Pictured: 15 year old Brian Kavanagh who now competes at European Championship level. He first started cable wakeboarding with Wakedock when they opened four years ago. Brian is sponsored by Wakedock, who are very proud of his achievements.
Dublin’s only cable wakeboard park, Wakedock, was set up by Colin Harris and his wife Nina in 2013. Harris is well known in watersports circles in Ireland. His late father ran Surfdock, the windsurfing school, which has been in existence for twenty-five years.
Wakedock and Surfdock are rated by redbull.com as two of the “seven reasons why Dublin is an awesome place to live” and it’s easy to see why. Located in the sheltered waters of Grand Canal Dock, near the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Wakedock is easily accessible from anywhere in the city and offers a great opportunity to participate in what is becoming an increasingly popular water sport. It is currently shortlisted alongside seven other sports for new entry into the Olympic Games for 2020.
So what is cable wakeboarding? Well, essentially it’s like waterskiing without a boat or snowboarding on water. Because you don’t need a speedboat, it’s considerably less expensive than water-skiing and far more accessible and environmentally friendly.
Wakedock has a Sesitec System 2.0, which is a two-tower zip line controlled by remote control. The cable is suspended in the air between the towers. The angle of the rope is higher on the cable than behind a boat, so the cable does the hard work and lifts the rider out of the water making it far easier to master than waterskiing.
Only one wakeboarder uses the cable in Grand Canal Dock at any time. The speed is controlled by an operator from a pontoon in the dock and adjusted to the rider’s ability. After a fall, the cable is stopped and the handle brought back to the rider, eliminating the need to swim to the quayside or go back to the start pontoon.
It is ideal for beginners who want to learn wakeboarding but also caters to more advanced riders, who can enjoy the four obstacles located in the Dock – a small and a big kicker, a slider and a rooftop rail. Virtually every trick that can be performed behind the boat can also be done on the cable.
Since its inception, Wakedock has been involved in a number of initiatives for young people in the area and the team work with local Youth Clubs and groups to get kids involved in water sports. The Cutting Edge Programme provides young riders with a framework to learn and develop cable wakeboarding skills. This goal-oriented programme offers certification in bronze, silver, gold and platinum and allows participants to progress to competition level.
One of the highlights of the Wakedock calendar is the Kids’ Summer Camp which provides a fun, encouraging atmosphere for children aged 8-16 to pursue water sports in a safe, supportive environment. Last summer 500 children took part in week-long camps over 11 weeks and spent their days learning windsurfing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, dinghy sailing and cable wakeboarding skills from qualified instructors, meeting friends and making memories that will last a lifetime.
There are now three cable wakeboarding parks in Ireland providing plenty of opportunities for competition. Every year, rookies and pros get an opportunity to showcase their talents in the annual Grassroots Tour, which was hosted by Wakedock last summer.
Wakedock offers sessions throughout the year for individuals and groups. Lessons start at €60 while ride passes start at €25. You can bulk buy ride passes, which will reduce the per ride cost. Experienced wakeboarders take advantage of Wakedock’s price bundles and book the cable once or twice a week; some lucky souls work in nearby businesses and head down to the water for a little lunchtime fun.
The Kids’ Club on Sunday mornings starts in May. For just €15, kids aged 8-13 can enjoy two hours on the water. For more information visit wakedock.ie
By Jennifer Reddin
