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Boat Show Friday morning Media Launch leaves other media events in its wake and snowbank.
My associate Linda Crane penned the slogan "Put a Little Summer in Your Winter at the Toronto Boat Show" over a decade ago. It worked then and it works now - a visit to the boat show does wonders for me ... it is uplifting, fun and it makes you think warm weather is just days away (even though it is so cold security is running around the CNE grounds giving battery boosts!)
I briefly attended a Photo Opportunity at the Boat Show on Friday (January 7th) the day before the show officially opened even though I had other important (i.e. paying) jobs to look after. The Media Alert issued to the boating media by Holmes Communication is printed below.
Videographer George Socka (Beach Digital) met up with me at The Lake, Canada's only temporary indoor lake. It is 4ft deep and the size of an AHL Hockey Rink ( not a surprising because in fact, after the boat show ends, it becomes a hockey rink for the Toronto Marlies).
Although it is a small space for wakeboarding, the Boat Show was able to put on an interesting aerial display for video crews and still photographers (I might have been the only print journalist there).
The wakeboarders didn't use a tow boat to get them up to jumping speed. Instead, a high speed wire whip winch was employed to pull the performers across the water and onto a jumping ramp. In the sport of wakeboarding it is important that one climbs the ramp at a high rate of speed - the faster you go, the higher you can fly off the ramp.
On Friday the wire winch was pulling slow, so there were spills and chills (the water is near freezing) along with thrills as the boat show performers went aerial at a very slow speed!
Pictured are Mississauga's Scott Duke (white helmet and vest), Oakville's Matt Sacchitiello (red & grey safety vest), Chris Guard (the upside down wakeboarder who has just lost his white helmet) and Port Carling's Dan Brown (in grey).
The media event was well attended by the electronic media (CP-24, CITY TV and Global TV) but less so by the dailies. The Toronto Sun dropped by briefly to take pictures,while the Star, the embattered National Post and the Globe gave the event a pass. Always an opportunist, I took four of George Socka's pictures shown above and offered them to the Star City Desk gratis. It was late in the day, it was an event they had passed on, and, I didn't send them cutlines ... so, the pictures printed above never did see the light of day beyond this website.
For Immediate Release January 7, 2010 MEDIA ALERT/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Wild Wakeboard Riders Perform
on The Lake Inside Ricoh Coliseum
What: Professional wakeboarders and wakeskaters will take to the water to perform on the world’s largest indoor recreational venue in a sample of the spectacular Winch Jam at the Toronto International Boat Show. These incredible athletes will demonstrate the range of their skills and provide a sample of their show jam-packed with grinds, tricks and flips.
Performers:
• Scott Duke/Wakeboard
Manages North America’s largest wakeboard camp
• Chris Guard/Wakeboard
Global Team Rider for Gater Boards
• Dan Brown/Wakeskate
One of Canada’s top wakeskaters
Where: Ricoh Coliseum, 100 Princes’ Blvd (enter via Heritage Court on the West side of Direct Energy Centre)
When: 10am sharp, Friday January 8, 2010
Media should contact the Toronto International Boat Show PR contact for access to the event:
-30-
Media Contact:
Chris McDowall
cmcdowall@hccink.com
(416) 628-5648
www.HolmesCreativeCommunications.com
