Congratulations to this year’s finalists! For our active member vote, a description for each nominee is included below. Please note that last year’s winners are ineligible this year.
All voting ballots are sent by email, one each to every active WSIA member.
Contact us at info@wsia.net if you need assistance.
Retail Shop of the Year 2023 Finalists
2022 Winner: Action Water Sports
Performance Ski & Surf
Description
As we enter into our 34 year in the watersports industry, I feel we continue to be the true specialty pro shop that others are measured against. With our focus on uncompromising service before, during and after the sale along with our product knowledge we truly believe we are making a major impact in our customers lives. For 2023, we’ve updated our point of sale and internet platforms and feel we are truly poised to take our business to another level in the coming year. Thank you for your consideration. –Bill Porter, Founder.
No one does more for the sport than Bill Porter and the crew at Performance Ski & Surf, they provide the best all around pro shop experience in the business.
Union Marine
Description
This is a dealer that did not have tow boats or a pro shop 10 years ago. They now have a great pro-shop and have MasterCraft, Nautique and Heyday Brands in their 4 stores in the Pacific Northwest.
Action Watersports Hudsonville
Description
No description
Active Watersports
Description
They have the most knowledgeable and friendly staff in the industry. They offer the best selection of gear in their shop and on their awesome website. They also put on great events such as Evening with the Stars and give so much back to the Portland and Northwest boating community.
Midwest Water Sports
Description
The have been the go-to source for all things watersports in the greater Minneapolis area for decades, and have one of the best online stores in the industry. They have great relationships with their customers and constantly push fun vibes in the watersports community!
Marine Dealership of the Year 2023 Finalists
2022 Winner: WaterSports Central
The Slalom Shop
Description
The Slalom Shop has been a leading Retail Store since its start in 1977. Always a critical part of a Marine Dealer promoting the sport and safety on the water. Plenty of marine leaders have come thru the dealership over the years. Always working to bring new products to the North Texas Watersports community. A part of the One Water group of dealerships, one of the largest Marine Dealers in North America. Continuing to grow while maintaining the personal relationship with our customers as the primary goal.
Superior Boats
Description
Superior Boats delivers a first-class experience to Northern California boating enthusiasts. With over 35 years in the marine industry Bob Bense has developed an industry leading team setting the bar for all others to achieve.
BoardCo
Description
BoardCo, an exclusive Centurion & Supreme Boats dealer, was founded in 1989 in Springville, UT by Troy and Kristin Mann. BoardCo has been a family-run Centurion Boats dealer for nearly 35 years and now Mitch Mann, son of Troy and Kristin, has now taken the reigns of the dealership. BoardCo achieved the status of the best selling dealer for the Centurion and Supreme brands and they continue to raise their level of success year after year.
BoardCo is not only an amazing boat dealership, but an awesome advocate for the water sports industry, specifically wake surfing. Not only is BoardCo heavily involved in the Competitive Wake Surfing Association (CWSA) hosting two World Wake Surfing Championships and as a member of the CWSA board for a decade. They are dedicated to growing the sport of wake surfing through awesome experiences.
BoardCo is also heavily involved in the WSIA. Troy Mann is on the board and BoardCo is always first in line to help anywhere the industry needs it. They distribute and discuss the Wake Responsibly message at every opportunity as well as support all efforts to protect the use of our water ways. BoardCo would be an amazing choice for the WSIA Dealership of the Year.
Regal & Nautique of Orlando
Description
This dealer is a proactive supporter of WSIA and protecting waterways in Central Florida. They are an outstanding event promoter and founded grassroots “Thigh High Surf & Wake Series”. They sold out of all brands of inventory for the 2022 Model Year and have multiple pre sold units heading into the New Year. They have begun construction on a State of the Art 20,000 sq foot NAUTIQUE Showroom which is scheduled to finish August 2023. They were Boating Industry #1 Dealer in North America for 2022 and perform all aspects of business on a high professional level.
Regal and Nautique of Orlando has been a leader in the industry for all things boating for over 10 years now and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. They are active in the community with charity and local events as well as bringing awareness and education to certain safety concerns involving water sports and boating in general. Both their sales and service departments have been recipients of numerous awards for excellence and volume.
Hagadone Marine Group
Description
Hagadone Marine Group provides a comprehensive boating experience in beautiful North Idaho. Our award-winning dealership employees 250+ team members and includes Hagadone Marine Center, The Boardwalk Marina, Silver Beach Marina, Blackwell Island Marina, Hagadone Boat Storage, Vertical Quick Launch, Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises, Blackwell Pro Shop, Resort Boat Rentals, and The Marina Cantina. We proudly serve boaters with sales, moorage, service, storage, retail, drinks and rentals – and through it all, we strive “to provide the best on-water experience.”
2022 was undoubtedly our strongest year yet and one that we are the most proud of – as we made a company-wide commitment to be the best we could be in many areas of our business. This includes increased customer satisfaction (despite the struggles originating from COVID-19), elevated company culture (we added a “Director of People & Culture” to our organization), as well as expanded our community outreach and awareness.
We introduced our “Boating 101 Classes” in 2022. Led by the Hagadone Marine Sales Team, this class-room style event was free and open to all ages and skill-levels. We covered a wide range of boating information including general rules of the water, boating safety inspection requirements, watersports regulations, and more. We also hosted our “Women Making Waves” Courses for another year as well: an “all-girls” boating school that takes the ladies out on the lake for on-water boating training. They learn the basic knowledge of docking, boat features, and much more.
Our biggest initiative of 2022, and the one we are the most proud of, was our support of WSIA. We did this not only through our #PassTheHandle campaign in July, but we also fought passionately alongside the WSIA Team for the protection of North Idaho Water Sports. Recreational boating generates $739 million for Idaho’s economy – and unfortunately there was a proposed ordinance this past summer that would have banned all wake boating and towed water sports on the Spokane River here in North Idaho. In an attempt to protect our community’s water sports rights, we launched a large campaign rallying for all water enthusiasts to join us at the Kootenai County Commissioner meetings to help protect our on-water rights.
Both our President, Craig Brosenne, alongside our Pro Shop Manager, Chase Grove, devotedly attended all of the meetings and hearings – and while the ban did not go through, it was settled that a 150-ft no excessive wake zone ordinance would stay in place on the Spokane River. What did this mean for our community? It meant that water sport enthusiasts could continue enjoying the outdoor life they have come to love and enjoy.
In addition, Hagadone Marine has continued to help promote boating safety to our local community in order to support the Kootenai County Sheriff Marine Patrol. We are truly grateful for the work that they do and we look forward to continuing our support to them within our industry.
2022 was an incredible year, and we cannot wait to see what 2023 holds for our dealership!
Wake Park of the Year 2023 Finalists
2022 Winner: West Rock Wake Park
Cables Wake Park
Description
Cables Wake Park is a family owned and operated business with a deep seeded passion for wakeboarding and the growth and development of the sport. Over the past year, Cables hosted over 85,000 visitors and currently has 378 members! Our facility is a place for the entire family with café, playgrounds, sporting courts, accommodation, a proshop, two linear cables, two full-sized cables packed with Unit Parktec features and an Aqua Park.
The Aqua Park is our nursery for future cable athletes! We welcome 350 guests per hour (ages 6 years+). Our party packages include meals, table allocations, Wake Park and/or Aqua Park sessions. Parties bring in many new faces influenced by our return again vouchers, marketing campaigns and the park layout.
Alongside the Aqua Park are our linear cable systems offering private wakeboarding lessons for anyone over 6. Beginners have quick success with the help from professional coaches. Our booking system allows customers to book with a specific coach enabling long-term relationships.
Additionally, Cables offers:
• Kids Club (aligning with government Active Kids programs)
• School Holidays Camps
• Dad’s Club
• School Sports Elective Programs for local schools
• The Suzuki Summer Series – our annual grass-roots wakeboard series welcoming all ages and abilities. • Everyday is a demo day with our current demo range
• Disability and under-privileged events
• Corporate Events including Penrith City Chamber of Commerce
At Cables we proactively promote all offers via email, social media, TV, radio, outdoor and collaborative marketing campaigns. In the past month, we have featured on all 3 nation-wide TV stations (channel 7, 9 and 10). Over the past year we have partnered with world renowned brands including Suzuki, Nissan, Jeep, Toyota and Malibu.
To kick off the 2022-23 summer, Cables hosted the Australian National Titles as an exhibition event with no expense spared. Penrith City Council sponsored and promoted the event and together with 12 supporting sponsors we inspired a broad audience to get involved and our community to push the limits! Following Nationals, 30 Cables’ members travelled to the IWWF World Championships in Thailand proving their commitment to the sport.
Whilst Cables community continues to grow, as does our workforce. We employ 70 staff, 14 of which from overseas wake parks. The Australian Working Holiday visa provides a great opportunity for young people to live the endless-summer and work all year round in the sport they love. Priding ourselves on our customer service and safety measures, we have regimented staff training/sign-off program. Staff are required to complete the Bronze Medallion Lifeguard Course and abide by strict policies and procedures that have been developed over 60 years of Industry experience.
The best thing about wakeboarding is the rewarding progression. Introducing WakePal! Learning, motivating, challenging and rewarding – Gamification! Riders can monitor their progression and measure up on local, state, national and world-wide leader boards filtered by age and gender. WakePal is currently being tested in Australia and is set to go live in July. We believe every wake park in the world will benefit from this development.
Orlando Watersports Complex
Description
Orlando Watersports Complex is a truly outstanding facility that deserves recognition for its commitment to providing an unforgettable watersports experience for its guests, as well as its dedication to giving back to the community. With over 30,000 guests trying watersports at the complex, it is clear that this is a popular destination for people of all ages and abilities. What is particularly impressive, however, is that 70% of the guests are first timers, which speaks to the complex’s ability to make watersports accessible and enjoyable for people who have never tried it before.
The complex offers a wide range of towed watersports, including wakeboarding, wakesurfing, kneeboarding, and tubing, as well as a cable park system, which allows guests to experience the thrill of watersports without the need for a boat. This comprehensive approach to watersports ensures that there is something for everyone at the complex, and allows guests to try multiple activities during their visit.
In addition to providing an outstanding watersports experience, Orlando Watersports Complex is also deeply committed to giving back to the community. The complex participates in numerous charitable events such as Above the Wake and Ann’s Angels, which raise money for local organizations and individuals in need. The complex also works closely with local schools and youth organizations to provide opportunities for children to try watersports and learn about the importance of healthy living and outdoor activities.
The excellence and dedication of the complex’s team is reflected in the awards it has won, including the Wake Park Features Team of the Year for the World Wake Association (WWA).
Not only does the complex offer a wide range of watersports and charitable events, but it also stands out as the highest-rated water park in Orlando. This is a testament to the complex’s commitment to making life better for everyone involved, from the guests to the staff, and to the community as a whole. The complex’s ongoing investment in the development of the park, such as the recent addition of a new beach and a better layout, further cements its reputation as a top destination for watersports in the Orlando area.
All in all, Orlando Watersports Complex is a truly exceptional facility that deserves recognition for its commitment to providing an unforgettable watersports experience, its dedication to giving back to the community, its team excellence reflected in industry awards, its reputation as the highest-rated water park in Orlando, and its ongoing investment in the development of the park for the entire family’s enjoyment. I wholeheartedly nominate Orlando Watersports Complex for this award.
Re-cap of Anns Angels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQveIFa1-WU
Elite Cable Park
Description
I am pleased to nominate Elite Cable Park for recognition as an outstanding watersports facility. In just three years, Elite Cable Park has built a strong membership base and community of 70 dedicated riders. The park consistently attracts new guests, with an annual total of 4000 visitors and 75% of them being new to watersports.
One of the most impressive accomplishments of Elite Cable Park is their successful hosting of the WWA Wake Park Nationals for two consecutive years. This is a testament to the park’s commitment to excellence and their ability to provide a top-notch experience for both competitive and recreational riders.
In addition to their competitive achievements, Elite Cable Park has also received the highest review rating of all Aktion Parks. This is a testament to the park’s commitment to providing a fun, safe, and enjoyable experience for all visitors.
Elite Cable Park also plays an active role in supporting the local community and families. They offer a variety of programs and events that promote healthy and active lifestyles and provide opportunities for community members to come together and enjoy the sport of wakeboarding.
Overall, Elite Cable Park is an exceptional watersports facility that deserves recognition for its dedication to providing a high-quality experience for riders of all skill levels, as well as its commitment to supporting the local community. I highly recommend Elite Cable Park as a worthy nominee for any awards or recognition in the field of watersports.
Nona Adventure Park
Description
No Description
Camp/School of the Year 2023 Finalists
2022 Winner: Freedom Wake Park
Mission Bay Aquatic Center
Description
Since 1973 Mission Bay Aquatic Center has introduced over 150,000 people to towed watersports. MBAC offers community and credited classes, lessons, events and camps to all ages. Simply put there is no better recipient of this award!
For over 50 years, Mission Bay Aquatic Center has been the largest and most prolific camp/school on the west coast. With over 20 coaches driving a fleet of 11 boats, approximately 2,250 riders will experience over 18,000 pulls behind a boat on Mission Bay in San Diego per year.
As a watersports school owned and operated by San Diego State University and UC San Diego, MBAC was the first program to offer college level credit courses in waterskiing, wakeboarding, and wakesurfing.
Riding is not just available to college students – classes, lessons, camps, and pulls are open to everyone including the local community, youth, visitors, etc. Scholarships are available to families that are underresourced and/or underrepresented. Riding for persons with disabilities is also available and MBAC trains the 2022 World Wakeboard Disabled Champion.
Mission Bay Aquatic Center primarily focuses on coaching new and intermediate riders and growing the sport by offering an outstanding entryway into wakesports. Additionally, MBAC promotes safe boating operation through grants offered by the US Coast Guard and the State of California. All coaches are US Coast Guard licensed, Red Cross Lifeguard certified, and trained first responders.
OC Foil
Description
Sam Deacon is our youngest Fliteschool operator and dealer in Newport Beach, CA. He delivered unparalleled experiences to his clients and has taught over 500 people to Fliteboard. His focus on safety, service and fun sets him apart.
School of Wake LLC
Description
Kirby has been coaching and mentoring families and young athletes for over ten years with his business, Kirby’s School of Wake. He had over 1200 participants through the program this year operating in both Fort Myers, Fl and in Missouri. In addition to lessons he also holds a faith and leadership camp, day camps and all girls sessions teaching women of all ages not just water sports but also tips on driving the boat to help instill confidence. In addition, he created an online course teaching people how to become an instructor or just learn more about the sport. The course includes boat safety and etiquette, equipment descriptions, driving patterns, trick tutorials and more.
Kirby is the most passionate guy who is dependable and consistent. He loves people and loves sharing his love of water sports with so many. He doesn’t do any of this for the accolades he does it because he truly loves what he does and cares about people. He’s passionate about helping people progress, building relationships and shared experiences with groups, and being an encourager to others. I hope you’ll consider him to honor his years of dedication and hard work growing the water sports community.
The Boarding School
Description
The Boarding School provides a unique experience with their safe and structured teaching methods providing a foundation for continuous improvement. It is one of the only spots in the world that can accommodate from beginner to professional instruction for wakeboarding, water skiing, wakesurfing, and foiling. They exemplify the professional water sports instructor and pride themselves in helping convert people from participants to enthusiasts. This passion results in many return students and also those students wanting to help grow the sport themselves. Their student age range spans from 3 year olds all the way up to 80. It is not uncommon for one family to have two or three generations of family members participating at The Boarding School.
Often sought after for his driving skills in both the grass roots and professional wakeboard arena, the owner/head instructor Travis Moye has been instructional editor for both Wakeboarding and WaterSki Magazines, and many time contributor to Boating Magazine. He and MasterCraft Boat Company joined forces to start a YouTube “How To” channel that covers everything from how to safely tow your boat to learning how to teach a child to wakesurf. He sits on the board for Parks and Camps and continues to mentor other camps and instructors to build a safe and efficient way to teach newcomers and seasoned veterans alike, having a major focus on making every step of the wake and ski process easier and less intimidating. Being raised with a water ski background, winning national titles and representing the U.S. team on many occasions, Travis’s has been a staple in towed water sports for 35 years.
He also works extensively with MasterCraft Boat Company, Ilmor Engines, Ronix Wakeboards, & Radar Skis on product research, development, and validation through his countless hours in the boat and on the water with students each year. His valuable feedback has allowed those companies to bring products from the test field in to the marketplace with confidence each year.
The Boarding School’s head ski instructor, Freddie Winter, is a Masters and World Champion, and very active member of the Water Ski Pro Tour. Although he has officially made TBS his home, he still continues to travel the world doing clinics and demos, and spreading his passion for water skiing.
Along with Travis and Freddie there are several other young pros and coaches that work at TBS, including Thomas Herman and Katy Consoer.
The Boarding School achieves significant viewership of their messages via Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and multiple magazines. They are continually revered as a top instructors, industry gurus, and ambassadors.
The Boarding School continues to hosts their popular Buoys, BBQ, and Beer events. The focus of the event is fun and community over scores. The events had a greater turnout than imagined, with skiers hanging out all day, and sitting down for dinner together at the end. And, have hosted the MasterCraft Let Her Rip clinics with a focus on getting female participants comfortable not only behind the boat, but operating it as well.
Sales Rep of the Year 2023 Finalists
2022 Winner: Adam Wensink
Tyler Moseley
Description
Tyler grinds as hard or harder than any rep in the business. He’s constantly doing events like his TNT tour to get new participates into wakeboarding and wakesurfing in a region that only gets 4 or 5 months of warm weather a year.
Neill Barker
Description
Neill Barker checks all the boxes for being Sales Rep of the Year. From product knowledge, knowing what products he sells that will help his dealers the most while not filling them up with unneccessary inventory, participating with on water demos, working dealer in store sales along with boat shows, instore staff clinics, and after work get togethes with shops deepening his relationships with his dealers.
On the back end of the business Neill is a master at providing much needed data and brand assets to help dealers maximize instore and online sales.
On water Neill is at top of his game whether it’s wakeboarding or wakesurfing, and rips on a foil. I have been involved in the watersports industry since 1986 and repping in our industry for nearly 30 years. Neill is the best rep I have ever seen, he has it all! –Jim MacVicar
Sammy Roberts
Description
Sammy Roberts has been delivering great service to Southeast Nautique Dealerships for over 30 years. His hard work and dedication to the Nautique dealer network is unwavering and what a manufacturer is looking for in a representative.
Sammy has been a hard working sales rep for Nautique Boat Company for many years. He is known for being the hardest worker in the room. He puts everything into dealer training and on water events to grow Nautique sales and watersports as a whole. He is the first to show up and the last to leave always finding solutions for dealers to grow their business. He is well respected in the Nautique dealer network and watersports industry for his efforts.
Bryan Ellis
Description
I have worked with Bryan for 10 years now and he is the best sales manager I have seen. His ability to work with dealers, consumers, and events goes above and beyond what most do. He is always calm and thinks through every situation well, no matter what it is. He is always willing to take the ball and get things done with events, demos, and promoting our industry.
I have had numerous long time dealers that have worked with many sales managers go out of their way to tell me that Bryan is the best sales manager they have ever worked with. He understands sales, boats, consumers, and the entire industry like no other. He deals in some markets where there are waterway issues and works closely with his dealers in the area as well as us as a manufacture to support the industry.
I don’t have one specific thing to point out that made an impact on the industry because he does it daily as part of his job. He is always laser focused with the goal of making consumers have a great experience which to me is what has the biggest impact on the growth or our industry.
Jimmy Trask
Description
Jimmy always goes over and above for his customers. his sales craft is second to none. He’s honest and authentic, and wildly customer obsessed.
Thad Nurmi
Description
Thad is always available for a call or text to answer questions. He is super knowledgeable and always positive attitude. One of the best reps I have ever worked with in my 30 year history in the Boating Industry.
Matt Lamburth
Description
Matt Lamburth: a driving force within the Marine Industry.
I, Cally King, the Director of Marketing for Hagadone Marine, have worked alongside Matt Lamburth, Sales Consultant, for almost three years now. I will say this about Matt: he truly lights up any room he walks into. He brings an unmatched level of passion, excitement and knowledge to our industry – and it shows in the work that he does day-in and day-out within our organization.
Matt is a leader who truly leads by example – he not only shows the way, but he goes the way as well. Not only is he a leader in the Sales Department that he works within, but he also leads in other departments throughout our dealership, too. If there is a day that our Service Department is struggling, he is always willing to offer a helping hand. If there comes a time that it is bitter cold outside and our Transportation Team is having a tough day, Matt shows up with lunch in hand for the crew. He supports others and always stays positive – regardless of the situation.
Matt’s leadership abilities also show outside of our internal team, too – he also brings an incredible amount of customer service to our boating families. For many “new” boaters who are unfamiliar with boating, Matt creates a lasting relationship with them. It is not only important to Matt that the selling process is an amazing experience for these families – but to also be supportive and helpful for them for years to come after they have purchased their boat. To this day, Matt still goes out on the water with families that he sold boats to years ago. Matt previously was a Wakeboard Instructor at Gozzer Ranch – and even today he still brings his skills and passion for the watersports industry to his current role. He spends many summer nights out on the water with his customers teaching them to surf, ski and foil. You can take the instructor from his title – but he is still going to teach watersports for as long as he lives!
There are two large initiatives that Matt has supported during his time with us at Hagadone Marine. The first one is “Women Making Waves” – which is our female-only boating school. Year after year, Matt has volunteered to help at this event…and the ladies love working with him! Not only does he make the experience less intimidating, but he also brings so much fun and laughter to the group. The second one is our “Lake Clean-Up Day” event. Every spring and fall, our dealership strives to gather the support of our community members to come help us clean up the shores of our lake. Matt has not only been a main supporter of this program, but has also gathered many of his own family, friends and customers to come help us too.
Matt is driven, Matt is kind, and Matt is a TRUE leader within the industry.
Joey Losson
Description
Joey continues to be one of the most diligent, attentive reps out there on a consistent basis. He is willing to go above and beyond to help us manage and grow our business not only with Liquid Force but also with Mission. He is outstanding.
Jeremy Baker
Description
Jeremy is a hard working Rep that goes over and above for his dealers. A previous competitor with a lot of knowledge in the industry. In addition to his sales position he leads Shreducation which is an online and in person training second to none. He is the first to arrive at an event and the last to leave. His dealers tell me all the time, how lucky they are to have him in their shops.
Joey Duffy
Description
Joey Duffy, like many of us, grew up with a passion for watersports. Idolizing several pro-riders from a young age it was a passion supported by his family to drive connections between his enthusiasm and the people that he followed. As Joey transitioned form his youthful passion, through his degree in Business Administration, and on to adulthood Joey made great efforts to create pathways into a career in the marine industry. From finding ways to attend Shreducation events, to making connections at boat shows. These efforts found Joey his way into a boat dealer in Northern Ohio for four years and ultimately at Boatmate Trailers.
Joey joined Boatmate as an inside sales rep, but his eagerness to learn, his desire to be part of the industry, and his ability to relate to people and their needs within our industry has grown him to the role of Sales Manager within a relatively short period of time. In addition to his sales responsibilities Joey dedicates his time to supporting many of the common competitions and events to be available for conversations related to trailer usage and trailer safety.
In recent efforts this year Joey assisted in getting several Team Members from Boatmate’s manufacturing process on the boat and in the water to experience their first opportunities on a surf board. Joey’s patience and communication proved very successful for 8 new successfully surfing Boatmate employees.
In his time away from work Joey remains passionate about his time on the water finding ways to share that passion with friends, family and their children. Joey is an excellent example of what this industry needs as an ambassador for the success, preservation, and growth of our sport.
Andrew Adkison
Description
Andrew has been working his butt off in this industry for 20 years. A pro wakeboarder, a coach, a sales representative who has been promoting the sport he loves and 2 consistent brands since day 1. His competitiveness and passion drive him in everything he focuses on. Most days he is on the water in one of his many capacities. Testing boats, boards or instructing his students how to improve, compete and win. His devotion and drive make him one of the best this industry has ever seen.
He started off competing as a pro wakeboarder, then transitioned to Sales Representative, then added coaching other athletes to his role and product test specialist. He has excelled in everything he does, is one of the most competitive and most genuine person, and one of the funniest as well. His passion for the sport has benefited the sport and all of the brands he has worked with his entire career. He is one of the hardest working and loyal ambassadors we have seen in quite a while. He spends time growing the sport and providing experiences because that is what he loves to do. The industry is lucky to have Andrew.
