Beaver Lake Ski Club was founded in 1990 with the goal of taking a Gates County borrow pit and transforming it into a world class tournament water ski facility. Discovered from aerial photos, the site was the proverbial diamond in the rough. There was a pretty lake, left behind from sand mining in 1970 to build the Chowan River bridge. The surrounding property was a maze of overgrown shoreline with any remnant of a path being spotted with potholes big enough to lose a vehicle in. Piles of trash and old appliances were a sore reminder of the neglect the property had suffered for the past two decades...

A spin-off group from Elizabeth City’s River City Ski Club eventually negotiated a long-term lease on the property with the agreement to clean it up, gate it and maintain it. It was a win-win situation for both the skiers and the property owners. A nice road was built and woods, briars and vines were cleared to make way for tournament crowds and camping. The shoreline was sloped to allow the boat wakes to roll up on the shore and die out, making each ski pass as smooth as the last.

In 2001, members of the club successfully negotiated to purchase the property, securing its future as one of the country’s premiere ski sites. With the threat of losing the lake removed, the Beaver Lake Ski Club was now free to move forward with making more improvements to the property to foster the site’s success. The first order of business was bringing in electricity. A new official’s tower was completed with an office for scorers, an announcer’s balcony, a concession stand and lots of storage. Upgrades to the two slalom towers added roofs to make it more comfortable for the judges and protect electronics. The 2006 season introduced a new boathouse for the club MasterCraft along with water hookups for all the campsites to enjoy.

Beaver Lake’s reputation is growing for its great skiing conditions and warm southern hospitality. Skiers from all over the U.S. and several other countries have participated in some of the club’s competitions. Major events at Beaver Lake now include a Pro cash prize jump event, several World Record Capable tournaments, 2 State Championships and 2 National Collegiate All-Star Championships.

The club encourages the public to attend its tournaments. Spectators are welcome to bring out a lawn chair, get something cold to drink and enjoy some top notch skiing.

Last Updated on Monday, 22 December 2008 06:20