Part of Lake Wazeecha will be closed for the Wisconsin State Water Ski Show Championships
GRAND RAPIDS − With the annual Wisconsin State Water Ski Show Championships starting this week, officials want to remind people a portion of Lake Wazeecha will be closed during the tournament, which runs Thursday through Sunday at Red Sands Beach.
From 6 a.m. Thursday until 9 p.m. Sunday, part of the lake will be closed to ensure the safety of people participating in the ski show, Grand Rapids Police Chief Melvin Pedersen said. The area of the closure will be east of a line from the 64th Street South boat landing extending north to the north shore of Lake Wazeecha. It includes all water east to the Wood County U bridge.
The areas will have placards advising people of the restrictions, Pedersen said. Boating, swimming, wading, fishing, water skiing and scuba diving will not be allowed in the designated area during the four days.
The Grand Rapids Police Department will have additional officers scheduled during the event, and the Grand Rapids Auxiliary Police will be supporting the Police Department by doing identification checks around the beer tent and similar things. There will be patrols around Red Sands Beach during the evening to keep an eye on equipment, Pedersen said.
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The Wood County Sheriff's Department will have reserve officers helping at the event, and the Wood County Sheriff's Rescue will be at the event with jet skis and a boat, in case there is a problem with skiers. United Ambulance also will be at the event in case anyone needs medical attention, Pedersen said.
This is the 57th year the four-day tournament has been held at Lake Wazeecha. It is hosted by the Wisconsin Rapids Aqua Skiers, an all-volunteer organization. Twenty-four water ski show teams and 72 individual skiers will compete for a state title and a chance to move onto the National Water Ski Show Championships.
Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.
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This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Part of Lake Wazeecha Grand Rapids to close for State Water Ski Show
