WASHINGTON, DC — Boating is enormously fun, but it is not without risk. According to the National Safe Boating Council, approximately 500 people drown each year from recreational boating accidents. The group is the leading advocate for PFD use while on the water.

This year during National Safe Boating Week, and throughout the boating season, the National Safe Boating Council is working with their partner organizations to encourage safe and responsible boating, including the practice of always wearing a life jacket, and being alert and aware while on the water. Safe boating saves lives — so, for this year’s National Safe Boating Week (May 19-25, 2012) and throughout the boating season remember to “Wear It!”

New this year, the National Safe Boating Council created a video PSA, “Casting Off,” sharing the experience of three friends and a dog as they get ready to spend the day on the water and the significance of a simple reminder to wear a life jacket. This tongue-in-cheek video PSA shares the life-saving importance of sharing boating safety, including wearing a life jacket, while enjoying recreational boating activities with your family and friends.

“Accidents on the water can happen much too fast to reach and put on a stowed life jacket,” said Virgil Chambers, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council. “It’s important that everyone wears a life jacket while on the water. There’s no reason why you, your family and friends, can’t have fun on the water while also choosing to always wear a life jacket.”

Here are a few boating safety tips to keep in mind this boating season:

1. No matter what activity you have planned — boating, fishing sailing, etc. — always remember to wear a life jacket every time you are on the water.

2. Make sure your life jacket is U.S. Coast Guard-approved and properly fits. Double check that your life jacket is appropriate for your favorite boating activities.

3. Life jackets meant for adults do not work for children. If you are boating with children, make sure they are wearing properly fitted, child-sized life jackets. Do not buy a life jacket for your child to “grow into.”

“A life jacket can’t save your life unless you ‘Wear It!,’” continued Chambers. “With today’s variety of comfortable, stylish life jackets, there’s a life jacket for everyone — even our four-legged friends! No matter the water activity or life jacket style chosen — and always remember to ‘Wear It!’”

U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in three-fourths of recreational boating fatalities in 2010, and that 88 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. That’s why boating safety advocates continue to push for increased and consistent life jacket wear on the water.

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In November 2011, an evaluation group was appointed to examine kiteboarding formats with the board events for Rio 2016 defined as ‘windsurfing and/or kiteboarding’. The group recommended that kiteboarding be included in the ISAF Event family including the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships but Council went one step further and selected kiteboarding for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing competition as well.

ISAF President Göran Petersson said, “Kiteboarding has proven to us that it is ready to be included into the list of prestigious ISAF Events and it is a fantastic addition to the sailing program for the 2016 Olympic Games.”

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Cabela’s, along with Outdoor Channel, Wanna Go Fishing TV and Geico, tagged fish in lakes across 19 states – Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

One of the tagged fish could be worth $1 million. The grand prize will be doubled to $2 million if the grand prize winner is a current user of the Cabela’s Fish Recon app or downloaded the Cabela’s Fish Recon app to their smart phone, sponsored by Geico.

Registration began April 19 and participants must pre-register before fishing. Winners of specific prizes will be announced after the promotion ends July 8.

Additional information about rules and prizes can be found at the contest website, cabelas.com/fishformillions.

Species to be tagged this year include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, striped bass, perch, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout, walleye, crappie, wiper, bluegill and channel catfish. Species will vary state-to-state.

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Coverage will premiere on Wednesday, July 11 (9 p.m. EDT) as part of The Alt Games on CBS Sports Network. Wakeboarding also will be featured as part of the Alt Games Highlight Show airing on the CBS Television Network on Saturday, July 15 (2 p.m. EDT).

Collegiate Wakeboard National Championships will begin with quarterfinals on Thursday with finals ending on Saturday, combining both individual and team formats. Collegiate teams consist of four Men, two Women and one Wakeskate. The reigning national champions, the University of Tennessee Volunteers, will be defending their title against Arizona State University, Ball State University, California State University-Chico, Central Washington University, Florida Gulf Coast University, University of Florida, University of Louisiana-Monroe, University of Miami, University of Wisconsin, Virginia Tech University, Oklahoma State University and the University of Texas. Independent collegiate riders may still register by contactingusawakeboardcollegiate@gmail.com.

The USA Wakeboard Cable Wakeboard National Championships is set for Sunday, June 3 at the new 100-acre WakeZone Cable Park and is presenting a $12,300 pro cash purse. Champions of the pro men and women divisions will be selected as members of 2012 U.S. Cable Wakeboard Team that will compete in the 2012 IWWF Cable Wakeboard World Championships, Nov. 9-11, in Manila, Philippines. Amateur results will also be used as part of the criteria for team selection. Epic is the official sponsor of the U.S. Wakeboard Team. Visit www.cablewakezone.com to register.

CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers on Verizon FiOS Channel 94 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 643 (1643 in HD) and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and Dish Network Channel 158.

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The Wi-Fi network provides guests with a reliable Internet connection to enhance their visit to the parks by allowing them to stay connected with friends and family back home as well as conduct essential business such as school work, financial transactions and social media.

According to Alabama State Parks Acting Co-Director Tim Wishum, the wireless Internet program is one of the largest wide-scale Wi-Fi deployments of any United States park system. The Alabama program will provide more than 20,000 park guests with free Internet access while camping.

“We started the program at Gulf State Park in 2010,” Wishum said. “Since then we have deployed more than 600 radios, routers, and relays, utilizing 92 miles of wireless networks to provide Internet to more than 1,200 campsites.”

Rather than create a few localized “hotspots,” Alabama State Parks have turned entire campgrounds “hot” allowing guests to stay connected while in the comfort of their own RV. Since implementing the program, improvements have been made to ensure problem areas and outages are resolved quickly.

Free Wi-Fi is also available in or near the park office or store in select parks that do not have the campground systems. Those parks include Blue Springs, Monte Sano, Buck’s Pocket, Florala, Frank Jackson, Lake Lurleen and DeSoto.

For more information about Alabama State Parks, visit www.alapark.com.

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The tournament is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. tomorrow when Texas A&M will take on Sacramento State.

Other teams include University of Southern Florida, California State University, Northridge, University of North Texas, University of Georgia and Chico State University.

The wakeboarding competition will go on from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday. The semifinals are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the finals begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Admission is free to the public.

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The weekend inspection hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 5-6 and May 12-13. On Saturday, May 19, the boat ramp will officially open from sunrise to sunset for the summer.

If ANS are detected on any of the watercraft, decontamination is required. To speed up the inspection process, boaters are encouraged to clean, drain and dry their vessel, including removing the plug to drain the water, prior to entering the park and as soon as the watercraft has left the water. For more information about the state’s aquatic nuisance species program, visit www.parks.state.co.us/Boating.

Elkhead Reservoir State Park is located ten miles northeast of Craig, on the high plains of northwest Colorado in the beautiful Yampa Valley. It provides endless recreational opportunities including: boating, swimming, picnicking, hiking, camping, fishing, biking, along with many other activities. The newly built Bear’s Ears campground has been a long awaited camping opportunity by many and sits majestically over the reservoir.

Additional information on Elkhead Reservoir State Park is available at: www.parks.state.co.us/Parks/Elkhead.

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The 24-year-old Florida native is a perennial fan favorite on the pro wakeboard and wakeskate circuit, finishing at the top of many of the sport’s most notable events. Renowned as a true innovator from an early age, Alliance magazine calls Hampson “the first child prodigy of wakeskating who helped mold the burgeoning sport.”

According to Hampson, he chose the Yamaha FX SHO due to its powerful 1.8L supercharged engine, its new NanoXcel hull and its innovative Cruise Assist that allows the driver to set and hold a consistent speed.

“Wakeskating is a constantly evolving sport and to stay on top, riders have to relentlessly challenge themselves,” said Hampson. “The Yamaha WaveRunner is a perfect choice for me to ride behind to do this. It tows with power and consistency. It lets me to try new moves and to be picked quickly. It can get into waterways that other vehicles can’t. And it’s versatile, making it a lot of fun to have for playing around on the weekends.”

“We’ve been watching Danny elevate wakeskating to new levels with aggressive moves and a bold style,” said Andrew Cullen, digital marketing and communications manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “His choice of the Yamaha FX SHO speaks volumes about the tow capabilities of this new WaveRunner series for professionals and consumers alike.”

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