Lake Lurleen to host wakeboard tournaments in August

Lake Lurleen State Park will host two Alabama International Novice Tour (INT) Wakeboard Tournaments on August 2-3, 2014. Both tournaments will begin at 9 a.m. Practice rounds for the tournaments will take place on Friday, August 1, between 1-5 p.m. Lake Lurleen State Park is located at 13226 Lake Lurleen Rd., Coker, AL, 35452.

Wakeboard, kneedboard, wakeskate and wakesurf riders of all skill levels are invited to compete. Registration fees apply. Participants must bring their own boards/skis, rope, life jacket and helmet. Tow boats will be provided. Onsite registration will begin 7:30 a.m. To learn more about the event or to register, visit www.intleague.com/alabama/.

“From beginner to pro-level, anyone can take part in the Lake Lurleen tournaments,” said Mike Townsend, one of the event organizers and owner of Mike’s Water Sports Lessons in Northport, AL. “We have a division for your skill level no matter your age. We encourage everyone to come out and compete or to just watch.”

During the Lake Lurleen tournaments, competitors also can earn points toward competing in the INT Eastern Region Championship which will be held at Lake Jewel in Florence on September 26-27, 2014. For more information about Alabama INT, contact Kim Jones at (205) 487-1445/al@intleague.com or Mike Townsend at (205) 394-4054/mikeswatersports@gmail.com.

The lake will be closed to other boat traffic during the tournaments to provide the best water conditions for the competition. For more information, call the Lake Lurleen State Park Office at (205) 339-1558.

Founded in 1993, the INT watersports league provides competitive events across the U.S. in slalom skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, and wakeskating. INT encourages participation for first-time contestants as well as seasoned tournament competitors.

Lake Lurleen State Park is located 9 miles northwest of the cities of Tuscaloosa and Northport, Alabama. The 1,625-acre park is a scenic lakeside retreat set on the banks of a 250-acre lake. Facilities include a modern campground, activity building, picnic area, play area, pavilions, beach, bathhouse, fishing piers, boat rentals and boat-launch areas.

The Alabama State Parks Division operates and maintains 22 state parks encompassing approximately 48,000 acres of land and water. These Parks rely on visitor fees and the support of other Partners like local communities to fund the majority of their operations. To learn more about Alabama State Parks, visit www.alapark.com.