Pro wakeboarders to compete this weekend in West Chester

The park is an ideal site, according to Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour Director of Operations Chris Bischoff.

It has “a perfect man-made lake” and is “great for viewing the action,” he said.

One wakeboarder, Ian Cole, is especially excited about competing at Voice of America MetroPark. He was born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio, and said that “it’s good to come back to my home state and hopefully see a lot of friends and family come out to support me.”

But Cole will likely see many more unfamiliar than familiar faces in the audience; Bischoff estimates that anywhere between 1,000 and 3,000 people will attend the event.

“It’s amazing being in front of the big crowds,” Cole said. “You can hear people yelling and screaming while we’re out there riding, there’s a lot of fans that take photos, and you can see a lot of smiles on the younger kids’ faces and see how much they look up to us. It makes it a really fun sport.”

Spectators should watch for the most impressive rider on the water, according to Bischoff, and “whoever impresses them will most likely be the one who wins,” since wakeboarding is judged subjectively. A jumbotron will give the audience a close-up view of the action as riders “pull the hardest tricks in the sport.”

The Voice of America lake and The Wheelhouse will be closed Friday and Saturday because of the competition, but all other park areas will remain open as usual, according to West Chester Twp. spokeswoman Barb Wilson.

HOW TO GO

WHAT: Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour

WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 12

WHERE: Voice of America MetroPark, 7850 VOA Park Drive, West Chester Twp.

TICKETS: Online at $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12. At the gate at $10 f0r adults and $5 for children. Military members will receive free tickets for themselves and three guests if they present their military ID.