Chapala falls into the Pan American spotlight this week during four days of water ski competition at the Boca Laguna Ski Club.
Nine medals will be awarded on Saturday and Sunday, with gates opening at 9 a.m. on both days.
The competition began with elimination rounds held on Thursday and Friday, bringing together 27 men and 11 women representing Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and the United States. Top contenders will vie for medal standing during finals set to run over the weekend.
While Team Mexico faces stiff competition, particularly from Canadian and U.S. skiers, hopes remain high that Alejandro, Alvaro and Carlos Lamadrid and team mates Jorge Garizurieta and Sandra Carolina Chapoy will fare well on home turf to snatch some of the coveted prizes. The Lamadrid brothers – offspring of sons of the owner-developer of Boca Laguna – have practiced the water sport since infancy. Carlos, eldest of the three, currently holds the Latin American record in the slalom.
Men competing for Team Canada are Kole Magnowski (Russell, AB), Jason McClintock (Hespler, ON) and Aaron Rathy (Nanaimo, BC), with Whitney McClintock (Cambridge, ON) and Karen Stevens (Iroquois, ON) registered on the distaff side.
Team USA comprises Russell Gay (Winter Garden, FL), Freddy Krueger (Winter Garden, FL), Jonathan Travers (Groveland, FL.), Andrew Adkison (Orlando, FL) and Regina Jaquess (Santa Rosa Beach, FL) as the sole female skier.
Schedule
Saturday, October 22
10 a.m. – Wakeboard, men only.
11:20 a.m. - Overall competition, women and men.
Sunday, October 23
10 a.m. – Women’s Tricks.
10:40 a.m. – Men’s Tricks.
11:40 a.m. – Women’s Slalom.
12:30 p.m. – Men’s Slalom.
1:35 p.m. – Women’s Jump.
2:30 p.m. – Men’s Jump.
Medals for each discipline will be awarded immediately following the conclusion of the corresponding segment.
Tickets
Although some general admission tickets for the open field facing the grandstands were put on sale earlier this week at the Chapala malecon, they had sold out by Wednesday. A few tickets were being sold at the gate on Thursday morning but they soon dried up. Given the disorganized nature of ticket sales, it is unlikely that spectators who turn up without tickets on Saturday and Sunday will be able to enter the grounds.
Boca Laguna is located just off the Chapala-Mezcala highway, a shot distance beyond the turn off to Santa Cruz de la Soledad and approximately four kilometers north of the intersection of Avenidas Gonzalez Gallo and Pepe Guizar. A parking area with space for about 100 vehicles is situated off the roadway steps away from the venue entrance.
Security checkpoints have been operating all week long in the vicinity of the Boca Laguna, with large police squads manning roadblocks along the highway on the approach to Santa Cruz and San Nicolas.
Spectators lucky enough to have tickets are advised to wear hats, cool clothing and comfortable walking shoes, and douse up on sunscreen beforehand, but otherwise travel light. A large sign posted at the entrance lists numerous goods that are banned from entry, ranging from the obvious – fireworks, explosives, flammable materials and weapons –to practical items such as blankets, umbrellas, PET plastic and metal containers, perfume, lipstick, markers and heavy belt buckles. The introduction of large flags, banners, advertising materials, professional cameras and family pets is likewise prohibited.
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