On Saturday, ULM went into unchartered waters, and the school did not have to go that far to do so.

The ULM wakeboarding team hosted the Empire Wake’s Collegiate Wake Series event on Bayou Desiard.

It was the first series event held on an actual school campus and the first time a regional wakeboarding event took place in Louisiana.

“There couldn’t have been a better spot to host an event,” said event organizer Rob Mendieta. “The day couldn’t have been smoother or more perfect with warm weather and warm water. Louisiana showed us why their scene is important and why we should continue hosting CWS events in the state.”

Six divisions made up the competition: beginner, intermediate, advanced, open, women’s, and wakeskate. ULM, Louisiana Tech and LSU all competed in the Monroe event.

Teams were given points based on style composition, execution and amplitude. Teams that placed in the top three positions of an event receive automatic bids to the Collegiate Championship Finals. The remaining teams can compete in the events in other cities for a chance to enter the finals in Long Beach.

“I attempted a 360 and I landed a toe-side 180, but no one saw it because I was too far down the bayou,” said ULM wakeboarder Hunter Martin, a sophomore kinesiology major from Vidalia. “But everyone was having fun and there was good competition.”

Despite a slow start in the beginner’s event, ULM won the overall event while Louisiana Tech and LSU would take second and third place, respectively. Vic Sanchez won first place in the Open Division and Cody Townsend placed second.

Other winners from ULM include Kalynn Oswalt (second) and Kalynn Osborn (third) in the women’s division and Cody Yarbrough (third) in the beginner’s division.