This past week, Red Bull USA professional wakeboarders Adam Errington and J. D. Webb hit the water with the UT wakeboard team ahead of the final stop of the 2011 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Series at Volunteer Landing.
    
Arriving on Volunteer Boulevard near the UC, the UT team was greeted by the Red Bull truck, complete with two large amplifiers, turning the street into an open party.
    
Errington handed out Red Bull to intrigued passers-by, and Red Bull worked to make sure the Vols enjoyed the hospitality.
    
After a 20-minute wait and a vast consumption of the energy drink, they were all fired up and ready to go.
   
 Four of the riders jumped into the back of a truck and the rest followed by convoy to the team’s moored MasterCraft speed boat at Volunteer Landing.
    
Webb, 24 from Orlando, Fla., has been wakeboarding for 15 years and was excited to hang with the UT team. He said he always loves coming to Knoxville.
    
“I’ve always had great experiences here,” he said. “You guys have a great setup down by the river. It’s a joy to ride here. I hope I can pass on some tips to the UT team and maybe get them riding with a little bit more confidence.”
    
Errington, 23 from Orlando, Fla., is a rising star in wakeboarding and has gone from strength to strength since he was crowned Rookie of the Year in 2007. He agrees that Knoxville is a great place to come ride.
    
“This area has some great waterways and lakes, and it’s always a pleasure to come here and also sweet that we can hang with the UT team and maybe give them some tips,” Errington said.
    
After a 10-minute ride, the Red Bull truck and accompanying UT team pulled up at the river ready to jettison their speed boat and hit some wake.
    
Eleven riders crammed into a boat and, after a pit stop for fuel, made their way up the river as equipment was sorted and checked.
    
First into the river was UT wakeboarder Ben Dorton, senior in forestry and wildlife. Though still recovering from a previous knee injury, Dorton impressed onlookers with his wakeboarding skill.
    
In charge of the boat and creating the wake was 21-year-old Brad Riddick, junior in accounting and finance and president of the UT wakeboard team.
    
After Dorton rode the wake for a bit, the rest of the UT team performed under the tutelage of Errington and Webb.
    
Webb said he was impressed.
    
“Everyone riding today is killing it. It’s really cool to ride with a bunch of people you’ve never ridden with before,” Webb said. “It’s great just to watch everyone progress, give them some tips and hopefully they’ll progress to that next step.”
    
After a couple hours on the water, it was time to head back in, with Webb having some sage advice for the Tennessee riders.
    
“Always have fun, keep them teeth showing, smile and don’t take it too seriously — it’ll ruin it,” Webb said to the team.
    
After a successful day out on the river the Vols packed up their equipment and looked forward to putting their skills into action. The Red Bull pros set their sights on glory at the weekend’s MasterCraft Series finale.
    
The UT team will be in action again at the Boomsday Rail Jam II on Neyland Drive Sept. 6 at 1 p.m.