Starting at 10 a.m. on August 15, Baie de Beauport will be transformed into a Polynesian island as it plays host to Wakest, a spectacular cable wakeboard competition. All day long, competitors will wow the crowds with their breathtaking moves on the ramp connecting the two pools specially installed for the event on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. This one-of-a-kind show will also feature a motocross demonstration, a Billabong Girl Wahine fashion show, and a lineup of great bands! Baie de Beauport has hosted a number of shows and special events this summer, but if there’s one event you don’t want to miss, it’s Wakest!
Originally known as Wakefest, then Wakeast, the event’s sixth edition will go by its new name, Wakest. The event has always been held on Lac St-Joseph, but will relocate to Baie de Beauport this year to bring it closer to Quebec City and the spectators. What better venue for this unique aquatic event! With a budget of $425,000, Wakest is set to be the one-day event of the summer!
“We’re hoping to attract between 15,000 and 20,000 people, with 20,000 the maximum crowd size, for reasons of comfort and security. The success of “The Walking Road” presented here last summer as part of Quebec City’s 400th anniversary celebrations created an event void we felt it was important to fill,” notes Gestev president Patrice Drouin. “The remarkably popular events of 2008 are a sure sign that the people of Quebec City will respond enthusiastically and come out in large numbers to Wakest!”
Billabong Slider Battle
Canada’s top wakeboarders (16 men and 5 women) have been selected to take part in the competition. Yannick Thibault (2008 Canadian Rail Champion) and Didier Godbout (2008 Canadian Overall Champion) have already confirmed their attendance. Starting at noon, they’ll give it their all to impress the judges with their performances. The winner will take home $3,500, with $1,500 going to second place, and $1,000 to third. Riders will go head-to-head in elimination heats, with the judges ranking them on their overall performance.
Best Trick Contest
This 30 minute jam will see competitors showing off their best tricks. The winner will pocket $2,000. A total of $8,000 in prize money will be handed out over the course of the day, making this the most generous rail competition in Canada!
A Few Facts
-Course: Length: 60 meters (200 feet)
-Width: 12 meters (40 feet)
-474,000 liters of water
-Three 12 meter rails
-Speed attained by wakeboarders: 28 km/h
-Marc Poirier, judge at Wakestock, the biggest competition of its kind in the world, will be on hand
All day long, DJ Neto Yuth, DJ Analog, DJ Nerve, Mashup Potatos, and Viva la Dance will take turns at the turntable.
Once the competitions wrap up around 8 p.m., the party begins! Billabong Girl will present its Polynesian-inspired fashion show—the Billabong Girl Wahine—complete with torches and tamtams! Then, Beatnuts and Beast Soundsystem will get the crowd dancing! It promises to be a night to be remembered!
Event Program
10 a.m. Start of Wakest activities
Noon Qualifications
2 p.m. Billabong Slider Battle Finale
6:15 p.m. Best Trick Contest
8:30 p.m. Billabong Girl Wahine Fashion Show
9 p.m. Beatnuts + Beast Soundsystem
Details
Advance tickets for Wakest are available for $15 on the Billetech network, in Sport Radical stores, and at Baie de Beauport. They will be $22 at the gate on August 15. There will be no parking available at Baie de Beauport on the day of the event. Wakest attendees can leave their vehicles on the site periphery or use the RTC shuttle bus. There will be a gourmet snackbar, a BBQ, and bar onsite. All cans and bottles brought in from outside the venue will be prohibited.
