Twin Lakes CornFest: The Midwest’s Ultimate Towed Water Sports Extravaganza
At its core, TL CornFest is centered around building community. (Image: @tlcornfest)
By Jack Burden
Over the past two months, we have witnessed some of our sports’ top trick skiers submitting videos of their three-trick lines for a wacky-sounding event in the Midwest. What is this corn-based social media phenomenon? And why are renowned athletes like Joel Poland, Adam Pickos, Jake Abelson, and Giannina Bonnemann Mechler jumping on the bandwagon?
The answer is the Twin Lakes CornFest, hosted on Lake Mary at Lance Park in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. Scheduled from August 17-19, 2023, this marks the 4th edition of the exciting and innovative event. This year’s festival is set to be the grandest yet, with over 200 water skiers ranging in age from 4 to 67 years old, representing various disciplines within towed water sports, including collegiate and three-event athletes, show skiers, wakeboarders, and more.
CornFest spans three action-packed days and offers a diverse range of towed water sports competitions. Events include Feet on Fire, Trick Ski Showdown, Freestyle Jumping, Ramp Master Superstar LD Jump, Legends of Wake, Swivel Showcase, Lowrider Rumble, and the TL Cornfest Kids Rising Stars.
This year’s competitors include world record holder Erika Lang, 200+ foot jumper Brandon Schipper, and wakeboarding legend “Dirty” Mike Dowdy – just to name a few.
In a sport that often seems stale and regimented, the CornFest is a breath of fresh air. The format is incredibly innovative, showcasing all facets of towed water sports. The Trick Ski Showdown follows the popular three-trick line format that has taken over social media platforms, encouraging skiers to compete on any apparatus or discipline, from trick skis to wake skates, with judges subjectively evaluating creativity, flow, difficulty, authenticity, and, most importantly, stoke!
The Ramp Master Superstar LD Jump event is distance jumping with a twist. Skiers earn points not only for distance but also for style. Rather than measuring the jumps, the goal is to hit or land as close as possible to a target 100-125 feet from the jump. The judges will also evaluate skiers based on categories such as style, aerial maneuvers, body position, and hangtime.
If traditional three-event purists aren’t offended enough already, the entire event will be towed behind a Centurion wake boat, with no switch for jumping.
The Twin Lakes CornFest lineup includes every towed water sports discipline imaginable, except thankfully wake surfing, fostering a sense of camaraderie between athletes and spectators alike. Where else do barefooters, show skiers, wakeboarders, and three-event water skiers rub shoulders and compete together? This big tent approach to towed water sports promises something for everyone, and the variety is fantastic for spectator engagement.
Everything about the event, from the all-you-can-eat-corn gimmick to the infectious exuberance for summer days at the lake, is so quintessentially Midwest, you can’t resist calling it corny. Bad puns aside, this event is exactly the kind of spectacle we need to bring water skiing back into the public eye. So, if you’re anywhere near Wisconsin on August 17-19, you should check out this fantastic event. It’s a celebration of athleticism, community, and the love for the water that unites us all.
For more details go to tlcornfest.com or check them out on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
