A snowmachine and a wakeboard? Northern Ontario men record open-water stunt

Winter in northeastern Ontario has been slow to leave, so that's prompted two men in the Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. area to combine a summer and winter sport.

You could call it "snow-waking." And it's definitely not something just anyone should try.

Andrew Erkkila and Paralympic alpine skier Mac Marcoux recently posted a video of them on Batchewana Bay, north of Sault Ste. Marie.Marcoux is seen driving a snowmobile near open water, and shortly behind him follows Erkkila on a wakeboard on thewater.

"I've towed a snowboard behind the snowmachine before and it worked out fine," Erkkila said.

"I had him tow me on my wakeboard and then I hopped of the ice and onto the water and then hopped back onto the ice after going a little ways and it worked out fine. It worked out better than I thought."

Wakeboarding on Batchewana Bay

6 years ago

Duration 0:11

Andrew Erikkila and Mac Marcoux recently tried wakeboarding in April in northern Ontario.

Marcoux, the driver of the snowmobile, is visually impaired, but that doesn't stop him from taking part in winter sports without a guide.

Erkkila says Marcoux has been driving a snow machine "for years," and says that, "to Mac, driving a snowmobile is like skiing."

As for his own safety, Erkkila says he swims year-round and the water he was wakeboarding on wasn't too deep.

Erkkila says the pair didn't have anyone to film them, so they set up the equipment, hit record, and hoped for the best.

As for reaction, Erkkila says he's been told he's both "nuts" and "crazy" and has been asked several times why he did it.

"I just thought, it's the middle of April and there's still ice and snow but it's just kind of a fight against the winter and bring on spring hopefully soon," he said.

As for what's next, Erkkila says they're looking at capturing their stunts with a camera mounted on a drone.

"Maybe we'll try something out like that," he said."I bet that'd be good."