PHOTO BY ZENON BILAS
Eight-time national barefoot waterskiing champion and now public speaker Zenon Bilas presented his “For the Love of Wake Sports” presentations at six NMMA boat shows earlier this year. During these events, however, he noticed a common theme: Most of the audience did not know about wake sport driving and equipment safety.
“There’s very little information available on how to safely tow someone doing wake sports, no matter what kind of boat. The stories I heard at the shows were unsettling — some downright shocking, such as intentionally throwing riders off a tube,” Bilas says. “That’s why I’ve expanded my wake sport presentation to include marine industry insiders. It’ll help them sell more boats, upgrades and accessories, and increase value for their customers while keeping them safe.”
Bilas has three major speaking topics: Driving Matters, Technique Matters and Equipment Matters. Each presentation can be adapted for a specific audience and venue, such as boat shows, dealer meetings, in-store promotions, clubs and organizations. Because he has experience in other marine areas like sales and boat testing, Bilas can also speak to choosing, buying and outfitting a boat for wake sports.
“I understand the importance of aligning a buyer’s expectations with the right available boat,” he says. “Providing salespeople with the ability to speak about wake sports from a position of authority can be a powerful sales tool.”
To learn more about Bilas, visit his website at zenonbilas.com.
