$3000 prize tempts skiers

Lake Waikare will be transformed into a waterskiers' paradise at the weekend, just in time for the Caltex/Rockgas Northland Kai Iwi 3 Event Tournament.
Around 80 skiers will converge on the Kai Iwi Lakes area for the annual event which will feature most Northern Region Water Ski Club members, along with skiers from Auckland and Waikato.
Northland has a strong contingent, showing their dominance at last year's national event, where they took out the teams' title, and should feature in the placings, said Tim Robinson, secretary of the Northern Region Water Ski Club.
It is called a "3 event" because the tournament is made up of three components, Robinson said.
"There is the slalom, the jumps and the tricks where you see all your freestyle stuff."
The main feature during the three-day tournament, which gets under way tomorrow is the Kaipara District Council Head to Head Pro Slalom, where competitors' adrenalin will be pumping as they fight for the $3000 prize money up for grabs.
World No5 slalom skier Aaron Larkin, who is from Waikato but follows the world pro circuit around, is expected to be competing at Lake Waikere, in the Taharoa Domain, along with Waikato's Garth Milicich who has spent the past three months training in the United States.
The tournament starts tomorrow morning, continues on Saturday and concludes around midday Sunday.