In this video, Dowdy heads back up north near the Apostle Islands: a rarely ridden and mostly unknown wake gem in Wisconsin to ride amongst the sea caves and channels carved out between the beautiful islands on Lake Superior. With a winch and behind the boat, Dowdy takes some time off from his usual training to explore the beautiful location, bringing the highest levels of wakeboarding to the Great Lakes.

Video: Red Bull Media House

The post Mike Dowdy – Lake Superior appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

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Photo: Peter Vahlfridsson

If ankle support is a priority for you, then you’re in luck. We’ve selected some of our favorite supportive boots from the brands you love to make your shopping experience a breeze. These boots are not only designed to be more supportive for the structure of your foot, but they are also more responsive, making your movement translate directly to the board more accurately and without delay. That being said, this extra support makes the boot inherently stiffer. So there is a bit of a trade-off and a balance to be found between support and flexibility. But remember, less flexibility doesn’t always mean less comfort. Nowadays, this category has become so ergonomically advanced that even the most supportive boots have become undeniably comfortable. Choose wisely!

Byerly Shift

The Shift boot is a staple in the Byerly boot line. This thing is simple, tough and responsive. The Shift is a traditional, dual front-lace boot that features a new dual-density foot bed and a low-profile plate system to keep your foot supported while maintaining a sensitive foot-to-board feel. No wonder it is a favorite among the Byerly team.

byerlywakeboards.com

MSRP: $395

CWB MD

If you’ve ever seen Mike Dowdy ride, you’ll quickly understand why he favors a more responsive boot. Sitting as the tallest and stiffest boot in the CWB line, the MD features a high-cut cuff, deep heel pockets with Achilles pads for superior ankle support, an impact strap integrated into the laces for extra heel hold-down, and a cushioned inner liner for extra comfort right where you need it.

ridecwb.com

MSRP: $430

Hyperlite Marek

Rusty Malinoski’s pro-model boot, the Hyperlite Marek, is built to be tough, comfortable, high tech and supportive. The Marek boot features heat-moldable liners, EVA-lite outsoles, a traditional upper lace zone, and a Boa system in the lower zone. Combine the Marek boot with the Hyperlite System binding, and you’ve got one of the most supportive and responsive boots on the market.

hyperlite.com

MSRP: $375

Liquid Force Vantage CT

The Liquid Force Vantage CT is designed for the aggressive rider who wants extra support. The Vantage CT features an articulating cuff, a three-strap Velcro system for easy entry, and all the other goodies that come standard on high-end Liquid Force boots. It is currently ridden and loved by both Kevin Henshaw and Tom Fooshee behind the boat and at the cable. Need any more evidence than that? We didn’t think so.

liquidforce.com

MSRP: $400

O’Brien GTX

The O’Brien GTX is a medium- to stiff-flex boot that is incredibly supportive underfoot. The Chassis are canted at 2.5 degrees to ease stress on your legs, and the Power Arch built into the foot bed provides unmatched arch support on long sets and higher impact tricks. The GTX boots also come in both yellow and white colorways to match your setup — which we all know is a crucial part of the decision.

obrien.com

MSRP: $385

Ronix Code 55

Have you seen Dean Smith charge way into the flats? Of course you have. Sitting under Dean’s feet for 2015, the Code 55 boot is incredibly responsive and supportive, featuring Brainframe technology, heat-molded asymmetrical Intuition liners, Feetbelts, double-stuffed foot beds, and many other features designed to cut down on unnecessary bulk and increase performance.

ronixwake.com

MSRP: $530

Slingshot Shredtown

The Shredtown boots have been a big hit since they first hit the market — and for good reason. The removable inner liners keep you protected from whatever rough terrain you might encounter, and the Velcro straps are now stronger, thinner and more flexible for 2015. If you ride cable and haven’t checked out these babies in person, you don’t know what you’re missing.

slingshotsports.com

MSRP: $449

The post Gear — Roundup: Supportive Boots appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

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Orlando, FL (July 15, 2015) – Once again, an athlete shatters boundaries behind the Super Air Nautique G23. Professional wakeboarder Mike Dowdy landing the world’s first ever wake-to-wake 1260. Dowdy and the award-winning Super Air Nautique G23 make the perfect pair as he pushes the sport behind the only boat on the water pulling riders to feats never before done.

“The level of riding is insane with the G23 making the biggest, best shaped wake in the industry. It’s allowed me to push myself, and the sport to new places with tricks now being landed that everyone thought to be impossible before the Nautique G23 was introduced,” said Mike Dowdy.

Dowdy is known for progression behind the Super Air Nautique G23 with his own mind blowing and inventive versions of tricks, multiple double flip variations, and now the first ever 1260 landed purely wake-to-wake. Visit Nautique’s Facebook page for a clip of Dowdy’s amazing riding behind the G23 including the world’s first ever wake-to-wake 1260 at http://bit.ly/NautiqueFB.

“Seeing what riders like Mike Dowdy have been able to accomplish behind the Super Air Nautique G23 has been amazing,” said Nautique President Greg Meloon. “We created the G-series to push boundaries of wakeboarding and we are still in awe of the possibilities created by these game-changing boats. Congratulations Mike!”

Celebrating 90 years of excellence in the marine industry, Correct Craft is a Florida-based company with global operations. Correct Craft is the owner of Nautique, Centurion, Supreme, Bass Cat and Yar-Craft boat companies, Pleasurecraft Marine Engine Group, and Aktion Parks. For more information please visit www.correctcraft.com. To learn more about Nautique and its complete product line, visit www.nautique.com.

Find us at:

www.Facebook.com/NautiqueBoats • www.Twitter.com/NautiqueBoats • www.Instagram.com/NautiqueBoats • www.YouTube.com/Nautiquesdotcom

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The post MIKE DOWDY LANDS THE WORLD’S FIRST EVER WAKE-TO-WAKE 1260 BEHIND THE AWARD-WINNING SUPER AIR NAUTIQUE G23 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Looking for a board that excels behind the boat? We’ve got you covered. Since so much emphasis is being placed on cable-friendly boards nowadays, we decided to shake things up a bit and cater to the boat rider for this Roundup. Our list covers every end of the boat-board spectrum: stiff, flexible, foam cores, wood cores, molded fins, bolt-on fins, speed, rocker and so on. And remember, board selection is all based on your personal preferences. There isn’t a bad apple in the bunch, but be aware that you might prefer a Fuji to a Granny Smith. Choose wisely!

Byerly AR-1

53, 55 in.

Aaron Rathy’s pro model, the AR-1 is pretty high-tech and loaded with features — everything from the Strata Track to the Energy Ring sidewall, to the Aero Core and the Cross Link construction. This board has it all. Factor the continuous rocker and squared-up tip and tail into the mix, and you get a hard-charging board with explosive pop at the wake.

byerlywakeboards.com

MSRP: $555

CWB Dowdy

136, 142 cm

Mike Dowdy’s pro-model CWB board features a center spine for soft landings, lots of rocker for an abrupt pop at the wake, a carbon X pattern underfoot for extra strength and rigidity, and stepped molded-in fins to help the board release quickly and easily without losing traction. If you want to look and ride like Mike, the CWB Dowdy is a no-brainer.

ridecwb.com

MSRP: $430

Hyperlite Kruz Bio

134, 139, 144 cm

The Hyperlite Kruz is a high-performance shape that features carbon torsion zones for lightweight rigidity; a healthy amount of rocker for lots of controlled, consistent pop at the wake without sacrificing speed; and the Strata Track mounting system for infinite adjustment. We expected nothing less out of Rusty Malinoski’s 2015 pro-model board.

hyperlite.com

MSRP: $555

Liquid Force Remedy

134, 138, 142 cm

Harley Clifford’s all-new 2015 pro model, the Remedy features a healthy amount of rocker for extra pop at the wake without sacrificing speed, thin profile rails for more responsive edging, a split tip and tail shape for a more sensitive feel underfoot, and more. Take a look at any of Harley’s contest rankings lately, and you’ll see how well the Remedy performs.

liquidforce.com

MSRP: $450

O’Brien Bruce

132, 137, 142 cm

Jeff Langley’s pro model, the Bruce features a stiff belly with a subtle amount of flex in the tips, a unique five-stage rocker line, stepped delta channels in the tips, and an incredibly durable construction. These features make the board pop hard, release quickly, land soft, and, most of all, reduce unwanted drag for loads of speed both on and off edge.

obrien.com

MSRP: $600

Ronix William

130, 135, 140, 145 cm

The William is Adam Errington’s pro-model boat board for 2015. On the water, this shape is simple, fast, responsive and lively underfoot. The guts of the William feature Ronix’s Intelligent core, blending the benefits of different woods, foams and fibers to create a responsive, lightweight, high-performance core with a razor-thin profile — pretty impressive.

ronixwake.com

MSRP: $630

Slingshot Response

137, 142, 145 cm

The Response is a smooth-riding flex board with a less-is-more attitude that’s built for the wake. The features include a continuous rocker, a medium flex pattern for a lively feel at takeoff and extra forgiving landings, an all-wood core to keep it lively, a durable construction, and all of the other high-quality components consistent in Slingshot’s 2015 line.

slingshotsports.com

MSRP: $419

The post Gear | Roundup: Boat Boards appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

The post Quiet, Please – Josh Twelker appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Toeside Frontside 540 with Shane Bonifay

Like with your heelside 540, the tempo of the toeside 540 should be broken into two parts: a toeside frontside 180 and a switch heelside backside 360. Practicing these pieces individually in a lower-risk environment will noticeably expedite the learning process.

The easiest way to get a few switch backside 360s under your belt is to first practice some inside-out switch backside 360s at slow surface sliding speeds. Start with an inside-out handle pass backside 180 that immediately flows into another 180 on the surface without pause. Then start landing later and later into the trick — impact at 270 and slide the remaining 90 degrees, and so on — and you’ll be landing inside-out switch heelside backside 360s before you know it.

Once that rotation feels comfortable, it’s time to try some toeside 540s wake to wake. Shane Bonifay says, “The mind-set I’m in during my approach is to make sure I’m coming into the wake with a smooth edge. Not too aggressive or wild, just smooth and progressive to keep the handle pass consistent. If you are jerking the rope around while edging in, the handle will get yanked around when you try to pass it.”

At the wake, stand tall by bringing your hips forward and pushing all of the bend out of your legs. Keep two hands on the handle all the way through your takeoff, and avoid the tendency to start spinning too early. Shane says, “Don’t think toeside 540; think big, clean toeside 180 followed by a handle pass and — bam! — 540.” Once you reach 180 at the apex of the trick, continue that momentum into the handle pass. At this point it should feel just like your inside-out switch heelside backside 180s. After you pass the handle, the trick should come around naturally. Shane says, “Spot your landing when you come around and before you know it, you’re landing and riding away from your first toeside 540.”

Click to view the images below:

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The post Take your 360 to a 540 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Most boards these days are built to withstand the beating that they will inevitably receive when riding on anything besides water. So, the main things to look for when you’re in the market for a park board are the flex and rocker. The flex pattern is based mainly on personal preference no matter how you look at it, and more rocker means deeper presses but slower glide speed, and vice versa. In reality, it all boils down to how comfortable it feels underfoot — oh, and killer graphics, of course.

Byerly Felix | 51, 54, 56 in.

If you didn’t see Cody Hesse ride the Byerly Felix in the product video, head over to our site right now and check it out. If this board can perform anything like that when a normal human rides it, then we’re sold. The Felix features a continuous rocker, a thinner flex-specific design, carbon-composite construction, and a full-perimeter energy-ring sidewall. This is a durable, agile flex-friendly board designed to feel right at home in the park.

byerlywakeboards.com | MSRP: $450 (51 in.)** / $565** (54, 56 in.)

CWB Woodro | 140, 146 cm

The CWB Woodro features an all-wood core, ABS sidewalls, soft-flex pattern, and a healthy amount of rocker to keep the board durable yet lively in the park. The subtle recessed edge channels provide added traction on the water while remaining catch-free on rails. The unique 8-up insert-pattern option, designed to work with the CWB Prizm boot, keeps the mounting hardware underfoot, allowing the board to flex naturally without the limitations of a wide base plate.

ridecwb.com | MSRP: $480

Hyperlite PBJ | 133, 138, 143 cm

The Hyperlite PBJ, or “Park Board for Jibbing,” as we like to call it, is a brand-new shape for 2015. It’s everything you need in a board that can take a beating in the park. The continuous rocker and featureless base make it smooth and fast on rails, the full-perimeter ABS sidewall keeps it durable, and the wood core gives it a lively personality underfoot. If you’re looking for a simple shape to keep the good vibes flowing, then the PBJ is your jam!

hyperlite.com | MSRP: $450

Liquid Force Raph | 135, 139, 143 cm

Have you seen Raph Derome ride lately? It’s no surprise that he demands only the highest quality and performance out of his park board. The core of the Raph features three wood stringers that are strategically thinned out for a lively, strong and yet flexible feel underfoot. The base features subtle edge channels that stay catch-free on rails with slightly dished-out tips for stability on pipe rails. At no point did Liquid Force compromise here; this is the real deal.

liquidforce.com | MSRP: $530

O’Brien Breddas | 133, 138, 143cm

Brand new for 2015, the O’Brien Breddas is pro model to the Hoppe brothers, Benjamin, Mattias and Jeremiah Hoppe, and is a cable-park favorite among the team — and for good reason. The Breddas features an all-wood core, incredibly durable edges and base material, a unique rocker aimed at enhancing your presses, and a thinned-out profile to keep it light and lively underfoot. This is one you’ve got to see in person to fully appreciate.

obrien.com | MSRP: $640

Ronix Kinetik Project | Small, Standard

The Kinetik Project is a pretty unique park board. There are some features Ronix added here that you just won’t see anywhere else. From the snowboard inspired turned-up tips, to the recessed edge channels that run the length of the board, and more. The most interesting feature, however, is the core. Ronix laid the wood at different angles and shapes to give the flex pattern the right response in strategic sections underfoot. Pretty impressive.

ronixwake.com | MSRP: $610

Slingshot Terrain | 136, 140, 144 cm

Brand new for 2015, the Slingshot Terrain is by far the softest flex wakeboard that Slingshot has ever put to market. The Terrain was built exclusively for the park and aimed at helping you press deeper on rails while remaining genuinely playful underfoot. Additionally, it comes completely finless — encouraging proper edging techniques right off the bat. So if you are new to the cable or just want to take full advantage of the flex capabilities, the Slingshot Terrain might be your ticket.

slingshotsports.com | MSRP: $419

The post Round Up – Park Boards 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.

It’s about time you got out there and learned that 360 you’ve been dreaming about for ages. Luckily for you, we’ve done your homework for you. Check out our 360 instruction from the April issue! Enjoy!

How-To: Learn Your First 360 | Words: Brandon Judd | Photos: Bill Doster

Heelside Frontside 360

This is it. Now is the time. You are going to land your first 360 this year. We all know how much you aspire to add this to your bag of tricks, and we’re committed to helping you get there. But before you go hucking this thing wake to wake at first go, let’s talk a bit about learning in general — specifically, about teaching yourself new tricks.

Getting good takes practice. You often might hear people say, “There’s no substitute for time on the water.” While I’m not saying that this statement is untrue, I will say that it is incomplete. The only real substitute for time on the water is more-effective time on the water. Practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes permanent. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

So how can you make your time on the water more effective? The key is to pay attention to your comfort zones. Ask yourself, what are you the most comfortable with? And the least? Switch riding, for example, might be horrendously awkward for you. If that’s the case, practice riding switch a little bit every time you ride. You’ll soon discover that, over time, you will chip away at this discomfort and, eventually, it will become so comfortable that you might even forget you’re riding switch.

For your 360, for example, let’s think about all the individual parts of this trick and ask yourself, at what point does your comfort fade into discomfort? Is it the heelside frontside 180? If so, which part specifically? Could it be the switch toeside landing? You get the idea. Be sure to target your weaker points in the trick, and make sure you can do them individually at slower speeds or even sliding on the surface. Coming into this prepared will make the 360 learning curve significantly shorter.

It’s All in the Hips

One of the greatest barriers between you and your 360 is the handle pass. Many riders have a tendency to keep the handle in too close during their approach, which forces them to let the handle out a bit at the wake. So, if the distance between your hips and the handle is increasing then, whether you realize it or not, you are actually traveling away from the boat, resulting in an increase in line tension in the air — making the handle pass even more elusive.

As complex as the problem might sound, the solution is simple. Daniel Powers says, “When approaching the wake, allow the handle to drift out away from your hips — not too much to lose control — but just enough to leave room to advance back in and initiate your rotation.” Sounds easy, right? Well, it actually is — if you trust it. Let’s take another step back and talk physics here. Look at the first three photos in the sequence of Daniel’s approach, and note how the distance between his hips and the handle decreases as he stands tall at the wake. Since the distance between the handle and the boat is a constant, his hips are actually advancing toward the boat at takeoff. This part should happen subconsciously. “When I reach the wake, I just think about standing tall. I don’t really think about where my hips are at all,” says Daniel.

This change in body position, from seated to tall, naturally advances you toward the handle without having to actually pull with your arms. All you have to do is let the handle out during the approach, stand tall at the wake, and the line tension should ease up enough for you to comfortably reach the handle in the air.

Click to view the images below:

Field of View

Your successful execution of this trick greatly depends on your comfort in the cuffed position. The term “cuffed” refers to the position you are in when both hands are on the handle behind your back. It’s a similar position to being handcuffed — hence the name.

While cuffed, your field of view will exclude the boat, forcing you to deal with some unfamiliar visual references at your 6 o’clock, and leave you feeling prone to a back edge. And since none of us like back edges, this first 360 can become more about making it past the 270-degree mark alive than even landing the trick. As a result, riders tend to either start spinning too early or they overrotate and slip out over their heels.

Daniel says: “Over-rotation is really common in learning 360s because it is usually the first time the rider will ever turn their back to the boat. To keep from over-rotating, avoid looking back at the boat when you land. Instead, try to keep looking at your landing spot, at the wake, or at the shoreline — whatever works best for you. This is where the drills help out a lot. They can be disorienting at first, but don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

Try a few drills to build your awareness in this landing position as needed. Remember, you can create drills for yourself by pinpointing your weak points that are highlighted by your discomfort. For example, if you can’t handle a landing impact while looking back, start by just riding straight and looking backward for a bit. Then try a few ollies where you land looking back, followed by some inside out, and one-wake jumps in the same fashion.

Eventually, you’ll be able to do a wake jump where you are looking forward on the way up, and then looking back at the wakes as you land. This impact position will transition over nicely to your 360 attempts and keep you from overrotating.

Switch Toeside Backside 180

Have you ever thought about the guts of a heelside frontside 360? We designate spin names by their takeoff position, initial spin direction, and degrees of rotation. So, cut our 360 in half, and you have two different 180s. The first 180 is obvious — a heelside frontside 180. The second 180 can be a little harder to pin down. Think of the position that you are in when you land the first 180 — switch toeside, right? Then, if you were to keep rotating in the same direction as your first 180, that would make the second 180 a switch toeside backside 180.

This 180 is known for being intimidating, for obvious reasons. So it’s not uncommon to want to avoid it completely. But, as Daniel points out: “Learning this 180 at some level will help you with board control, and especially the landing of the 360. Coming out of both of the tricks are exactly the same.”

If you break it down into smaller bite-size pieces, you can build comfort with the rotation in a lower-risk environment. “For both a heelside frontside 360, and a toeside backside 180, I would recommend learning them first at a slow speed on the surface, and then try them one-wake.” Daniel says. “This minimizes the risk and impact of falling, and allows you to learn body control without getting smoked.”

Again, craft a drill that pinpoints your discomfort, and start chipping away at it. For example, if the cuffed position is a weak point for you, at slower speeds, start out switch stance and get into the cuffed position. Then, without moving your upper body out of the cuffed position, move the board back and forth from switch to regular repeatedly. Then repeat the drill and add some lateral travel to it, mimicking the direction of the switch toeside backside 180. From there, add an ollie, then inside out, then one-wake, and so on.

Armed with all of this knowledge, your first 360 should no longer be out of reach. Have at it, folks!

Click to view the images below:

The post Learn Your First 360 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.