If you’re looking for something unique, exciting, and cool to do over the weekend, look no further than Center Hill Lake and the annual Wakefest event. Wakefest 2014 will be held near Pates Ford Resort & Marina on July 18-20 with some of the top athletes in the sport competing for $20,000 in prizes.

Wakeboarding is one of America’s fastest growing water sports, combining water skiing and snowboarding. Wakeboarders ride on a board slightly larger than a snowboard, and ride on top of the water at speeds around 18-25 miles per hour. Experienced wakeboarders launch themselves into the air using either the wake and/or various man-made jumps or obstacles.

The sport was originally called skurfing, and emerged in the late 1980s after the advent of skiboarding (now snowboarding). Boards are buoyant with the core usually made up of foam, honeycomb or wood mixed with resin and coated with fiberglass. Metal screws are inserted to attach bindings and fins.

With maneuvering terms such as whirlybirds, tootsie rolls, and hoochie glides, wakeboarders use edging techniques, where the rider can move outside of the wake or cut rapidly in toward the wake. Jumps are performed by riding towards and up the wake and launching into the air.

Hosted by TnT Watersports and Pates Ford Marina, Wakefest will unofficially begin on July 18 with a pre-party being held at Fish Lipz Bar and Grille at Pates Ford Marina. The competitions will begin the following day, starting at 9 A.M. on Center Hill Lake. The competitions will be boat access only during the wakeboarding tournament and can not be seen from the shoreline.

The Wakeboard tournament will be followed by after party at Fish Lipz, where winners of pro division will be announced on Saturday night.