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Orlando’s iconic lake to host extreme water sports festival
Water skiing in Orlando’s Lake Eola is not something you expect to see! In September, however, the City Beautiful will be hosting an “extreme water sports festival” featuring world-champion water skiers. This two-day event will also include wakeboarding exhibitions, nighttime jumping competitions, music and a muscle-car show. Held on the same weekend as the Surf Expo trade show in the Orange County Convention Center, the festival’s $100,000 purse should attract water skiing’s top talent, and plenty of spectators!!
Wondering why Lake Eola?? Well, it seems this is a nod to the lake’s history! Skiers were part of the celebration when Eola’s fountain was unveiled in 1957 and had continued to perform there over the years since then. So while this is new to us, it all fell into place as Orlando’s Mayor, Buddy Dyer, broke the news on Monday! Joining Dyer in breaking the news were City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, professional skiers Ryan and Breanne Dodd and Freddy Krueger (holder of the world ski-jump record). As a sample of things to come, Krueger even performed jumps from a ramp that was set up near the Lake Eola fountain.
Tickets are being sold for $15/day at www.soakedorlando.com for the festival on September 7th and 8th. …and bring the kids along because this is a family affair! For kids, ages 4-12, organizers have included a Kidz Zone, featuring extreme sports like rock climbing and bungee jumping, but there will also be face painting, caricatures and a magic show. It seems there’ll be a little something for everybody…except maybe the swans!