You’ve come a long way from the Oregon grom who spent a lot of time riding the Delta with Josh Twelker and Trever Maur. What’s it like to be living in Orlando full time now and doing the pro wake rider thing from there? Like everything, it’s got its pros and cons, but it’s good, I like it a lot! It’s really warm year round so that makes it way easier to ride in the winter. But Cali will forever be my favorite place to wakeboard.

What’s your living situation like in Orlando, and who do you ride with most out there? So we got a pretty packed house with myself, Guenther (Oka), Max Van Helvoort, Luca Kidd and Sam Brown. I ride with all of them quite a bit, but I also ride with Jake (Pelot), Massi (Piffaretti) and Cory (Teunissen) a lot. It’s pretty fun to mix up who you ride with, it helps me with getting creative and thinking of new stuff.

It’s apparent that your time with riders like Josh and Trever really influenced how you ride now. In what ways specifically do you think they had an impact on you? What gets you the most stoked about wakeboarding? Yeah Josh and Trev have literally been there every step of the way, so they have influenced me the most, especially Josh. When that man wakeboards it’s unreal – so much style, flow and finesse – it still blows my mind every time. I would say there are a couple things they preached to me quite a bit that helped me a lot. Josh probably influenced me the most by how he was able to make every trick he did look good, even the hard tricks. That is definitely something that has stuck with me. Both Josh and Trev always talked about how being different was huge – making tricks your own – and they both do that really well and it’s something I strive for in my riding.

What gets me super stoked is watching riders like Massi, his bag of tricks is just so unique, his grabs are all different and it’s just really sick to watch.

Last year was pretty impressive for you: X Games Real Wake bronze medal, PWT Rookie of the Year, a finalist for a bunch of Wake Awards – including Best Trick when you landed the first ever wake-to-wake switch mute double mobe. How did that all feel when the year ended? I was happy with how I did for sure. Getting the invite to X Games was insane. Definitely the coolest/most stressful time of my life, but so much fun and totally worth all the work put into it! I would have liked to make a couple more finals than I did, but that’s how it goes. Overall I was really stoked on how my rookie year went – definite motivation to keep the momentum going.

With all that you’ve accomplished the last couple years, and how well you’ve been riding recently (most notably with that insane heel 10 off the wake), do you feel any pressure to keep pushing the envelope and living up to these new expectations? (laughing) No not really. I’ve never really thought in terms of people expecting me to do these tricks or do well in that comp, so I think that helps, for sure. I just wakeboard for me and try to push myself to be the best I can be. I remind myself to enjoy it because I am having so much fun on the board right now!

What’s it like being part of the Ronix team and getting to take part in all the craziness at Lake Ronix and Radar Lake? Being on Ronix is the coolest thing in the world. I absolutely love everything about Ronix; everyone is so cool and fun to hangout with. Being at Lake Ronix is crazy, the setup is insane and so much fun to ride. Some crazy stuff goes down there, both on and off the water (laughs).

You’re also one of the newest team members for Supra, and you’ve got the 2018 PWT boat in your backyard. How’s that been? It’s been awesome! Having the SA in my backyard is a dream come true, I’ve wanted a boat sponsor since I was like 12, so it’s crazy that it actually happened and I get to ride it everyday!

What’s up with you making “welcome to the team” social videos that go viral? You’ve done that for both Ronix and Supra the last few years. (laughing) I’m not sure, I just wakeboard, they film and edit. The credit is all theirs for making it look good.

How often do you hit up a cable park? In the winter I ride cable a lot, more than I ride boat, actually. But as soon as everyone starts riding a lot I kinda forget about the cable and only ride boat.

What are your goals for the rest of the season? I would like to stay in the top five of Pro Wakeboard Tour and the Wakeboard World Series. It would be awesome to get my first pro win this season, also to be in the running for a few different things at Wake Awards.

Your heel 10 is definitely a contender for Trick of the Year at Wake Awards. Got anything else you’re working on? I may have a couple tricks I want to try before Wake Awards… Stay tuned.

As a rider who’s had to work hard for some tricks and save them for big video parts (i.e. Real Wake), but who also has to keep up with the daily demands of social media these days, how hard is it to keep the balance? Do you think riders put good stuff out too fast today, or put up too much “just ok” content? It’s really hard to balance (laughs). I think that saving a couple banger tricks for a web edit is so sick, but it’s hard to not just throw it on Instagram because, to be honest, it will probably get more views and traffic that way, which helps you and your sponsors more. I have been trying to put up quality content, but it’s hard to do that a couple times a week or even everyday. I mean it would be sick if everyone put up insanely good content every post, but with how much we are expected to post it’s not possible to do unless you had a full time photographer and videographer working for you.

What’s on your playlist these days? Lot’s of rap to get me hyped to ride, I used to be into the old school rap, but I have been getting into the new stuff lately and I’m liking it.

When you’re not riding in Orlando, what can we find you doing? Hanging out with the boys at the house, we have really been getting into 2K Basketball on the PS4. Spike Ball has been getting really intense lately too (laughs). Other than that you’ll probably find me sleeping. I really enjoy my sleep (laughs).

Who would you like to thank? I have to thank my family, I wouldn’t be doing what I am without them. Josh Twelker and Trever Maur for the influence and mentoring, and the whole Twelker family for taking me in on the Delta all those summers. And thanks to my sponsors: Ronix, Supra, and Active Water Sports.

The post Pro Spotlight – Tyler Higham appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

You started out as a park-rat kid at Trophy Lakes. How did you originally get into wakeboarding and how did you end up at Valdosta?
I started snowboarding when I was about 13 years old, but it was hard to get to the mountains enough to progress since I lived in Spartanburg, SC. Also, my family wasn’t loaded so we couldn’t afford many trips to the mountain each year. I always knew about wakeboarding and thought it was dope, but I never had the means to do it. In high school though, my family was able to get a Sea Ray that we slapped a tower on. This was my first introduction to wakeboarding. I rode behind that boat for a few years, but never really progressed that much and was kinda bored of just going back and forth across the wake trying to learn different aerials like the cool kids. After high school I chose to go to the College of Charleston where I heard they had a wakeboarding club. A couple years into it, my buddy and I began running the club, building new rails that we hit behind the ski boat, and gaining a lot of new members. In my final year of college, Trophy Lakes bought three straight line cables which really changed my perspective on wakeboarding. Through the club we hosted fundraisers to build features for the cables, a handful of which are still being shredded at Trophy Lakes today. During those years I became viciously addicted to rail riding. After managing Trophy Lakes Cable Park for a few years after college I moved to Jibtopia in Semora, NC. I lived there for one incredible season before I planned my first trip outside the country to CWC in the Philippines. That’s where I met Quinn Silvernale and Oli Breumlund. During that trip Quinn told me about his plans to build VWC and he said that I was welcome to come live and work at the new park. He assured me that it would be the best park in the world one day, and he was right. After CWC I moved to VWC and the rest in history!

In a sentence or two, describe the Valdosta vibe and what makes the place so unique.
Valdosta is so unique because it is truly built by riders for riders. Once you visit Valdosta you immediately feel like a part of their family.

When’s the last time you rode a wakeboard behind the boat?
I rode behind my parents’ Sea Ray two years ago and it was terrible. I really just don’t get it. I just want to hit rails, forever.

From your experience, what’s the biggest misconception about park riding these days?
I think that people still associate park riding with traditional wakeboarding, when in my mind it is almost an entirely different sport. I see park riding as a big part of the future of the sport. You can have fun doing both, and fun is what it’s all about, but cable parks aren’t a bastard stepchild. Not only are they a totally different way to ride and have fun on your board, but it’s a whole different experience in terms of the social aspect, riding with your friends, and progressing.

What’s your advice to riders who haven’t tried out a wake park yet?
Just get out there and do it! You won’t be disappointed! Most people that talk to me about wakeboarding describe them riding behind a buddy’s boat on a lake and having a terrible time struggling to get out of the water. My response is always, “You have to try a cable park, it’s completely different than boat riding and it’s so much fun! You can actually ride WITH your friends!”

A lot of your riding is really unique and technical, but also really approachable for the average Joe because it’s not double flips and 1080’s. What influences your riding? And how do you think of some of the lines you come up with?
Snowboarding and skateboarding definitely influence my riding, but just riding my wakeboard influences me the most. Just trying things that feel good and that are fun to do on the water is most important to me. I think a lot of people get too caught up in doing “hard tricks” and forget that we are shredding on top of water, which I think is the coolest part about our sport. I love trying to incorporate tricks that are more involved with the water than the actual rail, like snakebites, butters, shovels, reverts… Luckily, they seem to be catching on.

Progression in park riding doesn’t always mean going bigger or doing more spins. Like style, progression can be totally subjective. Wes’ unique riding requires a precision and a flow that can only come with two things: time on the water and creativity.

The Coalition videos have helped bring back a pretty epic, raw, backyard-style of video. What’s been your goal with those? And what’s next?
Well, next we are working on our third movie “The Coalition – The Trilogy,” which will be ALL winching and hopefully releasing sometime in 2020! I also plan to bring back the Coalition video series starting right where we left off with Vol. 7. My goal with all of my content is to get people stoked on the new school of wakeboarding and trying to make it look like skateboarding and snowboarding video parts.

Who’s your favorite rider to watch right now?
Crosse Bearden is the future, past, and present of wakeboarding. If he’s not up next, I quit. JK, but fo real…

You’ve been putting up some $pace Jacob$en songs on Spotify. How’d you get into making your own beats and raps? When’s the EP drop? And will you be the next rider to rap to your own riding section?
I’ve always been a music head and wanted to make music, but had no idea where to start. Since I’m not that musically inclined, I thought rapping would be my only chance at making music. I finally decided to give it a go, linked up with a producer in Spartanburg, SC, and during the few winter months off before going to Thailand I recorded my first five songs – some of which are now doing pretty well on Spotify. I do plan on making an album in 2019, but we’ll see how it goes since I’ll be very busy with wakeboarding. I don’t plan on using my own music for my section, but I do want to make music videos for some of my songs and I would like to incorporate some wakeboarding in those. However, I would like to encourage other people to use my songs in their edits if they feel so inclined to do so! It might be a good way to get a Space Mob repost!

You’ve done the art for the Coalition board (and others), you’ve got music on Spotify, you’re making award-winning wake videos, and you’ve been running around the planet shredding some international parks… what’s next for the most interesting man in wake?
I want to keep traveling, keep pushing my own riding, keep making videos and movies, keep making music, keep making art, and see how high we can climb. I’m going to Europe for three month this summer to travel around to different parks and spread the Space Mob love!

Word association…

Space Mob: The future

Bangs: My forehead

Biscuits: Where’s the butter?

Golden Bear: The Greatest

Wake Awards acceptance speeches: Drunk, fun and loud

Waffle House: Texas Bacon Chicken Melt Plate, Scattered

Fanny packs: Used to be dope, still are!

Skateboarding: Hurts, but worth it

Instagram: Has too much power

Dos Equis: Two X

The post Pro Spotlight | The Most Interesting Man in Wakeboarding appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Dylan Miller’s career arc as a wakeboarder isn’t of the typical variety. He didn’t explode onto the scene as a teenage phenom. He didn’t win major pro contests. He hasn’t had big parts in feature videos. Yet despite the lack of traditional success, Dylan has become one of the most recognizable and influential riders in the game. At 30 years old, most riders’ careers would be wrapping up, but Dylan’s is still taking off. He just got a pro model board from Slingshot, he’s currently filming for a new full-length video, and he started his own soft-goods brand with Heshbacks. Plus, he keeps the entire sport entertained with the @Wakezeach Instagram handle. It goes to show that just because a career doesn’t progress in stereotypical fashion doesn’t mean it’s never going to happen at all. Dylan is proof positive that determination, hard work and a unique skill set can be just as valuable as raw talent and contest results.

You originally came to Orlando as a kid looking to make it into the sport, and you’d work on drilling rigs at home in Canada to fund your wakeboarding, right?
Yeah, I’ve been coming to Orlando for 11 years. I got a job at the Hansen’s camp — World Wakeboard Center — in 2006 and worked there for four months, right after I graduated high school. What I would do for years is work on drilling rigs back home in Canada to save up money, then come spend the summers in Orlando riding as much as possible.

You used to ride in boat contests, but then really started to focus on different types of riding. What sparked the evolution and progression?
I tried to get my name out there more by doing contests and the Pro Tour. I think the furthest I ever made it was top 10 or 15 or something, and I just didn’t have the tricks or the head for competing. It just was never really my thing. I was more into shooting stuff for videos and things like that.

I grew up in an area of Saskatchewan that’s mainly farmland and oil fields and stuff, plus the winters are like nine months long, so there wasn’t a lot of stuff to do. I spent a lot of time in the winter snowboarding in the area around my house, but my whole perspective of riding came from that and from watching videos. I ­really liked seeing guys that could do ­everything; they could hit a half-pipe and then go launch off backcountry kickers. That’s what still motivates me today. I see a lot of stuff that skateboarders and snowboarders do, and it gives me ideas of what I could try on my wakeboard. I think it’s good to broaden your horizons like that. I still get a lot of influence from wakeboarding, and I watch everything everybody is doing, but I really try to stay up to date with snowboard and skateboard videos too.

You’ve been really busy already this year. What have you been up to, and what can the people look forward to?
Yeah, it’s been crazy. Just after Christmas, I went to Australia for a month with Taylor Hanley, Nick Dorsey and Raph Derome. That was our first official trip for ­Formats, the full-length film Taylor is making. We ended up driving something like 3,500 miles all over the east coast of Oz.

It’s really cool to be a part of that, because in all my years shooting video stuff, I’ve never had my own part in a full-length. We’ve gotten really good stuff so far, and I’ve been able to get more clips while shooting for this interview, so I’m stoked.

You started running the Wake- zeach account on Instagram as a sort of “legit police.” Now it seems like more of a comedy feed. Was that a natural evolution or a direction you felt it needed to take?
I’ve been running it for a while now, and as far as calling guys out and stuff, I think it served its purpose. It did what we intended it to do. We were calling guys out for sloppy grabs or not T’ing things up on rails, and I think it made a difference those first couple of years. Now there has been this sort of shift to goofing off and having fun with your riding — you see it in snowboarding too. You can go do a crappy grab but tweak it in a unique way, and it’s like fun and cool. Everything goes through stages, right? There were wide stances, and now there are skinny stances. I’m sure wide stances will be back in five years. Everything has to change to stay fresh, and the Wakezeach stuff just sort of naturally morphed into a comedy/crash-type feed. It’s crazy how much people on Instagram love seeing other people get hurt.

What’s your favorite Wakezeach post of all time?
I think my favorite is this guy with a tattoo of himself wakeboarding on his arm, and it’s drawn so that the character’s arm looks like his own arm. It’s actually pretty sweet. The post has 1,700 likes, which is a lot for the page.

The industry has changed quite a bit in your time as a pro, and these days it seems harder than ever to actually be a pro and make a decent living as a wakeboarder. What are your concerns about wakeboarding’s future?
I think it is harder to be a pro, but that might be because it’s too easy to become a pro, if that makes sense. In snowboarding and skateboarding, it really means something to get a pro-model board, for example. Guys spend years grinding away before getting rewarded with something like that from a company. I think in wakeboarding, it’s still a bit too easy, and too many kids are able to call themselves “pro” when, in reality, they aren’t.

What does it mean to you to have a pro-model board after all these years?
It means a lot. I think I’m the oldest person to ever get a pro-model board. It’s between me and Ben Greenwood. (laughs) Would it have been nice to have one earlier? Of course. But I’m so stoked to have gotten one and to have the relationship I have with Slingshot. They’re such a rad company to work with, and I’ve been with them since 2011. It’s been awesome. I’m lucky to be part of the team.

Your board has a different shape and outline compared to most others. Where did that come from?
I wanted to make it narrower than most boards. Old-school boards used to be really narrow, then they got really, really wide. I really like being able to go edge to edge really fast and have fun carving. It’s more snowboard-style, I guess you could say, because it’s a little narrower and a little longer. It’s a lot of fun to ride, and I ride it for everything.

Did wakeboarding get too hard for the general public?
I think there’s this weird thing going around in society right now where if you get hurt doing something or you don’t succeed, you just move on to trying something else. I think it’s sort of an Internet state of mind. Everything is so fast and accessible that people aren’t as patient as they used to be, so if they’re struggling with something or the experience isn’t good right off the bat, they’ll move on. Wakeboarding is so much fun no matter how you do it, but maybe people aren’t as willing to take the time and some of the pain to progress and learn.

You’ve started working with Heyday and just got a boat. How did that relationship come about?
I was introduced to them at Surf Expo, and it was really cool because they knew who I was and were interested in working with me. They got acquired by the Brunswick Group, which is one of the largest boat groups in the world. Hopefully, that should help.

What does a company like Heyday mean for wakeboarding?
Well, it’s crazy how expensive wakeboard boats have gotten. I think there are probably only four or five pros who could legitimately afford the boat they would want/need to be pros. That’s insane. Heyday is going against the grain, and obviously, they’re not going to have all the bells and whistles of most boats, but they’re simple boats that work. That’s what I like best — they’re just boats that do what I want them to. Hopefully, that resonates with people and helps get more people into wakeboarding.

What’s it been like starting your own apparel company with Heshbacks?
I’ve learned that it takes a lot longer than you think to make your money back. (laughs) It’s been good though. Nick (Dorsey) and I have a lot of fun working together on it. I’ve always been into hats — I went through my phase with the New Era stuff, and I really like designing them.

Were you a sticker on or sticker off kind of guy?
I took the stickers off. (laughs) I kept it on my first one, but then saw everybody else doing it and was like, “Eh, I’m gonna take this off …”

What’s a day in the life of Dylan Miller like these days?
I don’t have any trouble staying busy these days, that’s for sure. When I’m not riding, I really like woodworking and making things for the house, little projects like that. Plus, now that the season is getting underway, there are always guys in town, like Felix and Taylor, and Oli lives here during the season too. My girlfriend is around a lot too.

Speaking of, what’s it like dating the daughter of a former NBA player?
It’s pretty cool, and it’s pretty crazy! I haven’t met her dad yet; her parents are divorced and he doesn’t live nearby. But he’s got a reputation for losing his temper when he was a player, and she tells me he’s calmed down a lot, but I’m still kind of nervous to meet him, you know? (laughs)

The post Pro Spotlight: Dylan Miller appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

If we were to judge the book of Gunner Daft by its cover, he’d be an airhead with a penchant for firearms. And while that might be a funny life to tune into for the rest of us, it’s probably not how Gunner wants to live his. Fortunately for him — and us — there is much more to the wakeboarder than his unique name. As a kid growing up in Oklahoma, Gunner took to wakeboarding like most that age take to Pokémon and Sour Patch Kids. He progressed quickly and couldn’t get enough of it (if you can find his old MySpace page, you’ll see what we’re talking about). By the time he was 16, he was good enough to realize he had a future in the sport and somehow convinced his parents to let him finish high school online and move to Orlando, Florida, in pursuit of a pro career. That, along with some rad parents, takes gumption. With Gunner’s laid-back demeanor, it’s not always easy to see the fire that fuels his passion to ride, but it’s there, and it burns as intensely in him as with any other pro in the sport. Since he made that move, Gunner’s mission has been to make his own unique mark on wakeboarding, and even with the setback of a blown knee — not to mention the chance of being labeled a trigger-happy doofus — he has done just that.

You just got off the water shooting photos for this interview. What’s it like trying to ride under the pressure of a deadline and making sure you’re getting the shots you want?

Gunner: It can get a little stressful [laughs]. Honestly, this is only the third time I’ve ridden in a month. I’ve been taking some time off and spending more time in the gym getting my body ready for the season, so I was a little rusty. I think we got the shots we were looking for; it helps when you and the photographer have a plan and know what you’re trying to get.

What do you try to focus on when you’re doing photo shoots?

Gunner: I really try to make sure I get a solid grab in the right place and that you can see it where the photographer is shooting from. I also try to mix it up and be different, just so the photos don’t look the same as a bunch of others out there.

What was it like to get your first cover last year?

Gunner: Getting my first cover was amazing, especially after coming off an ACL injury and not planning on doing anything crazy like big contests. My riding felt good last year, but to get asked to shoot for the cover was huge. It really got things going again for me and got me pumped to get after it on my wakeboard.

How did being off the water with a major knee injury change your perspective on riding?

Gunner: My injury really made me appreciate riding a lot more. Riders can take riding for granted sometimes — just being able to get out and ride every day. When that gets taken away from you, it’s hard. You have to find other things to do to keep yourself occupied. I think my injury was actually good for me though. It made me realize I need to keep my s#&% together and stay healthier. I realized I couldn’t go out partying whenever I wanted and think that things would be fine. I’ve really gotten focused on staying in shape and staying healthy — I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in. It’s definitely a negative thing to get injured, but I think overall it’s been a positive outcome for me.

Is there any hesitation still with your knee, or are you feeling good physically and mentally?

Gunner: Physically and mentally I’m feeling better than ever, even better than before I was injured. With all my training and rehab, I know my knee is stronger than ever. I trust my body more because I know I have the strength to absorb big landings. Everything feels really good. I’m pumped.

What’s the most nervous you’ve ever been with wakeboarding?

Gunner: The most nervous I’ve been was probably a few years ago when I broke my leg. I did it riding a dirt bike, but when I came back to wakeboarding, I still had a plate and screws in my leg. That whole year after coming back, my leg was constantly in pain, and it started messing with me mentally. If I ever felt myself going a little too big or overshooting the wake, I would bail. I knew I couldn’t keep riding if my mind was constantly going to be questioning things. Fortunately, after having the plate and screws taken out and doing some more rehab, I was good again, but for that summer I was pretty nervous every time I rode.

You got to move to Orlando at 16 to pursue wakeboarding, which is pretty crazy. What were your first impressions of it?

Gunner: My first impression was crazy because it was a bunch of 16- to 18-year-olds living together. We were all living away from our parents for the first time, and we were partying all the time [laughs]. But we were riding every day too, because that’s what we wanted to do, and we loved it. The coolest part was just being in the mix and meeting everybody. We’d go to OWC (Orlando Watersports Complex) a lot, and every time we’d meet somebody new. The more we rode, the more riders we started to meet, and then you start to meet photographers and stuff and do photo shoots, which was really cool.

What are your impressions now?

Gunner: It’s still the same in terms of just being able to go out and ride with everybody. I just get more annoyed with the traffic and tourists than when I was younger and stoked on everything [laughs]. It’s definitely home now though. I love it.

Does it feel more like home when your roommate, Massi, is back in town?

Gunner: Definitely. It gets louder when he’s back, that’s for sure [laughs]. You never really know what’s going to happen with him as your roommate. You plan on going out for a quick dinner, and before you know it, it’s 2 a.m. and you’re trying to find an Uber ride home.

How was the offseason for you?

Gunner: It’s been really nice and mellow. I’ve been trying to learn how to make some music with Ableton Live on my computer. I actually just started an online class about music production, which has been cool. Over the holidays, I got the chance to go to Colorado and visit my brother, who lives out there. It was my first time snowboarding in three years, which was really fun. I’ve also been going to the gym a bunch to stay in shape and get ready for the season. And I’ve driven to Alabama a few times to see my girlfriend and [gone to] some functions with her sorority.

Oh, Greek life? Does that also make you a Crimson Tide fan now?

Gunner: Not a chance! [laughing] I was so happy when they lost the National Championship! I’m an Oklahoma State fan.

Have you always been into music? What got you into the production thing?

Gunner: I’ve always been really into music, and I pretty much listen to anything, from country to rock to rap. I’m trying to learn how to produce more electronic-style music. I’ve always been really into that, and a couple months after my injury I got to go to EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) with Massi and Brandon Parker. Brandon was shooting video for one of the DJs, and we got to go backstage and see a lot of stuff. I was able to talk to some guys, and the whole experience got me into the idea of learning more and trying some myself.

What are your plans for 2017? Compete more? Film more?

Gunner: I’m looking to get back into the contest scene. The only one I did last year was Punta Cana, which was really cool. It will be fun to do a full year in the pro ranks and compete with all my friends. I’m also working on a video piece with Rathy. We started filming before my injury and got some pretty good stuff. He actually came to my surgery and shot some of that, and my recovery too. He’s pretty much shot stuff the whole way, so it’s going to be a video with a cool story.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve gotten to do because of wakeboarding?

Gunner: Probably when I went over to New Zealand a couple years ago. It was after Brad Smeele’s injury, and they had the Tairua Pipe Masters event for him. I got to ride in it, and it was such a fun, different experience. Hitting rails in salt water with tides going in and out and getting pulled by a PWC; it was just a fun time with a lot of really good people. And getting to visit for Brad and be part of the contest for him was really special.

What are your current thoughts on the state of wakeboarding?

Gunner: I think wakeboarding is going in the right direction. Everyone is starting to focus on style more and trying to do things their own way. I think that’s really cool and good for the sport. That’s always what I’ve tried to do because I wanted to set myself apart, and I see that more in younger kids now than I used to. Usually, they were just more interested in checking off the next trick or adding a 180, but now they’re trying to learn different grabs and variations of tricks. When you have more riders focused on making their riding unique, the sport becomes more interesting for everybody else to watch.

Your crew, the Conway Kids, have made some noise the last couple of years with magazine coverage, videos, and even Trick of the Year for Max Van Helvoort. Who’s gonna have the big breakout this year?

Gunner: Unfortunately, Max is still out with his ACL injury, but he’s looking strong and should be able to get back on the water by April. I don’t know who will have the breakout year. I think everybody is riding strong. Everybody is more focused than ever, myself included. Massi says he’s gonna win the PWT … [laughs]. (Massi in the background: “When did I say that?!”)

Who’s your favorite rider to watch right now?

Gunner: Jacob Valdez. He’s always been one of my favorite riders. Even though he doesn’t ride as much anymore, every time he goes out he kills it. He makes everything look so different; it’s really fun and inspiring to watch. His section in Dog Dayz was insane. Hopefully, we can link up again this summer and ride some more.

You’ve got a new lady in your life too. Who’s Charli?

Gunner: Oh yeah, Charli’s awesome! She’s my little French bulldog. I used to watch (videographer) Russell Spencer’s pug, Finch, all the time when he was traveling. When Russell told me he was going to move back to SoCal, I knew I had to get a dog. Russell and Finch actually came with me, and when Charli saw Finch, she loved him, so I knew she was the one. It’s awesome having her in the house now. She’s a ton of fun. Massi says he wants one now too, but there’s no way he can take care of one. (Massi in the background: “That’s because I’m focusing on winning the tour!”)

The post Gunner Daft: Pro Spotlight appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

People leave home for all sorts of reasons — college, starting a career, pursuing a passion or even joining the army. Not many, though, leave at age 11. An adolescent Meagan Ethell did; she packed her bags and went from ­Illinois to Florida in pursuit of a wakeboard career while the rest of the kids were watching cartoons and playing tag. No, she didn’t get in a huge blowout with her parents, run away from home, and hitchhike her way to freedom; it was a little more calculated than that. She was into wakeboarding, really into it. So much so that she left to stay with family friends in the wakeboarding mecca, Orlando, to get coached by the best and follow a pipe dream.

It would be easy to assume that the driving force behind an 11-year-old girl leaving home to pursue something so crazy was ­family pressure, but that wasn’t the case. Meagan’s longtime coach, Mike Ferraro, assured me that her success, drive, and willingness to do anything she can to become a better rider all come from inside of her. Growing up, she idolized Dallas Friday, craved pro-rider status, and did whatever she had to in order to bring that dream to fruition. If this seems like some far-fetched fairy-tale story, in some sense, it is. Meagan moved to Florida to become a pro wakeboarder before most kids learn how to ride, and it actually happened. She trained to be the best women’s rider, and she’s proving that. Now, at 19, Meagan rides and competes with her childhood idol, wins contests all over the world, and aspires to change the way we see how girls can ride wakeboards.

What’s up, Meagan?
Nothing much. I’m in Australia here, staying with some of the girls.

That’s cool. Are you down there for Moomba Masters?
Yeah, I decided to come a little early to ­adjust to the time difference and ride a little bit ­before the contest. I’m excited. It’s going to be fun.

I’ve heard that event is insane, people everywhere.
Yeah, there are like 100,000 people there. I think it’s one of the biggest events.

Have you been to it before?
I went to it last year for the first time, and it’s super crazy.

What’s been up lately?
I had a really good winter. Let’s see… I ­started my offseason riding a bunch and then shooting with Jason [Lee] for this. I trained in the gym all winter too. I train over at Clermont Crossfit, where Rusty [Malinoski] is. That was super fun, and then I’ve been back riding a bunch lately, getting ready to come over here. It’s always a little nice to take a break and take it easy, but now riding a lot has been cool.

I’m going to warn you, some of these questions are brain-­busters.
OK, great. That’s why you wanted to do it over the phone!

Let’s start with the basics. Where are you from, and how did you get into it?
I’m from Illinois. I got into riding because my family had a lake house in Michigan. I tried up there and ­really liked it. There was a coach up in Michigan, and that’s how I really got into it. He told us about a contest in Florida, so we came down to Florida and that’s how I met Mike Ferraro. It all pretty much went from there.

How old were you when you first rode?
I was 8 years old. Pretty young.

And what about when you first moved to Orlando?
I was 11 when I moved to Orlando. I lived without my family for a few years until they moved down when I was 14, almost 15.

Wait, you moved down by yourself at 11?
Yeah, I lived with another family.

Wow. Really? Who was the family?
Well, you know Jake Pelot. I lived with his family. That’s something a lot of people don’t know about me, actually, the fact that I lived with another family for that long.

I mean, that’s pretty crazy at such a young age. Did you have a tough time?
It was really hard being away from home at such a young age. There were so many times where I missed my parents. If I was 16 and moving down to Florida, I would be stoked because who wouldn’t want to be 16 and move out? So being that young, I had some tough times, but I wouldn’t go back and change it, because it got me to where I am today. I always think about where my riding would be without moving down here at such a young age.

Who did you look up to in the beginning?
Well, definitely Dallas [Friday]. Of the guys, I looked up to Parks [Bonifay] and Shaun Murray, but as a girl, it was mostly Dallas.

So do you remember the first time you met her?
Yeah, of course. I was probably 10, and I met her at an event at OWC. She was there and I got to take a picture with her, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Do you remember the first time you rode with her?
Well, I didn’t ride with her for a long time after that. [I was] probably 13 or 14.

Well, you guys shared a coach, Mike Ferraro. Was it with him?
Yeah. He was both of our coaches, and he would always use her as kind of a motivational thing for me. He knew I looked up to her. He would say, “If you can do all your tricks without falling, you can go ride with Dallas” and stuff like that.

Wow, the ol’ carrot-at-the-end-of-a-stick method!
Sometimes I would do all my tricks and fall on the last one and get so upset. I mean, he would always use that because he knew I’d do anything. All I wanted to do was ride with her, but I didn’t actually get to for a couple years after being in Florida.

How’s the state of women’s wakeboarding these days?
Well, I feel like it’s progressed a lot, and I think it still is. Cable park riding has been progressing more lately, I think. The thing is, we don’t have that many women involved pushing the riding behind the boat. A lot of the older girls and women compete behind the boat, but we don’t have as many younger girls coming up and pushing the boundaries there. A lot of them are just riding at the park.

Being a younger female boat rider, do you try and help push that?
Yeah. I mean, I don’t coach, but I do like ­doing stuff for any younger girl that likes to ride. I like riding with the Shred Sisters and supporting them. Whenever any girls want to ride with me, I like doing that, but right now I don’t coach.

Who are the Shred Sisters?
It’s just a little group of younger girls who love to shred. It’s all about just having fun being behind the boat with other girls. They have an event every year and get together, and we all go out and ride together. It’s cool in that sense. I see a lot of parents being hard on their kids when they’re so young, and that kind of takes the fun out of wakeboarding. That’s kind of what the Shred Sisters is about: go out and have fun and show parents that’s what wakeboarding is, and not take it too seriously … especially at that age.

You took it pretty seriously at a young age, though, right?
Um, yeah. I mean, yeah, my dad was a little hard on me, but now he’s not nearly as involved. He knows that I can take care of everything myself. I’m hard enough on myself. If he was too, that would be too much.

Do you think your dad being hard on you helped, so that now you have higher expectations for yourself?
Yeah, for sure. I think a young child shouldn’t have to deal with the stress of taking it too seriously, though. They should be motivated a different way, like by just how fun wakeboarding is.

I agree. Have you been trying to ride at the park more?
Last year, yes. After taking some time off, though, I’ve just been concentrating on my boat riding and getting ready for the season and consistent for Moomba. I love riding at the park. It’s so much fun for me. I do it whenever I can.

How much do you ride at home in a typical week?
Boat or at the park?

Both.
Boat, probably six times a week. I usually have to take one day off and rest so I’m not always tired; that’s how you get hurt. And usually that one day off the lake is glassy. [Laughs.]

Yeah, of course it is. What about the park?
Probably four times a week.

Wow! That’s a lot. Do you train with Ferraro a lot too?
Yeah, kind of. I will every once in a while, like right before a contest to make sure I’m on the right track with stuff. Not as much in the off­season.

Which women athletes in other sports do you look up to?
There’s a bunch. Lindsey Vonn is a really good person and works really hard. She deals with her injuries really well, which is inspirational, being in a sport where stuff can happen so quick. I think Ronda Rousey is a pretty big bad­ass. I look up to different women for different things. Ronda because she trains hard, knows she’s the best, but then someone like Lindsey because she’s really humble and handles everything so well. I like to follow those kinds of people on Instagram ­because they have good things to say. Sally Fitzgibbons has a really good positive attitude, and this weightlifter named Mattie Rogers is really determined too.

What are some of the challenges of being a girl who rides?
I mean, anyone can obviously tell that magazines and brands and stuff don’t post as much about women. I feel like we all work really hard but don’t always get credit that we deserve. We don’t get paid as much, ­either; there’s a significant difference [between] our pay and the guys that get paid to wakeboard. I ­understand it too, though. If there were like 30 more ­women and more pro riders that were pushing women’s wakeboarding, it would be different. Women’s wakeboarding would be growing that much faster, and I think we’d see a lot of changes, but there’s not as many women that ride. Getting more women involved and pushing the women who are involved would help women’s wakeboarding so much.

Yeah, I’ll take that one on the chin, and it’s an interesting topic for sure. I don’t disagree. We’d probably be covering ­women a whole lot more if there was a massive push of more women out there killing it, rather than just a handful.
Yeah, that’s why I was really stoked for this feature and this issue. I feel like I’ve worked really hard, I had a good year last year, and it paid off. It’s not easy, though. For the women that are pushing the sport, they should definitely be getting the coverage they ­deserve, whether there are a lot of girls in wakeboarding or none.

What do you want to do for the sport?
Well, I know it sounds simple, but I want to bring it to more people. I want to be the first to land some stuff too, and really want to progress my riding. I want to be good at boat and cable. I want to work on stylish tricks. I really don’t like to see anything done in a bad way, so making hard tricks look good is a big thing for me now. Just landing them isn’t enough.

So what’s on your hit list for tricks?
I mean, there’s a lot that I want to do. I want to be the first girl to do a double flip behind the boat. I don’t know. We’ll see.

How do you balance contests versus free riding? For the most part, you’re known as a contest-only rider.
Contests are always a fun time, and I enjoy traveling to all the different places that we get to go to, but I enjoy free riding even more, and going out and concentrating on my riding looking good, rather than [doing] the same tricks that I’m used to. But contests are how people get to know who you are and find out about you. But once I do that, I’d like to show them how cool I can make it look with my free riding.

What do you enjoy about contests?
There’s a lot that goes on in your head, with all the nerves and stuff, but once you’re out there competing, all that goes away, and I like that about it. You don’t have time to pay attention to whatever you were worrying about five minutes ago.

What’s your least favorite thing to do as a wakeboarder?
Riding in cold, windy days in the winter, when it actually does feel more like a job. But even then, I can think about all the other cool stuff I’m stoked to do.

And your favorite?
I’m so lucky to be able to do what I do. I love the free-­riding part of it, figuring out how to make my toe 3 look good, or doing something different and not trying tricks [just] because it’s the next thing I should try — when the cameras are off and messing around isn’t just messing around, because you can actually figure out how to make something cool. I feel like that’s what wakeboarding is, you know? It’s just wakeboarding…

For no reason.
Right. [Laughs.] Not for a contest, photos or a video.

Thanks to my sponsors Nautique, Red Bull, Liquid Force and Performance Ski & Surf for all the support. Also my dad, and my coach, Mike!

The post Meagan Ethell – Pro Spotlight appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Josh Twelker | Carrying the Torch

The modern purveyor of west coast style

The connection between the West Coast and legit, stylish riding has gone hand in hand for more than two decades. Through the years guys like Randall Harris, Greg Nelson, Colin Wright and countless others have pushed wakeboarding to become where it is today with a superunique outlook on the sport. The West Coast has become synonymous with doing things properly: grabbing the right ways, wrapping up to grab longer (not make spins easier), and riding fast and long line lengths. Every rider from the West Coast has had the added responsibility of keeping his riding up to the standards set by the legends before them. Every few years, when it might seem like the well of West Coast talent has gone dry, a new rider or crew emerges with the same fire that their predecessors carried.

More recently, northern California has had a surge of fresh faces coming out of the Delta, which includes Josh Twelker — a top modern purveyor of the West Coast style, and a guy who has played a huge hand in the West Coast revival. Josh is the epitome of what wakeboarding should look like, and his ability to tweak tricks, grab things differently, and cultivate his smooth riding style has solidified his name as one of the most legit guys out there. Off the water, he’s a bit on the quiet side, but his riding never really leaves much else to say. He’s constantly thinking of how he can improve his style, how to take tricks and make them look better, or other ways he can highlight the craft that he spends his life trying to perfect. While being isolated from the busy Florida scene can leave him searching for anyone to give him a pull, he’s also in a place where he has no distractions so he can hone the rider he has become.

How’s your off-season been? What do you usually do in the winter? 

****This off-season has been rad. It’s nice being able to take some time off and be able to relax after such a heavy season. I enjoy this time of year, but I do still ride quite a bit. Depending on the weather during my off-season, I will ride three or four times a week. It gets pretty cold, so I usually take late December and early January off. I also ride some cable and wakesurf a bit just for fun.

That’s a good amount of riding.

Yeah, I stay busy riding in the fall and winter because it’s my favorite time to ride. There’s no pressure, I can just stick to my roots and ride however I want. If I want to have a cruiser set and just do grabs the whole time, I don’t feel bad about it, and I can just mess around.

Is the weather good in the winter?

**** It does get pretty cold, but since there isn’t much wind for most of the fall and winter, I can just grab a wetsuit and ride. It’s definitely not Florida conditions out here though.

Looking back, did you have a fun 2014?

2014 was a superfun year for me. I would say it was one of the best years I’ve ever had competing, and that definitely means a lot to me. Getting picked up by Nautique was a big deal too; now being able to ride the G23 every day completely changed my wakeboarding. That wake is so big that all these new tricks are opening up for me, and it’s so much fun. It’s a different mindset riding behind that thing.

So this is your first full off-season having a G?

Yeah it is, and it has been sick. This boat is a beast, I have so much more time in the air, and I’ve been figuring out new ways to grab tricks. It has just opened up my mind to a bunch of new ideas.

I can speak for a lot of people when I say I’m looking forward to that. Any other highlights from this year?

Whenever I think of having the most fun, it’s really just being back on the Delta with the crew. We have the best time just riding and pushing each other and hanging out on the water. When I look back on a year, that’s the stuff I remember the most. Traveling for contests and photo shoots is fun and whatnot, but the most memorable moments are definitely just kicking it with the crew.

What keeps you hyped throughout the long wakeboard season?

The season can feel never-ending at times, but the way I stay hyped is just spending time at home and free riding. When I go out on the Delta and have a really sick set, then I know why I’m here and why I’m doing this. It helps me to remember that I’m just here to have fun. It’s not really worth getting yourself stressed out or pissed off about everything, and I definitely can get pissed off when I’m not riding well and there’s a contest coming up the following week. But when I go have a fun set on the Delta with all the homies, it helps me reflect back on why I wakeboard.

Do you get mad or frustrated? You’ve never seemed like that type to me.

I definitely can get frustrated before a contest if I’m not riding well. I’m paying a lot of money to travel to all these events, and when it feels like my riding isn’t making it worthwhile, it can really make me angry with myself. I try not to stay upset though. I try to just focus and get over it so I can have some good sets.

Tell us a bit about designing your first board.

I designed my board last winter, and I talked with CWB about what I really wanted in a board. I wanted a simple shape that rode fast and smooth, and popped hard. After I described it all to the designer at CWB, he came out to my house for a week and brought some shapes with him. I rode them all, but one of the shapes pretty much nailed what I wanted. We made some final tweaks on it, and I got to ride it a bunch and make changes to this and that. Now, I couldn’t be happier with my first pro model. The whole way we went about designing it was super fun, and I couldn’t be more stoked. I think the board really reflects my riding style. Check out “The Standard” from CWB; it’s a great board that anyone can ride.

What does it mean to you, getting your own board?

Getting a pro model definitely means more than just having my name on a board. It shows the respect a rider has earned in his career. It justifies being known as a professional, and that’s a really rad thing for me to have happen.

You’re obviously an incredibly photogenic rider. Is getting good photos something you think about when you’re riding, or are you just riding the way you’d want to anyway?

**** It’s always thought out. The way I ride really depends on what kind of shot we’re going for. When I’m just out free riding it’s a lot different than when I’m shooting photos. When I’m out shooting photos, I have a picture in my mind of exactly how I want that trick to look. I shoot with Rodrigo a lot, and we talk about what looks good from what angle, and then we try to go out and get the shot. Rod has a great eye, and he will make adjustments in the middle of a shoot to get the best possible view of whatever we are trying to get. When I’m out free riding, it’s way different; I’m out cruising and doing what feels good, and maybe trying to land new and different tricks. When I’m doing a photo shoot and it’s just for that one still shot, it’s definitely very planned out.

You have your own style, something that can’t be replicated, original. Is it something you try to perfect, something you think about, or is it completely natural?

I spend a lot of time thinking about how I want my riding to be portrayed. It’s not something that just came overnight that allowed me ride the way I do. It’s been a lifelong journey of perfecting how I want my wakeboarding to look. It can be difficult to have this idea in my head of how I want something to look, and go out and actually make it happen. It’s my goal when I go out and ride to match up what I actually do to what I want to achieve.

Are you ever surprised by things you wouldn’t think look cool but do?

**** Oh yeah, definitely. I’ll have ideas of things that I think will look super rad, and then I get out and they’re just ugly, and then I’ll do a little trick where I tweak slightly different, and it can turn out so good. So you never really quite know. Usually if it felt good, it looked good.

What about new tricks; is there a process for you?

Depending on the trick, yeah. If I just want to get a new grab on something, I really have to think about it for a while, like what particular grab on what trick will look good for photos and stuff. I’ll run that kind of stuff through my head a hundred times. If it’s a gnarly trick, then I don’t think about it as much. I just have to do it or else it will get in my head.

So contest tricks or more-technical stuff you don’t spend as much time on?

Actually, more than you might think. I work hard on technical stuff. Usually during the competition season, the first 10 tricks of my set are competition tricks. Progression comes from learning more-technical tricks, and in order to push myself and the sport, I need to do the technical tricks too.

What’s the best part about being a rider from California?

The best part for me is just that — being in California. I’m a California boy, and I love it here. Being a West Coast rider has helped set me apart, but there’s no questioning the whole scene is in Florida. For me though, being out here with Trever , Randall and Derek Cook, we’re the only guys getting exposure. There are others as well, of course, but in our general area it’s just us. That’s hard because I end up riding by myself a lot since we all travel and aren’t always in town at the same times. I’m not there with all the guys in Florida who are pushing it and killing it, and I don’t see what tricks they’re doing.

It’s a double-edged sword.

Yeah — it’s good in one sense because we’re kind of isolated and can do our thing, but sometimes we don’t always know what’s going on in the bigger scene.

I think that’s healthy. Getting caught in the stream of wake trends in Florida can be a bad thing. You’ve been part of a huge revival for the West Coast; do you ever feel like you need to keep up any West Coast standards?

It’s always in the back of my mind. I know I want to keep up a certain standard being a West Coast rider, but in reality, it’s not any different than the standards I hold myself to. I’m very hard on my wakeboarding, and if I feel like I’m failing at what I expect from my riding, then I get really frustrated. I want my riding to be a certain way, and I just want to live up to that standard. I’ve grown up with West Coast riders, and we have pushed to make our wakeboarding look a certain way, and I guess that’s where the West Coast thing fits in.

Who were you riding with and influenced by?

A lot by Mike Schwenne. Trever Maur and I would go ride with Mike, along with Derek Cook ,and we started doing photo shoots with Rod. When that happened, Mike really took us in and showed us the way to shoot with a photographer, and how to get in with the wakeboard community the right way. He showed us how to make our riding look good and stand out. Also, before all of that, Chris Dykmans had a huge influence in my riding. He coached me when I was younger and really showed me what I was capable of.

Who’s your favorite rider right now?

Um, I don’t know. I have to say overall probably Raph Derome. He’s just a well-rounded wakeboarder who is good, really good, at everything. He has all my respect; he’s insane.

For you, why do you think boat riding still matters? If a kid can go ride a park for less money and longer time, what would you say to keep him riding behind the boat?

Wakeboarding started behind the boat, if you ride only at the park, you’re losing a huge part of what wakeboarding is. Riding behind the boat will teach you a lot of fundamentals that riding only at a park just can’t. To me being a wakeboarder is being able to not only ride at a park, but also having control behind the boat. Cable parks are sick, but you can’t beat an afternoon in the boat.

That’s really the question: What do you get out of boat riding that you can’t do in the park?

I guess I just get a feeling hitting a wake that’s impossible to get at the park. Every rider should experience that, whether you love riding the park more or whatever. You have to respect where wakeboarding came from.

You enjoy hitting the park, right?

I love it. Now with Velocity Island Park right here in Sac (Sacramento), it’s pretty rad. I’ll be there a couple of times a week, and the guys there are so awesome. Park riding is something I plan to continue to do more because I see it pushing wakeboarding where boat riding can’t. To me, it’s so fun and a good change of pace from riding behind the boat. I have such a blast riding all day with my friends, and I have a smile on my face the entire time. After doing both, you can really have respect for guys like Raph who are so good at both.

Although you don’t seem to me like a contest rider, you do fairly well in them. Do you like riding in contests?

A lot of people wouldn’t think this, but I actually enjoy riding in contests a lot. For me, being a West Coast rider, riding in contests keeps me connected to the overall scene. I’m a very competitive person, and coming back from a contest and seeing all the guys shred actually pushes me more than anything else. I want to make an impact in contests in my own way. I want to be the best wakeboarder I can be, and contests push me to learn bigger and better tricks. I come home from contests with a fire if I’m unhappy with my results, or even sometimes when I’m happy with them.

Do you ever feel like your riding style doesn’t translate in contests or that judges don’t appreciate it?

Actually, the past few years I’ve seen a lot more respect given to stylish riding in contests. It’s been really cool, because it seems like the judging is going in that direction, and it’s making riders focus more on making their tricks look good rather than going out there and doing the hardest trick they can think of. When you get respect for a trick that really looks good over something that was really hard but hucked and barely landed, to me that means wakeboarding is going in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong — there are a lot of guys on tour who do really hard tricks and make them look pretty damn good. We’re not just kooks doing gymnastic tricks on the water.

Do you ever get discouraged if things don’t go the way of your style of riding?

It’s rough because sometimes I do have to respect how hard a trick was, and there is a fine line. You don’t know what was really harder: the supergnarly trick or the unique way someone did something. Sometimes doing a trick and making it look effortless and perfect or grabbing it a certain way is just as hard as doing a more technical trick. At the same time, you have to respect both. I don’t know; that’s what I leave up to the judges to decide.

That’s the hardest part. I’ve been in that seat, and it’s the worst! I’ve always seen your dad at the events; was there or is there any pressure from him?

I never really expected to be a professional wakeboarder or anything like that, but my dad has been nothing but supportive. When I started getting good, he said he’d pay for me to ride the junior tour if I wanted to, and I said, “Yep, let’s do it.” I was always a shy kid, so I guess people could think, “Oh, Josh’s dad just wants him to do all these contests,” but I’ve always wanted to be there, and it’s definitely been a good road for me. Contests have been a great way to sort of build my name and get respect from more people in the industry.

Any new Delta up-and-comers to carry the torch?

**** There is one kid I’ve been sort of mentoring. His name is Tyler Higham, and you should definitely keep an eye out for him. He lives in Bend, Oregon, but comes down and rides a lot. He gets it. He’s riding the junior tour now, and he’s one of those kids you can teach how to do a trick, and he goes out and lands it in a few tries, and then has it consistent that day. He has rad style. He snowboards in the off-season and has a lot of good influences.

Who was your biggest influence as a rider if you look back, say, five years?

**** I guess it was a number of people. I remember I went on a West Coast trip with Schwenne, Ben Greenwood, Bob Sichel and Trever Maur. Big Spence was taking photos. I got a cover on that trip, and I think I was 16. They were all super hyped on my riding, especially Ben, and that meant so much to me. I used to watch his video parts over and over again. That trip was huge for me because it was the first time I got respect from people who I respected, and it was then that I realized I was maybe doing something right (laughs).

What other people’s parts or photos in the mag were you hyped on?

**** I didn’t own a lot of videos, but I definitely watched a lot Ben Greenwood and Randall sections, for sure. But I knew I could never really ride like Randall or I might die. Nobody can ride like Randall Harris except Randall Harris. He’s one-of-a-kind. Randall’s riding has always been insane to me. I’ve been watching his sections for years, and then to see him ride in person is so intense.

Who’s around these days that you don’t ride with but like watching?

**** Chris O’Shea is one; I’ve always respected his style. He’s a taller dude who looks good. Being a tall guy, you can either use it to your advantage or look really goofy when you ride, and he definitely uses it to his advantage. There are so many guys killing it these days, and I pretty much watch every Web video that ever comes out.

Damn — so you keep up with it all?

Definitely. All of it. I watch wakeboarding every day to see what people are doing. I’m not in the mix with all the Floridians down there, and I’m not riding with them, so I like watching Web videos and keeping up with the whole scene.

Are you a commenter?

No way! Definitely not (laughs).

Being a guy who gets tons of video coverage — including on the Web and three appearances in full-lengths last year — what’s your take on the current video situation in wakeboarding?

**** It’s awesome to see how many Web videos are out there, and they’re fun to watch. When you’re a professional or a well-known rider and you’re putting out Web edits every week or something, that’s a little excessive. I think if you’re a pro, then you should be working toward something bigger, whether that be a season edit or a part in a full-length movie or whatever. Pro riders need to stand apart from the world of Web videos and do something special to really separate themselves from everyone else. For groms or people trying to get into the sport, Web edits are the raddest thing ever — they can get their name out there and show people what they can do. I think pros just need to keep the quality high and only put out edits that they’re going to be really happy with in the end.

That’s a really good way to look at it.

That’s why full-lengths have their plus. They’re alive and always will be; it’s good to see how much effort people are putting into them and making sure they are up to snuff. Things are getting pretty gnarly with what people are doing, so it’s rad to see it.

In your opinion, what makes a good part these days?

I think what makes an interesting part is doing what you don’t normally do or what people don’t see, you know? Having all aspects of the sport in one section is awesome. That’s something I haven’t even done but I really want to see more of. Maybe next time I work on a full-length video I can show that side. That’s why Raph’s video was so cool to me; he not only killed it in the park and with the things he built, but then he got behind the boat, and it was some of the best riding you’ve ever seen. That to me shows you are a well-rounded rider, and it’s fun to watch. Some people have a different perspective, like the Shredtown guys did a totally different thing. I guess whatever makes it entertaining. What those guys did was so gnarly; I respected that a lot. They’re doing something that nobody else is.

Do you ever have a problem getting motivated?

I would say I’m a pretty motivated person. I don’t really get a chance to ride regularly with anyone who is pushing the technical side of the sport. When I get a chance to ride with a group of riders who all kill it, I get motivated for sure.

So who drives for you?

Usually my brother would, but he’s gone off to school, so I’ve been teaching Tyler Higham how to drive, and he’s been pulling me a bit. Other than that, if no one is around my dad will pull me too. The hardest part is finding thirds, because in California you need to have a third person to watch, but when it’s freezing out, it’s a little harder to find a person who wants to go for a boat ride.

Any trends you like?

I’ve been seeing a lot more people do wrapped tricks, which is pretty cool, especially if the rider uses the wrap to get a different or longer held grab. The trend in the sport toward a bigger focus on style and correct grabs is something I like. Also I’m happy to see more West Coast cable parks opening up.

Dislike?

I guess I’m not too much of a fan of grabbing on rails or short line lengths behind the boat. Nuke grabs, I guess? That’s about it.

What are your plans or goals for 2015?

**** I just really want to do well in contests and push my riding in the direction I want it to go. Every year I want to learn new tricks and keep progressing. It’s my favorite way to stay stoked on wakeboarding. It doesn’t matter where you are — behind the boat or in the park — progression is the best way to stay motivated for me. I also want to land on the podium this year, that’s a big goal of mine. Hopefully I can achieve those things and work toward a new video project at the same time. I also want to shout out to my sponsors. Without them I couldn’t be doing this. So thanks to CWB, Nautique, Fox, Body Glove, and boardco.com.

The post Pro Spotlight: Josh Twelker appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

This Pro Spotlight video is brought to you by the good people of O’Brien and Ten-80!

Video: Patrick Wieland

Photos: Bill Doster

Interview: Shawn Perry

Where did you come from, sir?

It’s an interesting story actually. My dad was a waterskier from south Georgia. He was a competitive water skier, and he got a full ride to waterski at NLU (modern-day University of Louisiana at Monroe). And then in college, I was a “haunt” if you will.

What’s that?

Like a “whoopsie” or an “uh-oh.”

Oh! No way!

Yeah. So like for the next few years, I was basically the NLU ski team mascot. Somehow, by the grace of God and my mom doing his homework, he managed to graduate college, and then we all moved back to Georgia. That’s where I grew up and where he ran a ski school — Rome, Georgia. I guess around my middle school days are when he decided to get out of it. He got a nine to five, and I didn’t see anything from that world for a while.

So, you were skiing up until he got out of it?

Oh, yeah. I loved it. At a really young age I was going over the ramp. He would get me up on two skis and get me outside the wakes on a turnaround because I couldn’t really control where I was going, and he would just trap me on the outside and just sort of send me over the ramp.

So, after all that was there a gap in time from when you skied until you started wakeboarding?

Yup. After that I got into traditional sports. I went into soccer and kicked for the football team. I was meant to play college soccer, but my senior year in high school my best friend bought a boat. I started going to the lake with him and eventually found myself skipping practices, blowing stuff off and going to the lake as much as possible. My buddy somehow knew the guy that bought the lake that my dad used to train people on and started riding there and on Lake Allatoona. I skipped out on a scholarship for soccer and just went to a local college in Atlanta and rode for a wakeboard team there. I was coaching a lot at Gravity Research Center for Wes Bearden. He has a lot to do with where I am just for simply letting me coach and do that. I feel like I kind of came into wakeboarding as a rail rider from the very beginning at Wes’s place. It was a two-hour drive, so I would rip there and ride and do some lessons over the weekend and go back to school.

How did you make your way to Florida?

My dad ended up taking a job in Ocala, Florida, and I was going into my sophomore year at school in Georgia. I decided to move down with him and finish up school in Florida. I relinked back up with Travis — my dad actually taught Travis how to water ski and trained him, so that’s how I knew him.

How do you like riding in events?

I love it. If you would have asked me this two years ago, I would not have thought I would answer like that.

Why?

Just because of the way I got into wakeboarding and my approach to it. I never wakeboarded to go after a contest win; I only rode because it was fun and it just felt cool. In the last year or two, the judges started looking for things differently, and it just sort of played into my hand.

But you didn’t grow up doing contests did you?

No, probably like 2009 or 2010 were the first times I entered a pro event. I never really rode behind fully loaded boats even before then, and that’s a whole different level in its own. I’ve never done well in contests. Last year was my first full year riding the tour, it’s almost like my rookie year but fifth time around! (laughs).

Do you enjoy the feeling of riding in contests?

Yeah. I’m super competitive, and the fact that I know I’m not as good as Phil or Harley really gets to me. It really burns me, but at this point in my career, I still have to go to work every day, so I can’t afford to go ride all day long. I don’t know though; I think there’s a place and a time for me, and right now, I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, so I’m happy.

What gives you the most satisfaction as a rider?

A shot in the mag is up there, and any video section where I get good feedback is definitely satisfying. The best thing for me is working at The Boarding School and teaching someone how to enjoy the sport as much as I do. It’s everything there too, from rolling up a rope to learning tricks and just being on the boat. I really enjoy being around people that are in the early stages of being excited about the sport.

Not every pro rider gets to have that perspective.

Yeah, it definitely helps me stay stoked on the lifestyle of wakeboarding in general to be around people like that. Not every pro rider gets to see it from that point of view.

But you’re also in a wakeboard boat for more hours than a lot of people. Do you get burnt out?

I definitely find myself in the middle of the season wanting to play more golf (laughs), but I don’t know, man. This might offend some people, but I didn’t come from money, so I never had the opportunity to ride every day, train with Mike Ferraro and be at every contest. I enjoy every day right now. To come from working 40 hours a week for minimum wage and not being able to pay my bills to wakeboarding and being in a boat every day, I’m pretty thankful. It’s tough to complain.

What keeps it fresh?

I do what I have to do to get away from it a little bit, especially in the winter. I’ll go visit family and go snowboarding, but a week into every “vacation” or whatever you want to call it, I’m ready to get back home and get back on the water. I like structure.

How do you feel about the wakeboard scene in Orlando, Florida?

For us, it’s great. You can ride more months of the year than anywhere else and there are tons of people to ride with.

How do you feel about where you ride?

I love Clear Lake. I know it’s not in the best part of town, but we have a lot of close neighbors and good friends. Even those who aren’t in the wakeboard scene or whatever are all super cool. It’s a hidden gem in the middle of the ghetto.

Do you ride anywhere else?

Other than the occasional set at The Boarding School, not really. I ride on Clear Lake, and that’s pretty much it. It’s just too easy to go out the back door and ride at home. Especially since I work all day, when I get home, there’s not a chance I’m driving somewhere else in traffic to go ride. I’m just going to walk out the backdoor and do my thing. It’s such a cool vibe on Clear Lake, even if I don’t choose to ride, I can always go kick it on the other side and watch the boys hit rails or just hang out with whoever is out. It’s a rad place.

Are you bummed you didn’t win Move of the Year at Wake Awards a couple years back with the mute double roll to revert?

I was pretty bummed. At times, I wanted to lash out, but I knew it was only going to set me back further. Going into it, I didn’t think I was going to win it, but then so many people beforehand were telling me I had it. It was in the limo ride on the way, and it hit me that I could actually win. When I didn’t, I was kind of bummed out, but we were all partying and hanging out, so it was whatever. I knew it was only the beginning for me, so I enjoyed the recognition and moved on.

Did it affect the way you approached your career?

No, I still give it 100%. Anything that has ever happened to me negatively has fired me up to do something positive with it. I’m here for the long haul, whether I would have won that award or not.

So you don’t think winning would have changed your path in the sport?

It may have, but it wouldn’t have changed me. I let it fuel my fire, and I plan on having a lot more moments in my career.

What do want to do better as a pro?

Double flips. Especially after watching what Dowdy’s been doing, he’s crazy. All the spins are great, but it doesn’t look as cool as doubles I don’t think.

In what ways do you want to impact wakeboarding?

I guess it’s always been style for me. That comes way more naturally than the contest side of things. I would much rather people acknowledge that I make wakeboarding look cool.

What do you think about the future of the sport with the juniors out there? Are you concerned?

No. People can always mature. They’re kids, and just because they may not have great style now doesn’t mean that they can’t figure it out. They are all good wakeboarders, and they’re good on the water; they just need to take a season and work on stuff that looks good. That’s all it is, but right now in their careers, they are so worried about learning a certain trick to put it into their contest pass that style is never even thought about.

Did you ride in juniors?

No, I was in college trying to figure out how I was going to wakeboard as much as I could.

What do you get out of coaching?

It’s a good feeling to know that I motivated someone to stay in our sport and enjoy wakeboarding. It’s great.

What kind of influence has Travis had on you and your career?

Travis has separated me from the pack — creditability from being a coach at The Boarding School to introducing me to so many people along the way that have helped my career grow. It would be hard to pay a guy like that back. He’s done so much for me. I feel like so many people are so good at wakeboarding, but Travis has always been there to put in a good word for me, and that goes a long way coming from him.

Why did he take you under his wing? Is it a Georgia thing?

Well, I think the early connection with Travis and my dad was a huge factor, we all go way back. I’ve got photos of my dad and Travis coaching with me in between them in diapers. I’ve known Travis all my life, but there was a huge gap between then until I met up with him again when I was in college.

What are your short-term plans just for 2014?

Well, if I can work things out to ride on tour this year, I’d love to. I was sitting pretty good at the end of last year, but I had an injury set me back. I was happy to make top 10, but I could have done better. I think I can do it. A couple more double flips would be great too, and I know I’m capable of them.

What’s your recipe to make all this happen?

A lot of hard work. I’m going to expect the worst and hope for the best. That, and some good old double-ups. I hit them every set; there’s not a set that goes by where I don’t hit a few. That’s my favorite part of wakeboarding for sure. I’d do everything off the double-up if I could. I’m serious. I’ll take all-double-up sets sometimes, just lining them up.

What about the long haul?

Still doing what I’m doing now. A 10-year plan would be doing my own school somewhere. I don’t ever want to get away from this lifestyle. Whether it’s some sort of coaching or whatever it is, I’ll be doing something in our industry.

The post The Lone Wolf – Jeff Langley appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.