Skiers, lend me your ears for this very a-maize-ing recap on Twin Lakes CornFest!
Twin Lakes CornFest is an annual ski and wakeboard showcase that brought 3-eventers, collegiates, wakeboarders, show skiers, and corn lovers all together. I know you hear the phrase ‘has something for everyone’ often, but now a two-day event, it really did have something for everyone! Featuring all the action, all you can eat corn, a corn-eating contest, music, prizes, and even a belly flop contest, what more could you want? Danny Amir, NCWSA recent Alumni/King of Pop Jarad Meyer, and a crew of other waterski and corn enthusiasts put this truly amazing showcase together. With the help of the crew, this event kicked off on Friday, August 16th on Lake Mary at Lance Park in Twin Lakes, WI.
CornFest started off strong with a head to head figure-eight barefoot contest, known as Feet on Fire North. And let me tell you, the skiing conditions were not ideal. I’m talking white caps and wind, something a dad would refer to as an “endurance run.” Sadly, we lost many competitors early to their barefoot step-offs, but it was very entertaining for the crowd.
Next was the Trick Ski Showdown, judged on difficulty, variety of tricks, creativity, and showmanship. It was great seeing 3-event and collegiate skiers adjust to the showmanship portion of the scoring. NCWSA Alum, Grant Schipper did an exceptional job and definitely nailed the show ski ‘smile and wave’ by the end of the weekend. Ethan Shulda, Aquanut Show Skier and USA Water Ski Show Team member, took home the gold in the trick ski showdown.
Soon after was the Freestyle Jump Royale, where pairs competed to see what duo could throw the biggest tricks with the most style and originality. Personally, my favorite part was getting to watch Rachel Zenk of the USA Water Ski Show Team and Alisha Stewart of the Australian Show Ski Team perform double helis (aka two skiers going over big red wrapped and rotating 360 degrees, for those strictly 3-event skiers). Not many women freestyle jump, so it’s nice to see some bad*ss women getting into this water ski event. Friday came to a close with live music on-site from the Yacht Rockettes.
The first event to hit the water Saturday morning was the Rising Stars Junior Showcase. Nothing like some next-generation CornFest athletes! The Rising Stars Junior Showcase is the perfect way to grow the sport and get young skiers more involved. It was a great addition to this year’s CornFest.
Next was the Swivel Showcase, where some of the best swivel skiers across the world spun to be number one (a swivel ski is a large ski that has a binding that swivels 360 degrees). Assessed on spins, tricks, and showmanship, these ladies brought some crazy new tricks to the water and did it with the most flair possible!
Finally, an event that truly utilized the sponsored Centurion wakeboard boat to its full potential, the Legends of Wake. The crowd was truly amped up to watch a huge name in wakeboarding, David OC. He flipped and spun his way down the show course and, with crowd encouragement, he flipped right over big red, and even hit it Texas-style.
The wind and clouds came out again to set an eerie scene for the Ramp Master Superstar Long-Distance Jump competition. The three competitors are very familiar skiers to the collegiate scene: Zack Worden (Current Men’s Jump Record Holder), Brandon Schipper (ULM), and Grant Schipper (ISU Alumnus)! These three LD superstars braved the wind, the waves, and the 5½ foot ramp to soar across Lake Mary. While we witnessed a gnarly fall or two, no one was hurt in the less-than-ideal conditions. Zack Worden stole the show as he showed all of CornFest the bright, shining Ramp Master Superstar that he truly is, skiing away with the top podium spot.
The event ended with the CornFest Super Ski Show, made up of the Aquanut Show Ski Team, the Wonder Lake Show Ski Team, and many CornFest athletes. It was a great way to end the event and bring all of the athletes together.
All in all, this is was one stacked ski showcase. It’s safe to say that some of the best skiers from across the country, and even around the world, competed at CornFest. Several members of the USA Water Ski Show Team and the Australian Show Ski Team graced us with their presence. It was great to see UW Madison, UW La Crosse waterski teams, and plenty of alumni show up to watch, ski, enjoy corn, and represent NCWSA. The turnout was fantastic and I truly hope this event gets even larger next year! Lastly, huge shout out to Danny Amir, Jarad Meyer, and the crew for putting together one of the most talent-packed and entertaining ski events to ever take place in the Midwest!
Until next year…ski ya later CornFest! Check out their website to learn more about the event and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. If you didn’t attend and you feel like you really missed out on an exciting event, you can watch the recorded live stream on Twin Lakes CornFest Facebook page!
- UW-La Crosse Sweeps at the Jacob Kaufmann Memorial Classic - September 25, 2019
- UW-La Crosse Skigles Soar Into First at Hawkeye Skifest - September 18, 2019
- Midwest Skiers Have a Field Day at Twin Lakes CornFest - September 5, 2019
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