 "Photo: Photo courtesy of Texas International Boat Show")
Over the weekend, the Corpus Christi Bayfront was transformed into an extreme water sports playground for the Fourth Annual Texas International Boat Show. Competitors from all over the world competed in the wake-boarding competition, one of them Texas native Tom Fooshee.
Fooshee grew up in Austin. In high school. Fooshee played football, but realized that he wouldn’t have a career in football after high school because of his size. He decided to focus his attention on wake boarding.
After high school, Fooshee moved to San Marcos and enrolled at Texas State University (TSU). He started working at the Texas Ski Ranch, a premier action sports facility and this provided an opportunity for Fooshee to develop his talent as a wake boarder.
Fooshee has been a professional wake boarder for approximately seven years and has achieved many honors. Fooshee considers one of his biggest honors winning the cable world championships in 2008.
“Also winning the ultimate wake award in 2009 was a big honor because the award is given to the most complete all around wake boarder,” said Fooshee.
Winds in Corpus Christi can reach 40 m.p.h. “I am definitely concerned [about the wind] but the great thing about Corpus Christi is that the Bay sits down below a huge sea wall, so the good thing is the wall blocks a lot of the wind,” said Fooshee.
This weekend’s competition was held behind boats versus a cable park competition. With wake boarding behind the boat, there is a difference in the flexibility of the rope verses cable.
The wake created by the boat also presents challenges to the riders. “I prefer them the same,” said Fooshee. “They both are so much fun. Each one has things I really enjoy about it that makes it unique from the other. Plus they both compliment each other with learning new tricks.”
This year’s competition offered many challenges to Fooshee. “There are several challenges about the competition this year in Corpus. The other competitors have really stepped their game up, so I have to be on-point all weekend long. Conditions and the apparatuses are also major factors,” Fooshee said.
Hundreds of young spectators enjoyed this weekend’s events. Fooshee’s advice to young people interested in wake boarding is: “ Live it up and enjoy it. It is so much fun. Being around the water and in the sun is a great time, so have fun with it, because that’s what wakeboarding is all about, having fun.”
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