You may not know what a corked spin or mobius is, or understand the difference between a boardslide and a lipslide. But that doesn’t mean the Garden State Wakeoff at the end of the month won’t entertain you—or make you decide to spend some more time riding behind the motorboat instead of in it. The second annual Garden State Wakeoff, scheduled for the weekend of September 26 and 27, is the work of Ryan Sorensen out of Lake Hopatcong Marine, and it is likely to draw riders that span all ages and abilities, from kids younger than 14 and novices to “Advanced” and “Outlaw” level riders, with several divisions in between, plus a girls and over-35 category. “It’s a really great time,” said Sorensen, who finished second in the most-advanced "Outlaw" division last year. “Everyone just has a lot of fun, and there’s a ton of talent out there.”
The competition will be taking place just off the beach at the Hopatcong State Park, and although riders will be competing for individual glory, their scores (22 points for first place in a division down to 6 points for eighth place) will be tallied as part of the North Jersey versus South Jersey grand battle, with a Garden State Parkway-styled sign as the championship belt. (The belt itself, incidentally, was won by the North Jersey team, 158 to 68, and members of that team have taken photographs of themselves around the world with it.) Not all riders hail from Jersey, of course, so those who come from out of state will be drafted by the North and South teams in the days before the Wakeoff. The actual event will involve riders starting on the west shore (near a 50-foot A-Frame slider), traveling across to the east shore, near Silver Springs, and then returning back to the area in front of the beach, with a full-circle turn for the final tricks. A Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV will be the towing vehicle, and riders can choose various tow-line lengths depending on their preference. Qualifying rounds for all of the riders will take place on Saturday, with the top five riders advancing to the finals in each round. The finals will fill Sunday’s schedule. To register for the event, go to the registration page on the Garden State Wakeoff website. For those who are conflicted about which part of the state to register under (those who, for example, live in North Jersey but usually ride in South Jersey) should select the part of the state where they do most of their riding, Sorensen said. Space is limited to 100 riders, with 80 New Jersey riders total and 10 out-of-state riders per team, and all riders must register online beforehand. Entrance to the park, however, will be free. Those who are not involved with the Wakeoff should be aware that the State Park ramp will be closed to the public during the weekend, and there will be State Police blockades on the water around the event. For more information, go to www.wakeoff.com.
