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Wakeboard Championships Bring Extreme Sports To South Florida

Lisann Ramos

If you drive on Gratigny Parkway this weekend, try not to get too distracted by the wakeboarders soaring through the air at Amelia Earhart Park.

They may be hard to ignore -- they're the best in the country.

Wakeboarders from all over the U.S. are competing this weekend for the Wakeboard National Championships.

The event is a county effort to offer a greater variety of activities at public parks.

"It’s kinda what I like to call a culture of extreme sports. This park attracts a lot of these customers and patrons that in my opinion is a little limited in South Florida,” said Lars Bergquist of Miami-Dade Parks.

This is the first time the competition comes to South Florida, but Bergquist hopes it won’t be the last.

Credit Lisann Ramos
An amateur Wakeboard National Championship competitor rides at Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah.

He wants Amelia Earhart Park to be a hub for extreme athletes.

“We’re looking forward for more and more events that eventually will be worldwide events at this venue and we will continue to work very hard and have other extreme events of this nature in this park,” said Bergquist.

Noah Flegel is a professional wakeboarder from Deerfield Beach. When he’s not competing across the globe he practices at the lake 10 minutes from his home. He’s happy to compete nearby for a change.

“It’s nice to not have to get on a plane and go somewhere where I can just get in my car and go back home after it’s all said and done. It’s great to, like, have all my family and friends come out accessibly,” said Flegel.

Prizes will be awarded on Sunday afternoon in three different categories.

For more information on the competition, go to the WorldWakeboard Association website

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