Sunny slopes and cold water were the theme of this year's Gates and Wakes competition, as competitors rode the Sierra Mountains and the waters of Lake Tahoe.

This past weekend the seventh annual Gates and Wakes competition took place at Alpine Meadows and on the waters of Lake Tahoe outside Sunnyside Resort.

The event raised money for the Tahoe Adaptive Ski School, which is a division of Disabled Sports U.S.A.

Entree fees, as well as a silent auction and raffle, were used to raise money. All of the items in the silent auction and raffle were donated.

The event consisted of three different categories. Snow ski and water ski, snow ski and wakeboard, or snowboard and wakeboard.

The competition started out with competitors racing a GS style slalom course at Alpine Meadows.

The athletes then drove over to Sunnyside Resort for lunch and water activities.

"This year attendance was off due to the past few months' weather. But it's the best snow conditions we've ever had," said event coordinator Bob Bense of Correct Craft.

The weather was not a factor in this year's competition. For the first time in weeks, the sun came out full force and Lake Tahoe had just a bit more than a ripple on its surface.

"This is the fourth year we've done this and this year is by far the best weather we've every seen," said Matt Follett of Granite Bay. Follett and his son Crawford both agree the water was cold, but the weather was great.

"This is the first year where the snow skiing hasn't been spring conditions," Matt said.

Competitors described the 46.5-degree water as everything from, "Cold, really really cold," to, "Refreshing."

Tahoe celebrity Glen Plake had his fair share of fun on the lake. Plake did everything from wakeboarding and skiing to barefooting.

"This event is great fun. By the time you get all of your junk and gear on the water isn't really that bad. If we had Speedo's on it would be a different story," Plake said. "This is probably only the second time in 10 years I've skied out here. So it was nice to get back out on big blue."

All proceeds from the event went to Disabled Sports U.S.A. Each year the Tahoe adaptive ski program gives more than 1,500 lessons. Two hundred scholarships a year are given out to help people with disabilities learn to water and snow ski. For more information call 581-4161, or visit www.dsusafw.org.



2003 Gates and Wakes official results



Amateur Snowski/Water Ski

Men

1. Doug Fulton

2. T.J. Kelly

3. Mark Kendrick



Women

1. Gretehen Sproechnle

2. Erika LaRieu

3. Jill Marcellini



Amateur Snow Ski/Wakeboard

Men

1. Doug Hicks

2. Tony Scapini

3. Klay Kazala



Women

1. Laura Seegmiller

2. Stefanie Gulla



Amateur Snowboard/Wakeboard

Men

1. Nate Holland

2.

Women

1. Kayla Anderson

2. Erin Thompson



Youth Amateur Snowboard/Wakeboard

Boys

1. Crawford Follet



Men's Two Round Slalom/Snow Ski Competition

1. Rick Paragini

2. Paul Kitano

3. Ken Thompson



Women's Two Round Slalom/Snow Ski Competition

1. Andrea Wiecking



Professional Men's Competition

1. Todd Kelly

2. Glen Plake

3. Greg Badal



Professional Disabled Men's Competition

Skiers

1. Matt Oberholtz



Professional Women's Competition

Skiers

1. Carrie McMurtry