North Lakes Ski and Board: News

When I first met my future husband Morrie, I thought that waterskiing was just a hobby of his, like golf or stamp collecting; I didn't realize it was his all-consuming passion. I knew I was in for trouble when his niece asked me if he'd taught me how to drive the boat yet. I thought she was kidding. She wasn't. For me, the extent of my experience with the sport involved several unsuccessful attempts at getting up and staying up on two skiis- although I did learn how to fall without hurting myself too much and I did become particularly adept at swimming. In time though, through my husband's love of the sport, I grew to enjoy it as much as he. You have to admire the commitment of an individual who is the first one on the lake as soon as the ice is off and the last one on the water when the frost is in the air.While the North Lakes Ski & Board Club of Prince George, B.C. has been holding tournaments and instructional clinics at Ness Lake since 2001, the sport really took root in the region because of the enthusiasm of one man, our local Hall of Famer, Howard Foot. Howard and his family started the Nukko Lake Water Ski School in 1979 and it's still in operation today under the management of his son Reg. Over one thousand students have been educated there. Many have heard Howard tell wonderfully funny stories of his early water ski experiences, including one that involved his innovative use of an outhouse door propped up at the end of the dock as a jump. Most of us agree that he is the patriarch of the sport in the Central Interior. One of the great things I learned about water skiers is that they're a friendly bunch. If they find out you like to ski, you're included in the group automatically. Every spring I find more and more skiers on the dock. It's like an annual migration. No matter where you travel, it seems no one's a stranger in this sport. Another remarkable thing I noticed about them is the amount of support and encouragement they give each other. It is less about competiton between individuals and more about each athlete's ability to achieve his or her personal best. How can you not love a sport like this and the people who are drawn to it. The North Lakes Club couldn't function without the support of our friends and their families who faithfully attend the group's annual events, some travelling from as far away as Vancouver to participate. We're particularly proud of our younger skiers and their accomplishments. Over the years we've had many qualify for the B.C. Summer Games, the B.C. Provincials, and the Canadian National Championships. Last year, eleven year old Conley Pinette from Williams Lake won four gold medals at the Canadian Nationals and earned our club's Most Improved Skier trophy, an award established in Howard Foot's honour in 2009 for his contributions to the sport. This summer we are looking forward to the return to Ness Lake of Trent Finlayson, one of Canada's National water ski champions and a Canadian World's competitor. He will be coaching local skiers again between July12-15th. How lucky can we get! This year's Ness Lake Open will be held on July 11th and will also feature our wakeboard competiton, with a demonstration of the sport by the very talented Robbie McClary. Every year, at the end of each tournament, we take a photo that includes all the competitors and their families, even the pets. It's like a snapshot of one very large and enthusiastic extended family group. So, if you like to ski or board, come by and see us in Prince George, we'll be happy to give you a tow. After twelve years as a boatdriver, I've got lots of experience.Sign me "a passionate water ski and wakeboard fan", Lainie Vanderstap Attwell