Sports
No Worries riders try to tame Coosa River
By Griffin Pritchard
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Clint Westbrook loses the rope handle while bailing out of a trick during Saturday's No Worries Tour competition in Wetumpka. Herald Photo/Griffin Pritchard
For the second straight month, the riders of the No Worries Tour converged on Wetumpka’s Gold Star Park Saturday to tangle with a stretch of the Coosa River. The July competition, however, brought fewer riders than the previous month’s. No Worries was going head-to-head with an INT League tournament on Lake Guntersville.
The tour’s July stop brought with it only 40 riders.
“I rode two events last year and have ridden two events this year,” said Garret Rowden, 18 of Chattanooga, Tenn. “It’s a great environment to come and compete. I’ve made friends here and there are good people that ride.”
While all of the divisions suffered a reduction in competitors, the greatest impact was seen in the Pro Division.
Pro Division leader Phil Aslinger was absent.
Rob Corum and Matt Sims also missed the second event due to a prior engagement.
The two pros in attendance, Taylor Renfroe and Chad Reese improved their standings while entertaining the fans.
“I’m going to ride all of the stops this year,” said Reese, 28 of Montgomery. “I’ve been wakeboarding and competing for years. This is my 15th year.”
Reese had a simple strategy when it comes to competing against the younger competitors.
“I lost 20 pounds,” said Reese, who plans to ride and compete as long as he can. “I had too. I’m 10 years older than the guys I’m competing against. I had to cut weight.”
Reese said that he plans to be back for the tour’s final stop in August.
During the July event, Renfroe, 17 of Daphne, finished third behind Aslinger and Sims.
Moneys raised from the No Worries Tour will go to benefit Camp Chandler.
“We did this last year and we raised $17,000 for Brentwood,” said Rick Graydon who, along with Bill Owens and Ted Watts, Jr., serves as the event’s directors. “We went to Camp Chandler director Jeff Reynolds and asked if we could help them this year. We want to raise enough money to give them a boat to use at the camp.”
While last year’s version of the tour partnered with the Montgomery Area Homebuilder’s Association, this year’s edition stands alone as it’s own tour.
“This is something positive that kids can do,” said Graydon. “It gets them outdoors, being active and they aren’t breaking in cars or getting into serious trouble.”
The prizes will be on the line Aug. 16. That August Saturday marks the third and final stop of 2008 for the No Worries Tour.
