Video: Jake Snider Films

The official Wake Awards Trick of the Year is a distinction that can be earned in a singular moment. Of course, the work put in to create that moment can take endless hours of attempts and a lifetime of dedication to build to that event. For the 2023 season, were there to be a Wake Awards, there was little to no question that Thomas Herman’s triple backroll would be the unanimous Trick of the Year award winner. Wakeboarding, though not running Wake Awards for 2023, banded together with the local Orlando crew of Thomas Herman’s friends, riders, and industry folks to honor Thomas in his unforgettable accomplishment. Check out how the celebration went down.

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Wakeboarding’s Wake Awards are the most prestigious awards in the world of watersports. The awards honor the highest performance and athleticism by women and men, whether they ride behind a boat or at a park. They are judged by a committee of watersports industry professionals and retired athletes. In this article discover more about each individual Wake Award.

Legend Award-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Legend award honors the professional wakeboarder with the most prestigious honor they can receive. Created at the inception of the Wake Awards to honor those who paved the way and had the biggest impact on the sport, the list of winners is a who’s who of wakeboarding. And it is not awarded annually. Chosen by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals.  

Content Creator of the Year-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Creator of the Year is awarded to that person who’s content most accurately captures the essence and excitement of wakeboarding and/ or wakesurfing and that depicts the state of the art in watersports content. Chosen by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals.

Check Out Award-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Check Out Award honors the up-and-coming rider, amateur or pro, who had a noticeable and unique impact on the sport as a whole, whether through progressive riding, competition results, an outstanding presence on social media or video performances. Chosen by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals.  

Women’s Wakesurfer of the Year-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Women’s Wakesurfer Wake Award honors the female professional wakeboarder who, as judged by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals, performed at the highest level. It recognizes excellence in athleticism, durability, courage and innovation.

Men’s Wakesurfer of the Year-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Men’s Wakesurfer Wake Award honors the male professional wakeboarder who, as judged by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals, performed at the highest level. It recognizes excellence in athleticism, durability, courage and innovation. 

Women’s Park Rider-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Women’s Park Rider of the Year 2022 honors the female professional wakeboarder who, as judged by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals, performed at the highest level in park riding. It recognizes excellence in athleticism, durability, courage and innovation.  

Men’s Park Rider-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Men’s Park Rider Wake Award honors the male professional wakeboarder who, as judged by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals, performed at the highest level in park riding. It recognizes excellence in athleticism, durability, courage and innovation. Check out this video to see the best male male park rider of 2022!

Women’s Boat Rider-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Women’s Boat Rider Wake Award honors the female professional wakeboarder who, as judged by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals, performed at the highest level riding behind a boat. It recognizes excellence in athleticism, durability, courage and innovation.

Men’s Boat Rider-Wake Awards 2022

Wakeboarding’s Men’s Boat Rider of the Year honors the male professional wakeboarder who, as judged by vote of a select committee of former athletes and current and former industry professionals, performed at the highest level riding behind a boat. It recognizes excellence in athleticism, durability, courage and innovation.  

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Thomas Herman won Rookie of the Year on the 2021 Pro Wakeboard Tour. Competition for the honor was tough this year. As this video shows, it takes a lifetime to be a winner. In this video, John Dreiling shares Thomas’s journey of how he became a professional wakeboarder and took home this prestigious title.

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Because of the current world climate, the traditional event honoring the best things in wake was featured online for the third time. Much like the “Oscars” of Wake, the Wake Awards winners are voted by a panel of industry experts like the “academy” (unlike the popular Reader’s Poll contest where the fans get to vote for their favorite riders). The annual affair has been running for over 2 decades and to win the coveted Wake Award is considered to be the highest honor.

This year the show was bigger than ever, with 20 awards presented by the best content creators in the industry, including new awards for Women’s Park, Check Out and Full Scope categories, plus Wakesurfing and Wakeskating men and women got recognized for the first time.

And the winners are…

In the boat category, 7-time-World Champion Meagan Ethell won the female Rider Of The Year award. Ethell has previously won 6 ROTY titles and was also voted the fan favorite boat rider in the Reader’s Poll. In the men’s division the top honors went to Italy’s Massi Piffaretti who made the biggest impact during 2021 in contests, social media posts and video edits. Piffaretti teamed up with British Videographer Dave Av, who won the Best Content Creator of the year, and the winning duo also received the Best Web Video award with the amazing short “Cara Italia”. The Best Film Award was “The Coalition. The Movie. The Trilogy” by Spacemob Tv.

Texas native Anna Nikstad repeated last year’s win and took the Female Park Rider Of The Year award. For the first time, the Wake Awards included separate awards for women in Park and Boat categories (like in the men’s division) making it equal and bringing many more amazing women riders to the spotlight. In the men’s division, Brazilian Pedro Caldas won the Park Rider Of The Year award for the first time, achieving a lifelong dream. 

The winners of the new Wakeskater Of The Year category were Zuzana Vrablova from Slovakia and Thailand’s Daniel Grant. Both athletes took the fan vote win at the Reader’s Poll, making them not just the best but also the most popular Wakeskaters on the planet. 

The Men’s Check Out award winner was ten-year-old Kane Ward who took the World Title earlier in the season becoming the youngest rider to land a double flip. The Check Out women’s award went to fifteen-year-old Rivers Hedrick who rose through the ranks all season and had an outstanding performance at Milan’s Red Bull Wake The City contest with teammate Anna Nikstad. 

Wakesurfing made its awaited debut at the 2021 Wake Awards with 5-time-World Champion Ashley Kidd taking the win in the female division and Noah Flegel in the men’s. Both athletes won the fan vote at the Reader’s Poll as well.

The Full Scope Award goes to the best all-around rider in all modalities. Guenther Oka won the title for the fifth time in a row positioning himself into legendary status at his young age. The Full Scope women’s award went to Jamie Lopina who notoriously won the Moxie Pro women’s contests in both cable and boat this season. Jamie had a stellar performance never missing the podium all year long.

The Indmar Trick Of The Year awards went to Julia Rick from Germany who landed a KGB540 and to Orlando’s Trent Stuckey that landed an impossibly dangerous “Rage-Cage” for the first time. The Indmar Trick Of The Year award in the Wakeskate division went to Lake Havasu’s Cole Kraiss.

Operation Wakesurf won the Pass The Handle Award for introducing the most people to the sport and the Legend Award went to Wakeskate and foiling pioneer Brian Grubb, who still competes at the pro level to this day. Grubb placed third at the WWA World Wakeskate Championships behind the boat this year and is taking foil surfing and base jumping to the next level. 

Honorary mention to rider JB O’Neill who won the Reader’s Poll for the Best Content Creator and the Favorite Boat Rider Of The Year. JB also placed second as the favorite Park Rider Of the Year behind Great Britain’s Liam Peacock. Italy’s Claudia Pagnini won the fan vote for the Favorite Female Park Rider.

To watch the 2021 Wake Awards show please visit Wakeboarding Magazine’s YouTube channel.

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Favorite Male Wakeboarder – Boat

1. JB O’Neill 
2. Shaun Murray
3. Massi Piffaretti
4. David O’C
5. Guenther Oka
6. Cory Teunissen
7. Sam Brown 
8. Tyler Higham

Favorite Female Wakeboarder – Boat

1. Meagan Ethell 
2. Bec Gange
3. Dallas Friday
4. Carro Djupsjo
5. Jamie Lopina
6. Mary Morgan Howell
7. Taylor McCullough 
8. Tarah Mikacich

Favorite Male Wakeboarder – Park

1. Liam Peacock 
2. J.B O’Neill
3. Pedro Caldas
4. David O’C
5. Sam De Haan
6. Loic Deschaux 
7. Graeme Burress 
8. Crosse Bearden

Favorite Female Wakeboarder – Park

1. Claudia Pagnini
2. Lisa Baloo
3. Anna Nikstad
4. Rivers Hedrick
5. Julia Rick
6. Anne Freyer
7. Sanne Meijer
8. Katinka Buiting

Favorite Male Wakeskater

1. Daniel Grant 
2. Maxime Giry
3. Maurizio Marassi 
4. Brian Grubb 
5. Travis Doran 
6. Reed Hansen 
7. Beau Goforth 
8. Cole Kraiss 

Favorite Female Wakeskater

1. Zuzana Vrablova
2. Tynna Rau 
3. Lea Koskova
4. Telma Cester
5. Martyna Andrzejczak
6. Jen GilanFarr Mitchell

Favorite Female Wakesurfer

1. Ashley Kidd
2. Ashley Inloes
3. Chelsea Caywood
4. Cassidy Gale
5. Bailey Dunn
6. Jodie Grassman

Favorite Male Wakesurfer

1. Noah Flegel
2. Austin Keen
3. Sean Silveira
4. Beaux Wildman
5. John Akerman
6. Drew Drennan

Favorite Content Creator

1. JB O’Neill
2. Peacock Brothers
3. Shaun Murray
4. David O’C
5. Lemonade Normal 
6. Dave Av
7. John Haile
8. Sina Fuchs

Favorite Boat Brand

1. Nautique
2. Malibu
3. MasterCraft
4. Supra Boats
5. Centurion
6. Axis
7. Boston Whaler
8. Tigé

Favorite Cable Park

1. 313
2. Turin Wake Park
3. Wake Paradise Milano
4. Thai Wake Park
5. OWC
6. Hip Notics Wake Park
7. Camsur Watersports Complex
8. Westrock Wake Park

Favorite Board Brands

1. H/L
2. Ronix
3. Liquid Force
4. Slingshot
5. OBRIEN
6. DUP
7. Connelly

The post 2021 Reader’s Poll Results: Find Out Who Won the Fan Vote! appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Carro Djupsjo

The Swedish powerhouse has been a stand out in the sport for over a decade, consistently producing amazing content and video edits. Carro is capable of landing doubles at the park and arrays of spins and mobes behind the boat. She is a great ambassador for all women wakeboarders, but most importantly, her spirit inspires all riders with her relentless courage and perseverance. She has come back from two ACL reconstructions and this year she placed second at the US Masters.

Sanne Meijer

Originally from Holland, Sanne has been medaling at the World Championships in both boat and cable events for years. She is the World Beach Games, European Champion and one of the few women on the planet who can land an S-Bend behind the boat. Meijer holds her own in the women’s pro wake park scene, this year she made the finals and placed 4th behind Jamie Lopina at Lithuania’s Red Bull Wake Duel.

Jamie Lopina

Jamie Lopina won the Moxie Pro women’s event in both boat and cable this year, that alone says more than words. With incredible talent, attitude and courage, she makes everything look easy and smooth. When she is in a competition she focuses like no other, this year Jamie got on the podium in all the pro events she participated in.

Meagan Ethell

The 2021 World Wakeboard Champion has an incredible style behind the boat grabbing most of her mobes and spins. This year Meagan participated in a few cable events where she took down some big names and got on the podium at the park. She placed second at the 2021 WWA World Wake Park Championships behind Julia Rick and turned heads getting third place with her teammate Nicole Regazzo at Milan’s Red Bull Wake The City.

Taylor McCullough

Taylor had a great year. She placed third at the Moxie-Pro Boat final event and repeated her podium finish at the Moxie-Pro Cable Finals. McCullough has been an established pro for over a decade, having podium finishes at both World Wakeboard and World Wake Park Championships. This year she made it back to the top after shoulder surgery, she is ranked in the top five in the World Rankings.

 Hollie Waldrop

The eighteen-year-old rookie on the Pro Women’s scene posed a threat to all her competitors this year. Waldrop made it into the final events at the Moxie -pro Boat and Cable events. She took down some big names advancing through the heats into the semifinal rounds. Soft spoken, self disciplined, polite and with fierce determination, Hollie has successfully moved up from the Junior Pro Women’s category earning her first nomination for the Wake Awards as one of the six most well rounded female riders worldwide.

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Travis Doran

The groundbreaking athlete sends it on all his photo shoots and video edits. Travis goes huge whether he is winching over gaps or waterfalls!

Maxime Giry

World Wakeskate Champion, European Champion and 2020 Wake Awards Wakeskate Trick Of The Year winner, Giry pulls it together at contests and in his popular video edits.

Daniel Grant

World Wakeskate Champion, raw talent, gifted, prodigious, a few words to describe Daniel Grant’s mastery. Leading the Wakeskate movement for a decade, the former Park and Rail ROTY is only 4 weeks away from his Wakeskate Wednesday’s anniversary.

Coco Mendez

The 2021 WWA World Wakeskate Champion from Venezuelan descent has 4 World Titles under his belt, this year he took top honors behind the boat at the Nautique WWA World Championships.

Cole Kraiss

“Cole Kraiss kickflips then frontside flips over a handrail most people wouldn’t even think of ollieing on a wakeskate in the first shots.” Says wakeskate legendary pioneer Thomas Horrell. The talent and creativity that Cole brings to the pro-wakeskating scene is refreshing and mind-blowing, he is a regular and stand-out in many of the Watermonster’s crew videos.  

Andrew Pastura

“The opening clip of Andrew kickflipping out of a boardslide on a round pipe with about an 8 foot drop kind of sets the tone even before the other mind melting ensues” says legend Thomas Horrell. “Andrew kickflip boardslides and kickflip backside lipslides a long downrail to shuv out looking like he’s done it a million times, cause he has, that’s what he does, and it’s not a big deal for him.”  If Horrell’s mind melts, ours just dissolves. Drew Pastura has been around for a long time, the quiet and progressive wakeskater behind Watermonsters, is often credited for the evolution of wakeskating to where it is now.

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John Dreiling

While John is better known for sending it in the park, he spent much of 2021 making all of wakeboarding rethink what boat riding could or should look like. He had his invitational small wake contest and treated the boat’s wakes more like features in a park instead of just as ramps for getting air. Dreiling blew minds sending it huge in his videos, while simultaneously proving that any pull can not only be fun, but can be grounds for unique, stylish and even progressive riding.

Guenther Oka

To put it simply, Guenther Oka is the king of the castle these days, and has been for a few years. He’s won the Full Scope Award multiple times, and deservedly so. Not many riders come close to Guenther’s abilities and accolades when it comes to boat, park, foil and winch riding. Guenther’s style stands out, as he continues to lead the sport and push it to new heights.

Massi Piffaretti

There isn’t another rider on the planet like Massi Piffaretti, and wakeboarding is better off because of it. Massi rides everything and does it all in a style that looks rad and inspires everybody who watches. Piffaretti handles the attention like a rockstar, whether he is riding in contests, landing double-ups, shredding at cable parks or riding doubles all eyes are on Massi, and he shines.

Pedro Caldas

The multitalented Brazilian pro can shred at the park and behind the boat. Caldas goes huge and can focus under pressure making him a regular at the podiums in the Cable Park scene. A wold traveler and free rider, Pedro is a fan favorite for his jaw-dropping video sections.

JB O’Neill

The ultimate content creator is incredibly talented and brave. JB rules behind the boat, at the park and with his camera. Putting out some of the best wake content and sending it in between. Just ask airbud.

Noah Flegel

AKA Big Red, The ultimate waterman from the Sunshine State, whether he is fishing, wakeboarding, surfing you name it, Whatever you hand to Flegel he will excel in no-time. Capable of landing sick tricks and going huge behind the boat, winning the Nautique Masters title and overall wakesurfing series, doing flips and spins on a foil sans straps… charging Pipeline with the local crowd… If I keep going we are going to need to build Noah a shrine….

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Lea Koskova

European Champion Snowboarder/Wakeboarder

Zuzana Vrablova

6x World Wakeskate Champion, Currently First in the World Rankings

Telma Cester

World Junior Wakeskate Champion, European Jr. Champion, Currently Second in the World Rankings

Tynna Rau

Phillipines National Champion, Asian Wakeskate Champion, Co-founder of the Wakebabes

Martyna Andrzejczak

European champion

Jen GilanFarr Mitchell

Wakeskate Pioneer, Established Pro, Founder of The Wakebabes

The post 2021 Wake Awards: Best Wakeskater Female Finalists appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Ashley Inloes

This year, the sweet teen from Orlando was the runner up at the Nautique WWA World Wakesurfing Championships in the pro women’s division. She also entertained us throughout the year with her popular and candid instagram video edits.

Ashley Kidd

Ranked number one in the world, 5X World Champ Ashley Kidd has dominated the sport for over a decade. She’s won five World Wakesurf Championships and has ten USA National Titles under her belt.

Jodi Grassman

Jodi Grassman is a podium regular in the pro-women’s wakesurfing scene. This year she was crowned 2021 Nautique Wakesurf Masters Champion.

Whitley Stewart

The CWSA 2020 Wakesurf ROTY has made a name for herself. Stewart was voted by the panel of experts as one of the top six best wakesurfers on the planet, making it into the finals for the Best Female Wakesurfer Of The Year award.

Remi Sasaki

The stand-out wake surfer from Japan is the CWSA 2020 Outlaw World Champion. Sasaki has a smooth and consistent style that has earned her many titles at the CWSA online contests and in Japan’s pro wakesurfing scene.

Cassidy Gale

This year, Cassidy Gale won her first major title being crowned as the 2021 World Wakesurf Champion at the WWA Nautique World Wakesurf Championships. One to watch out for, Gale is moving up through the ranks quickly.

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