FLOW RIDER TOUR
Noon. Magic Springs. $20-$40 to register, $30-$45 for park admission.
Back in the late ’80s, Tom Lochtefeld first applied for a patent on a machine that would offer those poor souls residing in land-locked states something that approximated the feel of catching a wave. Soon, the world witnessed the debut of the Flow Rider at — where else? — Schlitterbahn, the gigantic water park chain in Texas.
The Flow Rider is essentially a machine that blasts water over a padded, stationary surface, allowing riders to surf or boogie-board atop the synthetic wave. It’s proved to be one of the more popular attractions at Magic Springs. There’s even an official competitive league, the Flowboarding League of the World. There will be actual, real-live professional flowboarders as well as amateur competitions in several categories. Practice and registration are Saturday from 5-8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-noon. There will be prizes awarded for the top four finishers in each division.