Local wakeboarders and wakeskaters will be ready to defend their home turf July 21 on Haliburton's Head Lake during the Roots Wake Series, Sharpley Source for Sports Open presented by Mastercraft. Last year, Haliburton-local Gavin Hicks stepped up and won the Open Wakeboard Division and Provincial Championship on home water. Hicks will be looking for the repeat this weekend, but will have to defend his title against some of the best wakeboarders in the province.

While the competition is bound to be heated in the open divisions, the Roots Wake Series is more focused on introducing new riders to the competitive side of the sport in a fun and pressure-free environment. “We've seen fresh faces out at every event so far this year,” says event director Erika Langman. “No matter what their ability level, we want to see every rider leave at the end of the day with a bag of goodies, a great experience, a smile on their face, and maybe even with a few new riding buddies,” she says.

On top of the action-packed riding behind the boat, spectators will be treated to another special event as Red Bull's High Ollie contest returns to the water of Head Lake for another year. This fast-paced showcase will be filled with plenty of thrills and spills throughout the day. Following the event in Haliburton, the Disney XD Roots Wake Series will head for Huntsville on Saturday, July 28 for the Algonquin Outfitters Provincial Championships presented by Nautique.

Visit www.rootswakeboarding.com for the full line up of events, results and photos throughout the season.