July 5th, 2010 by james
This weekend I found myself one of the very few people from north of the border not at Wakestock. Determined not to spend the weekend wallowing in my own self pity I rounded up a few other lost compadres and headed through to Loch Lomond to ensure that riding in the top of the country carried on regardless! Fortunately another one unable to make it to Abersoch was Raymondo, who was diligently holding down the LLWB fort. Also left behind were long time riding buddy Guy, as well as my brother Nick who’d travelled 400 miles in the opposite direction to the legendary festival to visit home on a rare weekend off.
Unfortunately when we got there the weather was….well, pish. However after a bit of loitering and some heavy weather table tennis we climbed into wetsuits and fired up the winch for a very wavy rail sesh. A while later Ray returned with the boat (full of riders!) and we set off for a bumpy but high energy session. All smiles we headed back to the dock happy that we’d taken the gamble to ride in the chop. All in, you can’t go wrong at Loch Lomond; there’s always somewhere flat enough to ride, it’s always beautiful whatever the weather, and Raymond’s always there to make it worth the trip.
I’ll make Wakestock next year…
June 1st, 2010 by james
In a bid to become Scotland’s hottest pro wakesurfers, four spritely young groms took to the water on Sunday and ripped the hell out of the LLWB Wakesetter’s pumping wake. In a session for the history books Guy Davidson, Jimbo MacKay, Gordy Forsyth and myself spent the afternoon throwing down monster cutbacks, floaters and even some toes-off noseriding! Wakesurfing north of the border took a giant leap forward on Sunday, we’re just waiting for the sponsorship to start rolling in! Keep your eyes open for “Loch Surf- the home of Scottish Wakesurfing”; there’s even talk of LLWB investing in a surf dedicated boat, which will only have seats on one side… crazy! Check out the pictures below to see all the action!
May 18th, 2010 by james
If you missed the first LS stop then you missed out, big time! The sun was out (for most of the weekend) and there was always flat water to be had; combine that with pro coaching from Liquid Force’s James Hooper and the usual epic party/all night bonfire, the event went off! As always the boat was out all weekend and there was a real buzz about the LLWB site as folk chilled out around the Loch side in proper Loch Stock festival style.
So what’s next…?
On 19/20th June the tour will be stopping at Loch View Motel in Dumfrieshire for what has been widely hailed the wildest stop of the tour! Last year saw some sick riding on this incredible location, all night partying with the motel owner (legend), some ridiculous beer garden/dock jibbing and who can forget the Michael Jackson night!
This is the first of the competition stops which means awesome spectator action all weekend as well as epic riding- Loch Stock is free to attend and spectate so even if you’re not wakeboarding come along for the party! If you are riding then hit the “Enter 2010” link above before it’s too late- last year ALL places sold out so make sure you don’t miss out! To book accommodation head to www.lochviewmotel.co.uk and remember to quote “Loch Stock” when booking.
The season’s already started with a bang- make sure you’re there to help kick off the tournament in style as this year will go down in history!
April 29th, 2010 by james
Only one day left until the Loch Stock tour officially kicks off and we couldn’t be more stoked! There’s been a massive amount of interest and the weekend looks like it’s gonna be epic. If you haven’t booked a set yet then give us a shout and we may be able to squeeze you in.
Camping is available at the lochside for £5 per night and there’ll be plenty demos, trade stands and more to keep you occupied throughout the day while the boat’s out. And of course saturday night will be the official opening party for Loch Lomond Wakeboard! Look out for the LS tees and hoodies on sale at the event, all helping put fuel in the boat and making Loch Stock a reality.
One last thing…
festival = mud = wellies
You have been warned!
April 20th, 2010 by james
Not even two weeks now till the first stop of the Loch Stock tour- that’s right, LS have teamed up with Loch Lomond Wakeboard and Liquid Force boards to bring Mr James Hooper up here to bonny Scotland (to be fair it wasn’t hard to persuade him!). The weekend of 1st and 2nd May looks set to go off with all the usual carnage expected; non-stop riding and partying throughout the weekend, guest DJ sets, and of course Raymonds legendary BBQ… did I mention a pro coach at your disposal as well?!
Spaces are booking up quickly, so make sure you sign up in advance- there may be sets available on the day but judging by last year’s event it’s unlikely. Riding 10-5 both Saturday and Sunday, and then demo sets and drinking. Don’t miss out this awesome opportunity by clicking on the “enter 2010” link above and getting involved. As usual feel free to drop us an internet mail message at team@loch-stock.com.
Camping and other accomodation is available, just give Raymond a shout on 07545561360 for more info.
Get yourself along, even if you’re just there for the party! This is just the start of an epic summer; so get involved, come and brush off the winter cobwebs, and let’s get it kicked off!
Remember the rest of the tour dates have also been announced, you have until 3rd May to get early bird entries in at only £90!
April 10th, 2010 by james
I literally had no idea what to expect as I got close to Sallochy Bay on the east coast of Loch Lomond. I was heading over to join some of the usual suspects and some other new friends at the new Loch Lomond Wakeboard site for their first weekend of business. All I knew about the place so far was that it had a pretty sweet jetty and… well that was about it- the guy’s had been so secretive about it I was dying to go check it out.
As I drove out the other side of Balmaha things started to feel a little bit more remote, and the wee bays more and more tranquil. I spotted the LLWB van from the road and pulled down the dirt track to be greeted by a rustic boathouse overlooking a glassy Loch, and Raymondo firing up yet another epic barbeque.
Not long after I arrived Scottish Stu turned up to join Dave Knight and the family, Tom Lomax, Kenny O, budding filmer Snowie and a handful of others, all enjoying the slow pace of life that the idyllic loch-side haven seems to make impossible to avoid. The boat went in an out as folk dropped in to ride, and a pretty competitive ping-pong tournament got underway on the salvaged table!
After a fine LLWB barbeque a monster campfire came to life down on the beach drawing everyone around and went on into the night with chatting, guitar playing, plenty of Tennents and even a speech from land owner and proud LLWB advocate Kevin.
I emerged from the van the next morning to discover the keen kids were already out making the most of the buttery loch. I grabbed a coffee and a chat with Raymond before heading out in the new Mastercraft skate/beginner boat with Dave and Duffy. An excited Raymond shotgunned first set in order to christen his new boat! And what a boat it is- crisp but forgiving wakes that still have enough pop to for DK to throw his super smooth W2W 180’s; I miss skating behind the old jetski but this boat more than makes up!
After a spot of winching, and a 10 man mission to move a 30 foot static caravan the full length of a waterlogged field, sadly it was time to leave. I put my watch back on and time sped up to its normal pace as I headed back to the city, already planning my next trip over. I can only imagine what this place will be like when it’s fully set up- it’s already far more than just a wakeboard camp, it’s an escape, even if you’re only there for a few hours.
The guys are putting on some pretty sweet deals all the way through April to give you an excuse to get up there so give Raymond a shout on 07545561360 or check out www.LochLomondWakeboard.com for more info. And don’t forget Loch Stock will be there on 1st and 2nd May.
Happy days…
March 6th, 2010 by james
Time was you could cut yourself a pretty nifty deal on a new set up by looking a bit further afield and ordering from the states; even after shipping (which was never generally that steep), and the government taking a cut in the form of import duty you still had a pretty nice bargain on your hands. Unfortunately by doing this, we were doing more damage to our delicate little UK wakeboard industry that we could imagine, and the way exchange rates are right now there’s not even much of a saving to be had. It’s a simple fact that every business relies on one crucial commodity; customers. The more of our money we send abroad, the less of it reaches our UK industry and at a time when even the bigger businesses are having to tighten their belts we simply cannot afford not to support industry on our shores. This is particularly the case in Scotland where we’re fighting just for distributors up here, let alone shops for them to supply.
One of the primary aims of the Loch Stock tour is to raise the profile of wakeboarding in Scotland. To do this we need investment from sponsors, and for sponsors to feel it’s worth their while putting money forward… well you see where this is going. The tour is run at zero profit- every penny LS makes goes straight back into the tour, (and into the tourboat’s fuel tank!). So far the sponsors have stepped up to and beyond the mark, investing in what is, after all, a risky prospect. So now it’s your turn; get to the shop and buy a belt, buy a hoodie, and if you’re competing this summer get your entry in now! And next time you’re about to order a new board, why not give Raymondo at Loch Lomond Wakeboard a shout; you might be surprised what he can offer, and he might even throw in a free burger!
Buy British, Support Scottish.
“Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M/
get the money; dolla dolla bill y’all”
—Wu-Tang Clan, C.R.E.A.M., January 31 1994
February 1st, 2010 by Sammi
Well it’s that time of year where you may be looking for new wakeboard kit or desperate for a quick snowboard before the season disappears. Here are a few bits we have for sale, all been looked after, and of course, we give you good price my friends!
WAKE
Liquid force Melissa 137 board and 5-7 bindings 2009 , ex demo, used once :( rrp £750, Loch Stock Price £550
Liquid Force Ennen 142 2009 ex Demo, low milage. rrp £400, Loch Stock price £305
SNOW
Burton Troop 151, chicks board, 2009, pretty good condition with a couple of scrapes, £150
Rome ‘Blue’ 154 Chicks board, 2009, BRAND NEW still in wrapping, £250 (rrp £375)
Ride ’Vista’ 154 chicks board (theme here??) Used and loved, £80
Photos and Boys stuff on its way, keep us in mind if buying new stuff as we can usually sort out deals with various sponsors.
Support british industry, we do.
Loch Stock xx
