Townsman Staff
Colden Thompson continues to soar in the world of wake boarding, making his international professional debut in Las Vegas back in May.
Competing at the World Wakeboard Association (WWA) Malibu Rider Experience in Las Vegas, the Cranbrook native advanced to the finals in the Junior Pro Division, finishing fifth following a strong run in windy conditions.
"Going down there, I didn't know what to expect," Thompson said in a news release. "I knew it would be tough competition and given that it was my first event in the Junior Pro Division, I just focused on riding my best.
"To be able to ride with some of the best young riders in the world and to know I was competitive against them in my first international pro event was amazing."
The international event, which featured participants from Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Japan and the United States, amongst other nations, ran from May 13 to 14 on Lake Las Vegas.
With international experience now under his belt, the East Kootenay product — who trains at Tie Lake near Jaffray — has his sights set even higher as he pursues more hardware at the 2016 Canadian Wakeboard Championships, scheduled for Aug. 4 to 7 in Abbotsford.
In 2015, Thompson scored a second-place finish in the Junior Men Division at the national event, before adding a sixth-place notch in Open/Pro competition. He added another runner-up finish at the 2015 Water Ski & Wakeboard Alberta (WSWA) Provincials.