With cable wakeboarding now shortlisted for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games, global growth of these low cost wakeboard facilities continues to accelerate. In recent months alone, additional new wakeboard parks have opened in France, Germany, Russia, Great Britain, USA, Turkey and Ukraine. Egypt will also join this global expansion with its first facility in the coming weeks. On the other side of the globe, the Cable Wakeboard World Championships will be staged this year at the DECA Wake Park in Clark in the Philippines on November 4/11.
 
In recognition of the rapid growth of wakeboarding around the world, a major cable wakeboard facility has now been constructed at Beijing's Shunyi Olympic Aquatic Park. This electric powered wakeboard facility introduces an environmentally friendly sport to this important area with an attractive return on investment which adds to its appeal. As this is already Asia's largest watersports training base, Beijing area residents and visitors will be invited to attend the official opening ceremony early in the New Year.
 
First opened in July 2007, one year before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the magnificent Shunyi Aquatic Park was designed for rowing, canoe/kayaking, marathon swimming and paralympic rowing. Located just 30 minutes drive from downtown Beijing, an interesting feature provides for the water to be recycled every 35 to 40 days. With 60 countries on site competing for the 32 Olympic gold medals awarded at the lake in 2008, many will recall the great success of this first class facility at that time.
 
The International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) is currently preparing to present its case for the inclusion of wakeboarding in the 2020 Olympic Games at a meeting scheduled for Lausanne in Switzerland in December. The new Shunyi Cable Wakeboard facility is a very welcome addition to the global network of such facilities according to IWWF President, Kuno Ritschard.