Wakestock moves from Muskoka to Wasaga.

• Author: Ladan, Mark
• Position: Tourism

BALA -- Bala's loss is Wasaga Beach's gain, after the organizers of the largest Wakeboard World Cup event moves to the Georgian Bay shores and out of Northern Ontario.

Wakestock has been held in Bala for the last four years, attracting more than 20,000 wakeboarding and water skiing enthusiasts annually. The event features the top professional wakeboarders from around the world, competing for more than $55,000 in cash and prizes.

Bala is within the boundaries of Muskoka Lakes Township and the municipality's mayor says she is not surprised to see the event, which runs from August 8 to 11, move to a new location.

"We had heard rumors that Wakestock was moving, despite assurances from organizers that it would be back in Bala," says Susan Pryke. "I had actually met the Wasaga Beach OPP detachment commander earlier this year, and I was led to believe that they were in discussions at that time."

"Steve Jarret, the organizer of the event, has told me that he is moving it for purely business reasons. He has substantial costs when he holds the event in Bala..."

Also this time around, Muskoka Lakes Township council asked that two of the events held in conjunction with Wakestock be cancelled. Those two events, a motorcycle demonstration and night skiing, have corporate sponsors that go a...