Last weekend we traveled to Goiânia to check out Brazil’s newest cable park Sunset Wake Park and the first championship happening there. While we did not get to do much sightseeing in Goiânia, we did enjoy it greatly there, mostly because of the friendly people, good service, and good times at the impressive new wake park.
Therefore, freshly inspired by this recent trip, here are 10 reasons why you should definitely check out the Brazilian wake scene, which in large part gathers around local cable parks:
- Brazil has the perfect climate for water sports
Even though, there are five distinct climate zones in Brazil – talk about a huge country – water sports can be practiced all year round as temperatures rarely drop much lower than 20 degrees (apart from in the mountains and southern regions).
The cable parks stay open during the whole year. In summer when it gets hot, there is nothing better than practice the type of sports that include dipping into the cooling water every once in a while.
Moreover, even during the winter season you can play your favorite water sports without freezing to death, which gives you a huge advantage over the athletes that live in countries where lakes and even sea tend to freeze and be covered with thick snow during wintertime.
- Lakes and wake parks are the „beach“ of inland
Brazil has a long coastline and numerous wonderful beaches alongside of it. However, the huge country that Brazil is, it has even more inland from where it might take hours to get to the nearest beach.
Therefore, you could say that the numerous lakes, rivers and reservoirs are actually the beach of inland. People go there to spend the day sunbathing, practicing sports and trying to cool down by refreshing themselves in the water.
Going to a water body can be a great leisure activity for families or groups of friends, pretty much the same way as going to the beach would be. In the case of cable parks, however, there is often good infrastructure, so you can comfortably do different activities, have lunch, find shadow from the scorching sun and much more.
The same way as there are people that practically live on the beach, you can find fanatics, that spend all the time they can afford in cable parks, perfecting their (board)skills, relaxing and socializing.
Moreover, even when there is no cable park around, you can still wakeboard, wakeskate, water ski or whatever taking a winch with you to your nearest water body that is suitable for the sport.
- Variety of Activities Available
As already mentioned, hanging out at a cable park does not mean that wakeboarding or wakeskating is your only option. For those that are not so keen on trying out these sports or are recovering from some kind of injury, there are often a number of other activities besides sunbathing and relaxing that can be done from SUP, slackline, skateboarding, trampoline, kids’ playgrounds and more, depending on the infrastructure of each wake park.
If you are keen on trying the sport for the first time, cable parks are actually your best option. While for the more experienced riders there are numerous different obstacles and multi-tower cable circuits, beginners have the option to start from A and B with an instructor in a special two-tower area. This way they can have a first contact with the sport safely and in a relaxed setting. Therefore, it does not matter what your physical preparation or capabilities are – everyone can find something to do in a cable park.
- Supportive Community
The wake scene joins people that appreciate the sport into a big group of friends, acquaintances and collaborators. As the community in Brazil is not that big yet, the dedicated integrates will quickly become known to everyone involved. In addition, new fans of the sport either as a hobby or as professional practice are always welcome to join the group of affiliates and, therefore, make a bunch of new friends.
Many can find like-minded people among the wake crowd; it depends greatly on what you are looking for. Even inside the wake community, you can find some subgroups. There are the dedicated athletes and/or fitness enthusiasts and their fans; there is the group that sees wakeboarding and being part of the crowd as a prestige thing; there are the people that simply like to relax close to nature by doing outdoor activities; and of course, finally, there are people that actually belong to all three groups.
No matter what your main motivator, however, the close-knit wake crowd is very supportive and enjoys spending time together, both in water and out of it.
- Female enthusiasts on the rise
An extremely positive note is that in order to popularize the sport and become stronger together, several female riders have organized into groups, such as She Riders, for example, to promote the sport and lifestyle.
They form a tight and supportive group that is visible in social media, are present at every competition and event and definitely encourage women to try out and excel at the sport that is mainly dominated by men. In a way, you could even consider the female riders movement as an empowerment of women in general – they represent women that are strong, brave and independent and that always support each other in becoming even greater.
- Healthy habits surround the sports scene
When you become part of the Brazilian wake scene, you will soon notice that the crowd is also extremely committed to having a fit body and a healthy lifestyle. Physical preparation and keeping fit definitely helps you improve your performance. However, it is also considered an aesthetic norm here to have a toned body, as swim and water sports clothes do not cover up much.
So becoming integrated in the wake scene will definitely motivate you to eat right, exercise regularly and look your best. Whenever you go to any of the wake events, you will definitely notice that there is many people that are quite nice to look at and consequently like to show off what they have got. Many wake athletes are also social media stars thanks to their looks and an attractive active lifestyle.
- Great Parties
The previous point definitely does not mean that the wake community cannot party. It is quite on the contrary. You have definitely heard the phrase “work hard, party harder!”. Well, in the case of the wake community this phrase applies a hundred and ten percent. The wake parties often involve meticulous planning and seamless execution, cool bands & good music, lots of alcohol, flirting and dancing until the dawn.
The difference is that the next day the real wake fans will get up and go wakeboarding anyway, regardless of the hangover and/or tiredness.
In addition, the wake parties attract a large crowd of people that may not be directly related to the sports or the hobby, but enjoy the events, the presence of the “beautiful people” and think that there is a certain prestige that surrounds the wake scene.
- Great reason to travel & discover places you usually would not think of visiting
Wonderful places for practicing water sports are scattered throughout Brazil, and this can be the perfect excuse to travel around and discover places that you usually would not even know that existed. Firstly, there are wake parks in different corners of Brazil and all of them have their own charm and characteristics that set them apart from others.
For example, while Sunset Wake Park in Goiania boasts superior knowledge about music production, and therefore, awesome sound quality at events, nice views with an incredible sunset and some hardcore obstacles, Wakeskater Cable Park in Bragança offers a truly cozy and personalized experience while surrounded by lush green vegetation.
When you are familiarized with the Brazilian wake crowd, you will always have friends waiting for you in each of these places. In addition, many wake enthusiasts travel for competitions that are held in various locations all over the country and therefore, get to see a lot of the country.
Secondly, as mentioned before, the sea and cable parks are not the only places for you to practice your favorite water sports. With a group of friends, some previous research and a winch that you can take everywhere, you can discover amazing hidden spots with beautiful scenery for wakeboarding and wakeskating. See the beautiful example of the wakeskate expedition Skate na Água.
- Very accessible
As you can see, water sports are actually quite accessible if you have the motivation to take them up and know where to look. Firstly, you do not have to drive all the way to the closest beach, but have several other great options scattered around the country that have the infrastructure and instructors at your service.
Secondly, while at sea, you would need a jet or a motor boat to pull you to be able to practice water sports, whereas cable parks and winches give that opportunity to everyone that have the interest but are not willing or do not have the means to make large investments.
- Mutual support between cool local brands and the wake community
The Brazilian wake scene is tight knit, which also means that the related local brands, wake parks, athletes and enthusiasts all support each other, which is very nice to witness. In addition, what started as a hobby has eventually become a vocation for some by becoming professional athletes or starting a business related to water sports and/or the lifestyle. All of this is very welcome, as the Brazilian wake community has it clear – only together will the Brazilian wake become stronger, both as a sport and a culture. And who knows, maybe can one day even become an international reference.
If I managed to generate some interest in you with the 10 reasons to check out the Brazilian wake scene as cited above, or if you would just like to know more about some of the most common spots the wake crowd frequents, here is a quick list of the wake/cable parks I have visited so far, and can, therefore recommend:
- Sunset Wake Park (Goiânia, Goiás) – The newest cable park, opened only this year in Goiania.
- Naga Cable Park (Jaguariuna, São Paulo) – The first cable park in Latin America to have five towers.
- Wakeskater Cable Park (Bragança Paulista, São Paulo) – Cozy atmosphere in a picturesque place. Perfect for smaller groups, families and for intensive learning.
- Fun Wake Park (Estância Alto da Serra, São Paulo) – Really accessible and close to São Paulo, welcomes riders of all levels and especially encourages beginners.
Furthermore, for wakeskates, winches and other outdoors equipment definitely see Project Sports – one of the first brands that grew out of the Brazilian wakeskating scene and that is also represented in United States.
Living It Brazilian 