Jinthe and her mum went to Terhills Cable Park, where Jinthe ventured on a wakeboard for the first time. The weather was fine and the mood was high. “Jinthe turns 15 tomorrow,” mum Veerle tells us while Jinthe is getting prepared.
The attendants at Cable Park help her with her life jacket, a helmet, and a board. “Since we have a day for the two of us today, and we’re active and athletically inclined, we thought this would be the perfect outing to celebrate Jinthe’s birthday.”
They aren’t the only ones at Terhills Cable Park, but everything goes smoothly. Jinthe has received her initial instructions and puts some stuff down next to Veerle before heading for the cable zone. “I’m a bit nervous,” Jinthe admits. “It’s my first time on a wakeboard and it doesn’t look easy. Luckily, I got good instructions. They also reassured me here that nobody stands up on their board the first time. Practice makes perfect, right?” Jinthe laughs.
Meanwhile, Veerle sits quietly in a beach chair enjoying the view. When it is Jinthe’s turn, Veerle comes over from her cosy beach chair to see how her daughter is doing. It’s difficult, but Jinthe is a go-getter. After falling into the water a few times, she can already stand up for a few metres. Jinthe beams and raises her thumb to Veerle from afar. She makes a gesture that she is going to try again. Veerle smiles and says, “We’ll be back here again next week! I can see that Jinthe is really enjoying herself and feels at ease. She really wants to master that now and stay upright on the board.”
After Jinthe’s time slot, some boys and girls from the club are up and wakeboarding. Jinthe quickly changes clothes because she wants to sit on the beach with her mum to watch the experienced boys and girls have a go. Their jumps and speed are wonderful to watch. Jinthe and mum enjoy the spectacle and a nice cocktail on the beach. “A successful pre-birthday celebration!” says Jinthe. “I’m all set to turn 15 tomorrow.”
Would you like to try your hand at wakeboarding, kneeboarding or water skiing, just like Jinthe? Check out all the possibilities here.