Koocanusa Village was thrilled to host a double header weekend of top wakesurf talent of both the Canadian Wakesurf Nationals presented by SWS Marine Group on September 7th, and the North American Championships on September 8th. The village, nestled on the stunning shores of Lake Koocanusa, provided an ideal location for wakesurf enthusiasts and spectators alike, offering perfect conditions for riders to showcase their skills and for fans to enjoy the action from the best vantage points.
“We had over 60 riders from across Canada from as far west as Victoria, BC, and as far east as Toronto and Perth, Ontario,” says one of the event organizers, Loree Duczek. “From personal bests and new tricks landed to the cheering of the crowd on shore, and the live entertainment as everyone gathered for dinner on the beach, it was an unforgettable weekend, and we are so grateful to everyone who participated.”
The youngest rider of the day, Casen Taylor of Calgary, took the gold medal in the boys Junior Division, one of 16 divisions run throughout the day Saturday.
Bailey Rush took first in Pro Women’s Skim, with team riders Caroline Villeneuve taking second and Jolene Allen taking third. Rush, a dominant dual rider, went on to take gold and the National Championship in Pro Women’s Surf. Ontario’s Timmy McNamee captured the silver medal, and Jolene Allen took bronze.
It was a battle of the bros in the Men’s Pro Combined Division as 3x Canadian National Champ Ryder Duczek and younger brother Dagen went toe to toe. In the end, the torch was passed as Dagen Duczek took his first Pro Men’s Canadian Championship, narrowly edging out Ryder in a tight battle for first and second. Surfer Keegan Hodgson of Olds laid down some huge tricks with a high degree of difficulty on his way to third place and the bronze medal, with Kerry Williams of Calgary also putting in a solid run and rounding out the Pro Men’s Combined podium in fourth.
“There were several sets of siblings and entire families riding in this year’s event, which speaks to what it’s all about: having fun, spending time together on the water, and sharing the stoke,” adds Duczek. “We are so grateful to our sponsors who made the entire day possible, to all of the participants, and to their friends, family, and the members of the public who came out to cheer them all on.”
The Wake Canada National Wakesurf Championships were held at Koocanusa Village on the shores of Lake Koocanusa and capped off another epic year of riding north of the 49th parallel.
