremendous success, bringing in droves of spectators despite the rainy weather.

 

 

Riders win big!

Top wakeboarders from the mid-Atlantic region were there in full-force, dedicated to going huge for the crowd.

Fields Johnson from Lake Gaston, North Carolina threw a massive Tantrum off his second double up of the day and Stephen Pierce from Lake Norman, North Carolina nailed a sky-high Indy Glide.

Both Fields and Pierce went so big on their tricks they unanimously tied for the Biggest Air award, each earning $400 in prize money.

Mitch Kappler won Best Trick and $400 for landing a Tootsie Roll, a trick he’s never attempted off a double up.

“I couldn’t be more excited for the riders and myself to have had such a great platform to show off what we do,” said Adam Fields, event coordinator and owner of AF Wake. “This event brought wakeboarding back to Richmond and we’re stoked!”

 

 

Sponsor and vendor support rocked!

Rockett’s Landing, Conch Republic, Get Wired, Ski Center, The Boat Lift Store, Inc., Smith Optics, Dunkelvolk and Stultz Clothing Co. joined AF Wake to make this event successful.

“We were very happy with the attention and enthusiasm Rockett’s Big Air provided for our company,” said Shawn Lemieux of Get Wired. “The energetic atmosphere and the buzz from the spectators was amazing!”

“We were able to make direct sales and more importantly we were able to generate long-term individual and business relationships,” said Lemieux. “This is the second AF Wake event we’ve supported, and we’ve seen the same overwhelming positive response from everyone in attendance. We can’t wait for the next one!”

 

 

What’s next?

AF Wake strives to get more people and local businesses involved in wakeboarding through amateur and pro events, schools, camps and shops.

“Rockett’s Big Air was a big hit and plans are already in the works for next year’s event,” said Fields. “If you want to help build the wake scene in the mid-Atlantic, don’t hesitate to contact AF Wake. We need as much support as we can get!”

The next stop in the AF Wake Series will be Crunkfest 3.0 at Wake Edgers Gear and Gifts on Lake Anna Saturday, June 23 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Check out afwake.com for more details.

 

 

 

 

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