06/27/2007

When you are out wakeboarding what impresses you more? Someone who throws down a trick you have never seen anyone else do or someone who throws a trick that everyone does all the time.

For me, it would have to be someone who throws down a trick I have never seen done. See, I was lucky enough to be introduced to wakeboarding and the industry through one of the pioneers of the sport – Greg Nelson. As you may or may not know I, along with Greg Nelson, Corey Kraut, Collin Wright and Luke Wolf went on the “The Double Up Experience “ wakeboard bus tour across the nation. We started in FL and ended up in New Jersey somehow 68 days later. The best part of the experience was I woke up every morning to riding with some of the most innovative and motivated people I have ever met. From the watching one of the first ever “off axis” spin by Corey Kraut to Collin Wright’s 45 minute spin assassination to Luke Wolf’s 9’s was mind blowing. What’s even better is this movement was happening over 6 years ago.

Along the way we met some great people and probably my most memorable experience was riding with Mark Kenney. For those of you that don’t know, Mark to this day is hailed as one of the top riders in the world. Remember, I rode with him over 6 years ago and he at that time was throwing tricks that to this day no one can even come close to doing. If you took Lyman, Randal, Rusty, Harf and Murray and combined all their skills and style into one rider, you would have Mark Kenney.

So, as you can see my introduction into the sport was one that doesn’t happen everyday and tends to give you a different outlook on what wakeboarding, contests and the industry is all about.

If we fast forward to the now, as some of you know, I currently judge on the Pro Wakeboard Tour. For those that were at the Acworth Pro Tour Stop know that Randal made an appearance for the first time at in contest in I don’t even know how long.

Not only did he make an appearance but he threw 6 tricks in his pass that I have never seen anyone else throw with that much style, amplitude and just sheer attitude. When the announcers called his name it was like everyone stopped what they were doing and went to the shore to watch the show. See, for those that don’t know 75% of the riders on the Pro Tour do the exact same pass or tricks each time. For me, it seems like it’s turned into a gymnastics show more than a wakeboard contest. Yes, I agree it takes skill to throw a whirly 7, back lip transfer the box and then roll in to a crowmobe 5 and finish with a heel 7 but still if you do that same pass over and over again it just gets boring to watch. Randal on the other hand threw down a different pass each time he touched the water. To me, it takes more skill and style to throw the tricks you want to throw rather than having a run mapped out in your head and adding or subtracting a 180 to a trick that was invented over 10 years ago based on your landing from the previous trick or your set up to the next trick.

So, the question is, where is wakeboarding and contest going? The Pro Tour is doing a great job and calls numerous meetings throughout the year to get the riders involved and essentially the riders set up the new system that you see. It’s hard to understand the way things are judged if you are not a judge or where not at any of the riders meetings. We have to understand that you can’t please everyone all the time and this is these guys livelihood and living so there has to be a common ground that someone agrees upon and that is what you have today.

It’s amazing how the Pro Tour has evolved and changed for the better. It’s great to see Byerly going out to start his own wakeskate only series. Also, it great to see other outside contests and series because I truly believe it’s those individual events along with the Pro Tour that will take wakeboarding to the next level.

I just want to say that I am blessed and humbled to be in the position I am with the Pro Tour and have the experiences I have had along my journey. It’s not everyday that one gets to experience what I have experienced.

With all that said, get ready, if you thought the original Slider Slam was insane and something innovative and new, just wait and see what I got up my sleeve for you all!

So, thanks to all those that have helped me along the way and here’s to progressing the sport.

Get out, get involved and do what you can.

-Viper