Wapato Point Resort hosts pickleball tournament getaway on Lake Chelan

Wapato Point Resort gave pickleball players something more than a bracket in Manson, Washington. With Lake Chelan stretching beside the courts and the resort atmosphere doing half the work of a vacation planner, the 2026 Shake and Bake on the Lake became a true tournament getaway, the kind of event that can turn a normal spring weekend into a mini retreat on the north shore of Lake Chelan.

The Manson Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Chelan Pickleball Club hosted the Spring Pickleball Tournament from May 29-31 at Wapato Point Resort, and the draw was built for both competition and travel. The format was round robin with playoffs, with divisions for under 50, over 50 and 65-plus players. Skill brackets ran from 3.0 and 3.5 through 4.0 and 4.5-plus, opening the door to recreational players who still wanted organized, meaningful matches in a destination setting.

The event also had real stakes. Tournament materials advertised prize money across all events, with gold medal winners receiving cash payouts. DUPR was required for every player, and accounts had to be linked with the software, signaling that the tournament was aimed at players who follow ratings closely and want their results to count in the broader amateur ecosystem. Registration closed with 179 players listed, a strong turnout that underscored how well the resort format sells when the courts come with a lake view.

The three-day schedule kept the field moving without losing the relaxed feel that comes with playing at a resort. Friday featured women’s doubles and men’s singles, Saturday was mixed doubles, and Sunday wrapped with men’s doubles and women’s singles. Rod Anderson and Brett Davis were listed for tournament questions, and a shirt pre-order was set at $35, another small detail that fits the event’s travel-weekend tone.

The tournament also fit into a broader Chelan Valley pickleball scene rather than standing alone as a one-off. The Lake Chelan Pickleball Club says it was organized to promote the growth and development of pickleball in the Chelan Valley, and its where-to-play page points to organized play at Darnell’s Resort in Chelan from March or April through October. That mix of resort courts, seasonal play and visitor traffic has become part of the local formula, and Wapato Point made the case again: when the setting feels like a getaway, the tournament becomes the destination.