18-year-old finds best friends through wakesurfing She has a passion for anything to do with a board

By Celeste Edenloff

When she was just 8 years old, Ella Sorensen and her older brother, Cole, joined a snowboarding program called Foundation 725 that is run by Gary Anderson. Through this, the now 18-yearold was also exposed to the summer program, Wake n Up, which was all about wakesurfing.

“As a lover of anything to do with a board, I was ecstatic for a new challenge,” said Sorensen. “Both my brother and I learned to wakesurf with Foundation 725. My parents saw that the excitement and passion for the sport came immediately with learning and eventually, we were fortunate enough to get a wakesurf boat of our own. We’ve been hooked ever since.”

Sorensen, who lives on Lake Miltona with her family, including her parents, Marc and Jeni, is an online student who is set to graduate this spring. Being an online student, she said, allows her the flexibility to travel for her passions, such as snowboarding and wakeboarding. She plans to attend the University of Utah this fall.

A Competitive Sport

When she was about 11 years old, Sorensen said, she began competing in wakesurfing and continued to compete for about four years.

“Competing in wakesurfing was an amazing opportunity to travel the U.S. and meet new friends from all over,” she said. “I’ve met some of my best friends from wakesurfing!”

During the summer, Sorensen, along with her mom and older brother, would spend many weekends on the road for contests. She said they spent quite a bit of time in Utah and Arizona, but also traveled to Washington and Florida, too, as well as all around Minnesota.

“It wasn’t a bad way to spend summer vacation,” she said.

Then, about three years ago, she decided to step away from competitive wakesurfing and now thinks of it more as a hobby.

“Now I am able to enjoy wakesurfing as a passion without the pressure of competition,” she said.

She isn’t done with competing altogether, however. Sorensen said she is a competitive snowboarder and travels across the country in the wintertime competing in that sport.

For The Love Of The Sport

Since she began wakesurfing, Sorensen said her favorite aspect of it has always been the time she spends in the sun.

“I love being outdoors and wakesurfing has been a great way to enjoy the sun and the water,” she said. “The social element has been huge for me, as well. Wakesurfing is so universal. It’s been amazing to share the sport with my family and friends.”

For those thinking about trying wakesurfing, Sorensen said nothing beats just time spent doing it. She suggests just trying it out and seeing what works. She said to get the basics down first, but to make sure you have fun doing it.

Another suggestion she said was to explore different types of waves and boards to find what suits you the best.

“Each person tends to have their own preferences when it comes to the specifics,” she said.

Her favorite boards come from Brigade Wakesurfing. She said each board is handcrafted in Idaho and that they are a lot lighter in weight than other boards by other manufacturers.

“For life vests, I love my Glidesoul jacket. They are flattering, comfortable and come in great colors as well,” she said. “And for swimwear, Roxy makes an awesome variety of bathing suits.”

Thankful

No matter if she was competing or just wakesurfing for the fun of it, Sorensen said she is so thankful to her parents for their support. She said they have always supported her love and her passion for the sport.

“Whether it was driving the boat for hours of practice or taking the time to travel for contests, they always had my back and were in for the ride,” she said, adding that she is also thankful for her brother for pushing her in progression and helping her navigate through competitive wakesurfing.