Wakeboarders perform stunts on 'sliders' in Pwllheli Marina

Wakeboarding is a water-borne version of snowboarding, with entrants performing jumps and turns while being towed by a speed boat.

Up to 20,000 people are expected for Wakestock 2005 on the Llyn Peninsula.

The three-day event includes wakeboarding contests as well as big name band and DJs in the evening.

Wakeboarding is said to be the world's fastest growing sport with more than 3.5m participants. The rider uses a snowboard- like board and is towed behind a motorboat using the wake or waves to perform tricks and stunts.

Wakestock 2005, the fifth such event, is held over three locations, the inner harbour at Pwllheli Marina, Abersoch main beach and the music site at Penrhos.

Pwllheli Marina hosts a "slider park". The sliders are used much like rails in snowboarding with the riders performing slides and tricks.

Punk legends

The 600m promenade at the marina runs parallel to the course which features the biggest sliders in any European competition. Two days of competition are held on Saturday and Sunday.

Penrhos, overlooking Cardigan Bay, is the main festival site with four music arenas and camping facilities for 4,000 people. An entertainment zone, fun fair, trading stalls and a skate ramp.

The festival began on Thursday and continued on Friday night at Abersoch with the "pro kicker" competition in which riders were launched up to 20ft into the air off to battle for the title of Big Air Champion.

Confirmed acts for Saturday include punk legends The Undertones.

Professional wakeboarder and instructor Matt Crowhurst, 24, commentates on the water events - until it is his turn to take part. Last year he came second in the main event and was a challenger in the Big Air contest.

'Lifestyle festival'

He said: "This year is going to be as tough as it's ever been to do well. It's the big event for us wakeboarders.

"Although there are a lot of people who come for the music who do not know about the sport, we're able to introduce it to a new crowd of people."