Riders Wow Crowd at Garden State Wakeoff
Dozens of riders enjoyed a beautiful Saturday on Lake Hopatcong as they participated in the third annual Garden State Wakeoff, held for the first time at Lake Forest Yacht Club in Woodport.
Lake Hopatcong riders took home the championship belt, but "Team X" (made up of all non-Lake Hopatcong competitors) topped the podium in the Masters, Advanced, and Outlaw (professional) division, with 13-year-old pro wakeboarder Paulie Koch winning the final event.
As many as 800 people attended the event throughout the day, and Mitch Scharf of Lake Hopatcong Marine said the Lake Forest Yacht Club already extended the invitation for the event to be held there again next year. "Without a doubt, it is the best place for this to be held," Scharf said.
He added that the event will likely continue to grow. "Hopefully, next year's wakeoff will turn into a Pro-Am, where some of the best professional wakeboarders in the country will be in attendance and help to promote our competition and the lake."
Results are posted below the photos, taken by Willa Scantlebury.
"Sparky" Dan Wicks, Ellie & Fred Steinbaum (of Hopatcong) and Gary Knapp, prepare to take Sparky out for a barefoot demonstration to begin the Wakeoff festivities.
Ryan Sorensen flips off the wake in the low afternoon sun.
Ryan Sorensen, event coordinator and Outlaw competitor, does an Off-Axis 360
World Class Pro, 13 yr old Paulie Koch, is shown here in a Heelside Backroll
Hopatcong's Logan Phelps (who left early) takes first place and Anton Pezzano (on right) takes 5th in the kids division.
2010 Results
Kids
1. Logan Phelps LH
2. Arden Kasseleh LH
3. David Prilutsky X
4. Trey Povanda LH
5. Anton Pezzano LH
6. Dale Godfrey LH
7. Mason Godfrey LH
8. Connor Phelps LH
9. Anthony White X
10. Kaya Oldfield X
11. Robert Cahn LH
12 Cali Barton X
Novice
1. Tyler Povanda LH
1. Tyler Povanda LH
2. Jeremy Minier LH
3. Kodi Rath X
4. Scott Davis LH
5. Chip Haney LH
6. Andrew Swanson LH
7. Connor Morris X
8. Tim Pilewski LH
9. Trent Pezzano LH
Girls
1. Ashley Dorn LH
2. Tori Koch X
3. Shaina Kassaleh LH
4. Annette White X
4. Annette White X
5. Jen Standchak X
Intermediate
1. Kyle Kasseleh LH
2. Aaron Piemontesi LH
3. Michael Levinson LH
4. Jim Jacobsen LH
5. Win Taylor X
6. Evan Kurzman
7. LH Rich Thompson LH
8. Jon Rudolph LH
9. Randy Sorensen LH
10. Chris Peel X
11. Luke Combos LH
12. Dan Leahy LH
13. Darren Hendershot LH
Masters
1. Kevin Geary X
2. Barry Umbaugh X
3. Byron Barrios LH
4. Bill Merritt LH
5. Rob Petit LH
6. Rick Fitzpatrick LH
7. Jeremy Klopper LH
8. Dustin Townsend LH
9. Alex Kinon X
10. Thomas Povanda LH
11. James O'Connor LH
12. Scott Godfrey LH
13. Michael Cahn LH
Advanced
1. Daniel Benson X
2. Aaron Fischer X
3. Tommy DeSena LH
4. Allen Blank X
5. Kyle Power X
6. Race Rappazzo X
7. Dough Fleischman LH
8. Mark Kramaritsch LH
Outlaw
1. Paulie Koch X
2. Ryan Sorensen LH
3. Jeff Barton X
4. Brian Sengebush LH
