Southern Surf Slam makes waves on Lake Lanier

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - When you think about surfing in the United States, you probably think about California or Hawaii, right?

Well, don’t forget about Georgia — because this weekend, there will be plenty of "hanging ten" up in Gainesville!

This morning on Good Day Atlanta, we laced up our board shorts and clipped on our life jackets for a thrilling morning at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, the site of this weekend’s Southern Surf Slam presented by Surf ATL. We’re told more than 70 surfers are taking part in the three-day event, which began yesterday with Pro-Am clinic (pairing kids with pro surfers) and continues today and tomorrow with the main competition. And just in case you were wondering, this is wake surfing we’re talking about, which means surfers are riding waves created by the backs of boats…no ocean necessary!

Along with the competition’s opening rounds on Friday, there will be food trucks, games, and family-friendly activities through the day at Lake Lanier Olympic Park. Competition finals will take place Saturday starting at 8 a.m., and other highlights of the day include a live wall painting from Atlanta-based creative agency and gallery ABV & acclaimed muralist Greg Mike and live music in the evening from acts including Kev Kinney Trio, Cicada Rhythm, Hotel Fiction, and Gnarly Chaplin.

For more information on Southern Surf Slam presented by Surf ATL, click here. And click the video player in this article to check out our morning out on the water, getting a very interactive look at this exciting weekend event!