WHO
ARE
Family, sport and socializing.
WPA is a group of fellows who created some great scenes of pulling masters out of the water.
After several years of independent water skiing and wakeboarding, we decided to raise this activity to higher levels, having as one of the main objectives to democratize wakeboarding in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
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Wakeboarding was inaccessible to most people, as it required a vessel properly prepared for its practice. The high costs with fuel and the maintenance of the vessels, associated with the lack of places for their practice in the region, made it impossible for any initiative to stimulate, expand and commercialize the sport under our specific conditions. We needed alternatives.
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We then decided to build a wakeboard winch.
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A wakeboard winch is commonly used equipment for practice in areas where it is not possible to use a vessel.
In 2013 we got down to work and built a winch, coupling a 13HP combustion engine to a cable coil of around 365 meters. This equipment was tested in November 2013 and, since then, it has been used, in a private way, for the recreational practice of the sport in Lagoas das Sete Cidades, as you can see in our images on social networks.
The proximity that this system allowed to the general public, unlike what happened with the boat, increased the visibility of the sport, having been absolutely revealing the interest that the sessions held in Sete Cidades raise.
Aiming to promote the practice of Wakeboard, and also looking to gauge the scope of these actions, we created our YouTube channel and Facebook page, whose adhesion was surprising, particularly for the novelty and spectacularity for those who contact this activity for the first time. . The curiosity aroused, both on the part of national and foreign practitioners, who, in view of the beauty of the images published, question us about the
existing local conditions to be able to experience the practice of Wakeboard. On the other hand, there are also countless local contacts, from individual people, in order to be able to experience this modality.
Along the way, we created some mini projects such as the construction of our rail and our kicker (both already renovated), which provided us with a lot of fun and moments that we will not forget.
However, the practice of the modality using the winch used does not allow its optimization, since, even though it is a low cost equipment, very versatile and portable, it is not the ideal equipment for learning (due to the fact that the traction is quite inconsistent and sometimes barely predictable) and its use is not efficient (when considering the ratio between the time of actual practice and the time of repositioning the cable to the starting point).
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In December 2016 we decided to take another step forward and start a project for the establishment of a cable park on the island of São Miguel. (for more information about the "Cable Park" concept, see our FAQ)
Unfortunately, this first project was not implemented, due to legal procedures regarding the space foreseen for the implementation of the project. It was then in 2019 that a new opportunity arose for the creation of the cable park, but this time, already prepared, we successfully created the WPA Wake Park.
THE WP A TEAM
Raulino Malino
Born for Wakeboard, this athlete is a big bet worldwide in the sport. Favorite maneuver: "the dolphin dive".
(the best ass of the team)
Andy
The best kitesurfer in the Azores, whenever there is no wind. Favorite maneuvers: "Tropicanço na wake" (boat) and "approach to the box" (cable)
Fred "the Shred"
Although he was crippled during the past season, he remains crippled this season. But that is not what stops it.
Favorite maneuver: "Face Plant" (the scorpion).
Moga Moga
The wakeboarder with the greatest physical resistance in the archipelago. If necessary, take 1 full day to practice non-stop wakeboarding. Favorite maneuver: "heelside frog jump"
Tony Vasko
The athlete known for developing the largest number of maneuvers at the national level. Your creativity simply has no limits. Favorite maneuvers: "The kite of the Azores", "A fomiga", "The Egyptian", among others.
