PRESS RELEASE – Encinitas, CA – January 31, 2012

Liquid Force, the premier manufacturer of wakeboarding and kiteboarding hard goods and apparel, has entered into a long term marketing agreement with Axis Wake Research. Axis will be the Official Towboat of Liquid Force’s world famous BROstock event, as well as a strategic partner in Liquid Force’s Free For All series and all new BBQ BROdown series.

“If you’ve been around these two brands for even a short time, you’ve seen the synergy between our company cultures and the way we look at wakeboarding,” said Nick Skally, Axis Director of Marketing. “We’re excited to partner with an industry leader that understands how to have fun on the water. We’re also psyched to launch the product line into this type of arena where our boats can perform for high-end competitions like the double-up contest at BROstock.”

Axis and Liquid Force will begin to activate on this partnership immediately, starting with the LA Boat Show, February 10-12, followed by the February Freezeride at the Carlsbad Lagoon, February 18th.

Tony Finn, Founder of Liquid Force said, “I’m so excited to partner with an exciting brand like Axis Boats. The wake on their boats is sick! We couldn’t be happier to team up with such a great company. Not only do they make great products, but they’re also a great group of people. Their affordable, yet performance based boats are exactly what our industry needs! Stay tuned for many exciting things to come!”

Liquid Force and Axis join forces from Liquid Force on Vimeo.

Liquid Force is getting their Willy Wonka on in 2012!

“Purchase any new 2012 Liquid Force wakeboard and receive a FREE 2 hour pass to some of the best Cable Parks throughout the world! If you’ve never ridden cable or have always wanted to try out a new park, now’s your chance! Bring in the RIDE FREE sticker that’s on your new board along with the original proof of purchase receipt, and any one of the cable parks below will give you your FREE 2 hour pass! If you’re simply too rad for free stuff, then do us all a favor and hook up a friend or family member!”

Liquid Force Golden Ticket from Liquid Force on Vimeo.

Check out the entire 2012 Board Lineup on ActiveWake.com

Offer expires 8/31/12

For more than 50 years the Portland Boat Show has been one of the biggest – all indoor – boat shows in the region. Each year the show looks for the most attractive features, seeks the newest boat designs and provides an abundance of boating choices for all boating aficionados. The Portland Boat Show is set to launch on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at the Portland Expo Center.

Of course, the big draw for Northwest boaters is seeing what’s new in boat lines, technology and accessories. Every year, manufacturers and dealers bring in their latest designs for introduction. Expect plenty of new boat lines this year, and see what’s new from a wide range of manufacturers and dealers. Plus, some dealers will bring in last year’s models with their new inventory for the ultimate in price selection and negotiation!

Each day will feature a new product at a ridiculously low price. Quantities are limited so when it’s gone it’s gone. The Deals will go live at midnight (PST).

The First Day of Christmas will feature the 2011 O’Neill Gooru Comp Vest.

The hot weather may be gone, and the cold weather may be rolling in, but that doesn’t mean you need to call it quits on your riding for the year. Now is a great time to buy a wetsuit / drysuit to extend that season a few more months. Find some of the best prices online at our website ActiveWake.com

It sounds like DEFY will be in stores sooner than you think. Sean Kilgus stated, via Facebook, that the video is almost finished and is planning to have it out and in stores by Thanksgiving. The Seattle premier dates are also being announced very soon. Stay posted for more information.

Unfortunately we’re probably not going to have the video available for Evening with the Stars. But, keep an eye out for this long anticipated video to be hitting ActiveWake.com as soon as you can say “Happy Thanksgiving!” See you at the premier.

Defy trailer 2. The Danny Harf project from Sean Kilgus on Vimeo.

• What: Active’s biggest event of the year: Evening with the Stars
• Where: Active Water Sports, Oregon City |1224 McLoughlin Blvd
• When: 7-10 pm | November 18th, 2011

It’s already that time of year. The transition from the warm summer into the long cold winter. So when you are looking through the frost covered window at your winterized boat, you can look forward to one thing, Evening with the Stars! This is the one event of the off season you won’t want to miss! It is a one-night-only event that is free for everyone.

Enjoy: free food, 40% off all 2011 gear, 10% off all 2012 gear, better-than-boat-show-prices on all our Moomba, Supra, Axis, Malibu, and Nautique boats, and a chance to meet some of the greats in the water sports industry. A raffle drawing will take place, giving you a chance to win product from all your favorite brands.

All raffle proceeds are donated to the Children’s Cancer Association.

What Pros should you expect to see?

Jimmy LaRiche               Kevin Henshaw           Eric Ruck

Oli Derome                                           Mike Ennen                               Silas Thurman

We are excited to spend the evening with you as we say “bye-bye,” to summer and bring in the 2012 season together. If you have any questions on special Evening with the Stars pricing, please call 503-643-5018.

October is a month only the true dedicated Northwest rider’s dare to strap on their wake boards, zip up their neoprene suits, and brave the cold water. Active’s annual Fall Classic competition is a contest held at the end of the season to give those truly passionate about wakeboarding one final chance to prove that their Summer full of face plants, edge catches, and head slams to land that new trick, was worth it. Following a such great turnout from the Free Rider’s Ball, I was anxious to put on one last competition for the season and go out with a BANG! Once again the wake god’s smiled on us and helped me out by bringing dry weather for the weekend.

Friday, the day before the competition, I spent my morning unloading product from the Active Team box van that I brought up from our Oregon City store to stock up the pro shop in hopes to make sure every contestant had the gear they needed for the day of the competition. I also spent time setting up sponsor banners and flags. After a productive morning of set up, I then gassed up the boats and took a much needed rail set to relax and get me in the “shred state of mind.” I spent the rest of the evening until even past dark pulling riders who came early to practice their contest runs and camp out for the night. As always, the night before the contest Koppert hosted a campground full of riders and spectators for the event, but this time Koppert had the privilege to help celebrate one of Koppert’s regular shredders, Priscilla Stultz’s birthday! Priscilla is one of our favored women’s division riders known for throwing down huge backflips on her board and is no stranger to the top of the podium.

Saturday, the morning of the competition, I was more than excited to once again wake up to clear skies and fresh “warm” Fall air. We opened our pro shop and registration booth at 9am and by 9:05am I had a line out the door of rider’s anxious to sign up for the event. In all, 57 riders were signed up, matching our Free Rider’s event held in August! I was hugely stoked and surprised to seehow many dedicated riders showed up to our event even in the late season. By 10:15am our first rider left the dock being towed by Ned Baker’s 2011 Super Air Natique 210. Our contest held the same format as the Free Rider’s event, but with only one slight change. Rider’s were allowed only 2 falls, as opposed to the previously allowed 3 falls. This helped save time which we needed no thanks to Fall’s early sunset times. Riders were judged on the same format as Free Rider’s, focusing on amplitude, difficulty, variety, and most importantly, their style! Grabs always help score big and going bigger is always better!

The weather continued to stay dry with even breaks of sun in the sky throughout the day. Without a hiccup, the contest ran as smooth as I could’ve anticipated and was confident to expect to get everyone in the water before dark. As the contest came to a close, we finished the day with the Pro level division. Koppert was privileged for the second time of the weekend and we all got the chance to invite long time pro rider and Oregon original, Collin Wright, to shred with us in the competition. For those that don’t know their wake history, Collin was a long time Double-Up and Billabong team rider and also one of the first Slingshot team rider’s. He’s even been in a wakeboarding game, Shaun Murray’s Unleashed, and was featured in Alliance Magazine’s video “Innuendo” riding along side with some of the industry’s best like Danny Harf and Ben Greenwood. So needless to say, it was an absolute privilege to see what true style and smooth riding looks like. Collin placed on the podium third, Brenden Lieb landed second, and Kyler Green, once again looked down at the others from the top and took home $130 cash for first! Kyler had an unbelievable run stomping his whole set landing a backflip backside 3, toeside 720, roll to blind, front roll frontside 180 and I seriously can’t even remember the rest of his run because he threw down so hard. It’s a lot of fun to watch someone at the age of 17 progress so quickly and handle the competition like a pro. For our rail division, I was lucky enough to sneak in a first place podium spot, followed by second place winner Jake Southard, and third place was reserved for Brad Hess.

The competition finished with perfect timing. The sky had just turned to dark as I announced thelast of our podium placers and handed out the last of our prizes. Every first place rider from each division took home either a new wakeboard or pair of wakeboots, and second and third place winners took home a DVD and their choice of a clothing item donated from one of our event sponsors.

I will staple this year’s Fall Classic as a huge success and will put it in contention with one of our best Fall events of all time. Thank you everyone who came out to shred and spectate. Huge thanks to Slingshot for the amazing prize donations and for bringing out the new 2012 Slingshot wake gear and awesome tent to hang out in! Thanks huge to Northwest Riders Clothing and O’neill for always hooking us up with the best of threads. Thanks to Liquid Force, Ronix, and Hyperlite as well for the sweet board and product hook ups. Thanks huge to the contest help, Ned Baker for bringing his boat down to shred behind and for representing Active’s newest boat line Super Air Natique. Thanks to the judge’s Brad Hess, Spencer Norris, Nick Korum and Brenden Leib. Thanks again to Spencer Norris for keeping us entertained on the microphone all day and thanks to the Ammon “A-Frame” Markstellar and Ian Markstellar for keeping us in line on the dock and in the pro shop. And without Jake Southard sitting in the captain’s chair of the boat all day, none of us would’ve been able to show off our skills on our boards. If there’s anyone that I missed, feel free to call me up at the Oregon City store and I’ll sign you up to be put on our mailing list and you can then write your complaint to me! Enjoy the slideshow pictures below provided by Garett Kopp and stay in touch over the winter to hear about our fun events such as the “Evening With the Stars” event held in our Oregon City store on November 18th.

Contest Podium Results

Grom Boys
1. Seth Mckeon
2. Tanner Higham

Grom Girls
1. Livia Molodyh
2. Madison Luell
3. Olivia Kull
4. Paige Storey

Women’s
1. Priscilla Stultz
2. Molly Hawken
3. Joan Campbell

Wakeskate
1. Sean Cebell
2. Grant Karstedt
3. Aaron Huntley

Novice
1. Lewis Griggs
2. Grant Karstedt
3. Craver Small

Intermediate
1. Darren Postforoosh
2. Sean Cebell
3. Mick Korum

Advanced
1. Ian Markstaller
2. Kolby Blew
3. Ammon Markstaller

Masters
1. Jeff Ward
2. Darren Halsey
3. Ray Durkee

Open
1. Kyler Green
2. Brenden Leib
3. Collin Wright

Rails
1. Zach Schneider
2. Jake Southard
3. Brad Hess

For a full gallery of pictures taken day of the event visit: www.portlandz.net

You won’t want to miss this SALE. It’s the product that everyone knows and love, GoPro. This affordable, compact, water proof, HD (video & photo), and seemingly bomb proof device has become a consumer hit! If you are an extreme sports enthusiast, or you just don’t want to miss you babies first steps, the GoPro is for you. And here at Active Water Sports we want everyone to enjoy this product just as much as we do. While supplies last, we are discounting the GoPro from $300 down to $239.95.

Check them out on our website: activewake.com

Brand new 2012 Slingshot product in stock now. Check it out at activewake.com or see them in our shop now, or at Evening with the Stars.