The post Sessions – August 2017 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

What were the days and weeks like following the incident?
Not easy. The aftermath of a major incident in your life like that is much more intense mentally than you would ever imagine. This wasn’t something where I got hurt doing something to myself, like trying a new trick. This was a guy running into me with his car and me smashing into his windshield and roof and getting tossed to the ground. The first few months were just me trying to get my head back right, because it’s not just me and my riding career, it’s my family seeing it happen as well. There was a lot that went on. And then there’s the thought process of what if I’d gotten hurt worse and could never ride again? Or what if I hit my head harder and died? It’s a weird feeling in your head trying to process all of that. Until you actually go through something traumatic like that, you don’t know how you’ll react. It is by far the hardest thing my family and I have been through.

What helped you start to move on mentally?
Being able to focus on getting back on the water helped. The worst part for me was not having anything to do, because I love being busy. I love always having something to do. I can’t chill.

Did you expect to be off the water this long?
No. I thought I might miss an event or two and be fine, but I had no idea it would take this long and how bad the pain would be when I started riding. I have a hard enough time sitting still when I’m healthy, so being injured for me is really hard. And then to be injured because of something like this only made it harder. I actually ended up pushing myself too hard in the gym doing rehab, which injured a different part of my foot as I compensated for my leg. That kept me off the water longer.

How did that affect you?
It was tough. I’ve never been off the water this long in my career. I started getting pretty bitter. It’s really hard to not think about the negative things, but my family and sponsors have been so supportive through this whole thing. Honestly, if you told me I could get $10 million in a settlement or never have this happen, I’d choose the latter in a heartbeat. No doubt. I had to find some silver linings and know that, ultimately, I’d be able to get myself back on the water. In hindsight, this injury might give me more longevity because it’s let my body rest and rejuvenate, and it’s definitely brought some new perspective mentally.

What’s it been like watching some of the progression from the sidelines rather than being in the mix?
Pretty crazy. You have to give the kids these days credit: They’re really, really pushing the sport to a new level — a level it’s never been at. I remember when I started landing my 1080 somewhat consistently and thinking there’s no way this will be a consistent trick in contests. And now guys are doing them every day. Same with double flips. What’s crazy to think about is what if Harley and Dowdy each hadn’t gotten hurt the last two years? All of this could have been happening a year or two earlier.

You’ve been back on the water a couple of weeks. How do you feel?
There is still pain involved, but I still push it. I don’t know if I’ll ever ride pain-free again though. But with every set I take, I get more confidence, and I know I’ll be able to get back to where I was. Today I just landed a 1080 for the first time (since I started riding again), which felt really good. I still want to push myself and my riding to see where I can take it.

Where do you go from here with your riding and career?
Unfortunately, this year is basically a write-off for me competitively, which is fine. It is what it is. I just want to have fun when I ride. I still want it though, and I’m motivated. I’ve always loved hitting double-ups, and I’ll continue to push myself in that arena — trying new things and going big. By the end of the year, I want to be strong and confident on my board again, and then look forward to trying new things and putting out edits and stuff like that — hopefully stand out in a different way than the rest of the guys.

The post Down But Not Out appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

In the North Carolina high country, MasterCraft lined up six of wakeboarding’s heaviest hitters for a private, closed-water session. Their mission? Ride the ultimate wake. Unlock the perfect line. Watch what kind of mayhem happens when you mix raw talent, perfect conditions and the boat that started it all—the MasterCraft XStar.

The post 2018 MasterCraft XStar | The Next First appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

The post PWT 2017: Contender – Rusty Malinoski appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

After three hours of recognizing absolutely none of the scenery, and fairly certain we had crossed into another state, I casually inquired as to whether we were traveling in the right direction. Rathy reassured me that he had everything sorted, and he had the official bar of BROstock (Captain Ron’s) locked into Google Maps. After driving another hour, Rathy lets us know we are only five minutes away, but at this point I’m calling bull$#&@. By then it should have been obvious that we were nowhere near where we needed to be. Either that or Lake of the Ozarks had seen some serious urban sprawl and expansion. I opened my Google Maps and added the destination, which quickly proved we had driven almost five hours in the opposite direction … and into a different state.

Anyone who has ever traveled with Rusty in adverse situations will understand his reaction to this news. Once his bright-red face dimmed and the onslaught of curse words subsided, we pulled ourselves together and set off on another eight hours to Lake of the Ozarks.

Lessons learned: Never let Rathy navigate and never rent a hatchback with Rusty, especially if you don’t know where you’re going.

The post Confessional with Dean Smith appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Wakeboarders often blow out their knees or suffer other injuries because of the high-impact nature of the sport. The man nicknamed “The Bone Crusher” has broken the same arm eight times, and he works hard to strengthen his 200-lb.-plus frame so he can keep riding.

“The time I’ve spent in the gym off the water is what’s kept me in this game for so long,” says Malinoski, the first wakeboarder to land a 1080 in competition.

Kyle Rattray, owner of Florida affiliate Clermont CrossFit, says founding partner Malinoski is a testament to the efficacy of CrossFit.

Rattray claims Malinoski is in better shape now than he was five years ago.

“If he’s in better shape, I don’t really know what he’s going to be capable of in four or five more years,” Rattray says.

Video by Sean Kilgus.

The post Training With Rusty Malinoski appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

To the untrained eye, the double-up can look like a chaotic mess that’s impossible to navigate. Over time and with a little practice, ­however, these rollers can be bridled and used as a tool to send you higher in the air than you’ve ever been on a wakeboard. The first step in this process is understanding how the double-up works and where you need to be in relation to the rollers. In this instructional, we’ll focus specifically on how to pick out the roller you want to hit and where to position yourself to harness its power at the wake.

The first thing you’ll need to do is select the roller you want to hit. There are technically five rollers, but riders typically hit only two of them, rollers number two and three. Rusty Malinoski says: “It varies on the trick, but the second roller is the money roller for pretty much everything. It’s the most consistent and it’s usually the one I like to hit, because if the double-up is a little too closed off, the chances of you getting into the third one are really slim.”

Remember that your eyes may deceive you when scoping out the rollers from a distance. The ­largest roller you can see is actually ­roller number two. To really connect with the double-up, time it so you end up in the trough ­immediately ­before the roller you want to hit. For example, if you want to hit roller number two, find the largest ­roller you can see as the boat crosses the rollers, and then time your ­approach so you end up in the deepest part of the trough immediately before roller number two. At that point, the double-up will swell beneath you and propel you into the stratosphere, just like it did for Rusty in the photo. Have fun!

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

LearnWake has a whole lot more where this came from. Head over to learnwake.com to see our in-depth instructional videos, browse our extensive trick library, and even get your own video analyzed of that new trick you’ve been working on.

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The post Rusty Malinoski – Passing The Handle appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Filmed and Edited by Spencer Norris

The post Wakin’ & Bacon appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Trever Maur

Making media matter.

How did you become a professional rider and filmer?

TM: I didn’t wake up one day and say, “I’m going to just edit vids as my ‘thing.'” When my riding started improving in 2005, I wanted a sponsor tape. So I made one. Every year after that, I would make a new one. I guess it just turned into a passion, but it was pretty unintentional.

How has seeing your own riding on film affected how you ride?

TM: Let’s say I have a lot of footage that won’t be making the light of day. [Laughs.] It really helps you buckle down and get critical on how each trick looks. Stomping a trick is cool, but until it looks exactly the way you want, it’s not finished.

Rusty Malinoski

Fitness-fueled progression.

When did you start taking your riding and training seriously?

RM: Probably around the year 2000. I graduated in 2002 and made the move down to Florida to take it to the next level. I had nothing else to do but ride and stay fit, so I devoted a lot of time to that.

How do you think you’ve affected the industry’s perception of being physically fit?

RM: I have always felt that the better shape I was in, the more I could ride and the harder I could ride. In the early parts of my career, I was definitely one of very few who took fitness seriously. Back in the day, it wasn’t very cool to go to the gym. Now I feel that a lot of riders see the importance of staying physically fit.

JD Webb

Represent like a pro.

How has being outgoing and personable affected your career?

JW: In my eyes, the harder you work for your brands — not only on the water but at boat shows and demos too — the more chance you have at having a long, successful career. At the end of the day, they want someone who is not only a good athlete, but who also has a good work ethic and is reliable.

How does it affect your relationships with your fans?

JW: If you give people your time and sit down and chat with them, you get a fan for life. I was in their shoes at one point too. I looked up to guys like [Shaun] Murray, [Scott] Byerly and Zane [Schwenk], and they were always down to chat and help me in any way possible.

The post Famous Firsts: Consummate Pros appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.