The Annual 2011

The Annual 2011

JOSH LETCHWORTH POND TROTTING SCHIZOPHRENIC VOYEUR HIGHLIGHTS

Focus

Cover: Sam Carne makes the most of Autumn in Orlando Pic: Garrison This Page: Summer lives on into October at Quayside Pic: Eddy

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in our

. e r o c d o o w c i Atom

Steffen

Photo / Joey Meddock

THAT ARE ADAPTABLE, FLEXIBLE, STABLE, RENEWABLE AND LOCALLY FARMED. TIME TO BELIEVE IN THE HARDEST HITTING, MOST AGGRESSIVE CORE IN THE INDUSTRY.

IT’S TIME TO BELIEVE. TIME TO BELIEVE IN OUR FULL WOOD CORES

Vollert

THE

14 Welcome

Contents

Syndicate says “Hi and Bye� to 2011

An interview with the legend that is

16 Autumn Approach

46 Freshers I

18 Decongestant I

52 Glass Butter Beach

20 Decongestant II

58 Voyeur

24 Pond Trotting

66 Playgrounds

28 Life Without a Hitch

70 Fresher II

Taking on the cold and motivation for 2012

Reed Watson encourages you to explore

Olympics and our sport with Sam Carne

Ramblings and adventures from everywhere

Ben Hitch makes his return

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36 Josh Letchworth

Jorge Gill is fresh and on the up

The most chilled festival of the summer

Your complete round up of all the spots

Box End features in our spot review

Will Bradley makes his name on the skate

AN

Eddy

NNUAL

2011

Ben Hitch - Mute half cab SYNDICATEWAKE.COM

11

Meddock

welcome...

A

fter our first full season Syndicate Wake brings you the 2011 Annual.

The best of 2011 for you to enjoy online as our first full online publication.

Bringing you interviews, news and reviews in the the magazine paper flesh we now deliver the best interviews with the biggest names in the industry and the best photography from around the globe.

After a great first year we are looking forward to giving you the best coverage of our great sports in the the coming year and for a long time to come. With a lot already on the cards for 2012 on the UK scene and internationally it is sure to be a big year for everyone involved or interested in the sport with a huge amount of new spots coming to fruition and some sick new gear on the doorstep it will be one to remember.

Without looking back too much, 2011 has been a strong year for UK wakeboarding with more and more riders breaking through at a younger age and a higher standard, the scene has never before had such an influx of talent motivated to perform at their best and push the limits of the sport and themselves. It is important to keep that drive rolling on and helping each other progress and staying on the water even in the colder times.. but then again.. there is always the option of the flight to warmer climes.. never a bad call.

Marc Rossiter, melon half cab off axis 180

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Whether you are riding through the winter or hanging up your suit for a month or two off, or lucky enough to head off to the sun somewhere then we wish you all the best for the winter months and will see you back on paper in the new year and always online at www.SyndicateWake.com.

Thank you all for your continued support throughout 2011 and into 2012, take it easy and have a good one.

Syndicate_Wake_FinalIssue_2011.indd 1

10/10/2011 10:04

decongestant As we head into Autumn and with Winter just around the corner we see the leaves turn brown and cover the roads in the same way that we see less flesh and more fully clad limbs of neoprene on the waters and docks of our lakes around the country. This time of year it can be easy to laugh off going riding and take the easy road and not bother getting wet. It is now that we can take full advantage of shorter queues and more water time than during the busy times of the Summer. Taking advantage of this time of year can be more advantageous than you might realize for your own riding, extending your season for another two months will not only help keep you fit before the Winter sets in but it can also be the most productive time of year for your own progression. Having spent probably the last seven or eight months on the water, your perception, agility and general awareness on the water will be at a maximum giving you the best chance of actually developing your own skills. Taking advantage of these facts combined with a shorter queue on the dock can really be advantageous if you choose to make use of it.

After all that keeps us going back for more in any sport is progression and improvement – the feeling of development is ultimately rewarding and there is nothing like that feeling of landing a new trick or just making an old trick feel and look different with a better grab or poked out stall. It is not always about doing

aumtumn approach

Words: Andrew Eddy Pic: Chris Garrison

the biggest and best trick in the book if you land it hanging on by one finger and a massive butt check, what makes our sport exciting and attractive is those moves executed with style and control. There have been a lot of developments in the UK scene over the last few years with the general standard of riding being elevated year on year, yet the riders who stand out past and present are those that ride with style and make their tricks look distinct and individual.

You might feel that landing your best trick with an extra 180 on it could be the best thing that you could do and that is not wrong, yet to make what you are doing already look better with a stronger grab or poke will make it feel better and will elevate your style and agility to new levels. Riders that have become legends within our sport and many other similar sports are not always those that are landing the most technical tricks – as for a start we are not all as talented as the Danny Harf’s and Harley Clifford’s of this world but there is plenty of room for the rest of us to make our mark in other ways.

Riders like Randall Harris have not always been at the cutting edge of tricks in terms of landing 10’s and 12’s but has always been at the forefront of pushHarley Clifford making this roll to blind his own

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ing original tricks in new directions. Things like wrapped spins, grabbed all the way around and stomped into the flats make him stand out amongst a crowd of riders making their way in this water world of trickery.

What we are essentially looking at here is pushing yourself to be original, to be out there perfecting your art and not being happy with just landing your tricks but spending time improving them and making them yours. Putting your mark on a trick that 90% of riders can land is often more impressive than landing a trick that 90% of riders can’t. Our sport is pushed by riders driving the levels of competition through the roof with new tricks constantly being landed that have never been landed in front of the judges, is something that will continue long into the future as that is the nature of progression. However we are not all competing at the top level (in fact there are relatively very few that do) and those you will find often have some of the sickest styles around, so let’s spend some Autumn time staying on the water, staying fit and tuning our riding to make it more rewarding and putting our own personal mark on our fine sports.

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10/10/2011 14:49

Watson

schizophrenic

this month our voice from within comes from Syndicate’s new international editor reed watson. HE encourages you to get out, get different and be creative with where you ride and who you ride with

W

e often find ourselves doing the same things day in and day out. We drive to the same location, go to the same cable lake and wait in the same queue. Now there’s nothing wrong with this, but why not mix it up at times.

Take yourself to another cable lake, try out winching, or give your friend a little cash to go out on their boat or jet ski for the day. These are the things that keep our waterboarding alive and fresh. I think we all could agree that this hobby of ours would be a bit dull and boring without the diversity of choices in front of us. So get out there and explore. Go discover the unknown, search for the new possibilities, and take advantage of the endless amount of water around us.

Call up your friends, get together, and put together a plan to try out something new. List out the types of towing devices you guys/gals have and jot down a few spots of interest . Next figure out the budget to see what you could do and how far you could travel. If one of you friends is looking uninterested or is still staring at their magazine, then splash them with water and say, “We’re doing this!” Get on Google maps or your favourite website and search up and down the rivers and lakes for potential spots. The spot you find may not always work out, but you would’ve never known if you didn’t go and look.

The winch will most likely be your cheapest option and a boat probably on the not so cheap side. The jet ski is another choice that is on the cheaper side, and the cable lakes are about in the middle of the price range. Not towing something is always a plus too. Who wants to drive slower, spend more money on petrol, and risk the chance of getting a traffic ticket for that broke trailer light of yours.

Add camping into an trip. Why not stay outside with Mother Nature? Many “wake facilities” even offer places for you to camp. If there is place to camp

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then search around for other campgrounds or even commando mission your tent into the bushes at the cable lake. This will cut costs and add more flavour to the adventure. Pack up the sodas, marshmallows, and hot dogs for a guaranteed laugh and a fun time.

Do you know friends who live in another place? Or have friends you have have friends that live somewhere else? Well save up and go travel to one of these places. You’re most likely going to have a free place to stay and have access to water activities. Just the traveling, meeting new people, and trying new foods is fun in it self. Then throw in wakeskating or wakeboarding. You may just find your knew home away from home.

Document the trip. Bring your cameras and camcorders along. Take pictures and video of what you do and see. Maybe even make a video at the end of the trip? Put together a slide show of the pictures. Show grandma. You’ll look back on the memories one day and be amused by home much you have changed or your riding ability has improved.

Whether you wakeskate or wakeboard, ride behind the boat or winch, we are all doing this because we enjoy it. We feel alive when we are on our boards.

We don’t all get towed by the same thing every day, and this adds to the fun of trying new things and seeing how other people approach things. To see the different tricks and the different styles. At times you start to think outside the box and realise that there is more available in front of than you first saw.

So wake up your friends, get the camping gear together, and go explore the waterways!

Naamloos-1 1

07-10-2011 16:24:06

West

schizophrenic

Sam carne talks olympics and exposure in this month’s internal voice from the wake machine So as I’m sure many of you are aware wakeboarding seems to be in the running for the 2020 Olympic games. In light of snowboarding’s popularity and success at the Winter Olympics I can only assume that the council must be looking to recreate this in the summer. With the acceptance of our sport on a trial basis over the next two Summer Olympics we will have to chance to see boat riding included with a view to becoming a fully fledged member of the exclusive Olympic club.

Wakeboarding will be battling against other sports such as baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing and squash. However exciting wakeboarding may be it’s going to be challenging to beat a team of girls swinging at balls in short shorts or scantily clad ladies clambering up a rock wall.

This obviously would be a massive deal for wakeboarding if it came off. The exposure for one, with the millions of pounds that would be invested in endorsements and funding would have a colossal impact on the sport all the way through to grass roots levels where training programmes and coaches becoming more valuable and receiving more funding.

Personally I think it would be amazing to see our star athletes competing amongst the most physically well-conditioned human beings on the planet.

There would definitely have to be a few issues worked out… such as the subjective scoring format, that would have to be adapted and with the committee looking introduce a points system it may feel like we are stepping back into trick skiing days. Obviously I would hate for example to see wakeboardSam with a mega melon

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ing portrayed as trampolining on water with generic style and cloned tricks used to amass certain points. As long as a balance can be found and we are able to maintain the expression and art in the sport I see little harm. This is coming from someone who rides the boat for the majority of my time.

I guess if you look at in the perspective of cable being more like half pipe in snowboarding, in that the conditions/obstacles all stay at more of a constant. I can’t think of too many negatives with cable wakeboarding being enrolled into the Olympics let alone boat with Zero Off systems giving super accurate GPS powered speed control. Wakeboarding has come so far in it’s short years of existence. A slightly bitter moment I would imagine for the skiing world to step back and watch wakeboarding, the bastard child of skiing overtake it and slingshot into the Olympics?

Talking of huge exposure for the sport but in a very different vain there is a new TV show about to hit our screens and I’m getting twitchy with anticipation of viewing the first episode of “Wake Brothers”. MTV will be following the notorious Soven brothers in a new series! With guest appearances from some other big names on the Floridian scene such as Harley Clifford and Rusty Malinoski it is sure to draw a crowd and raise a few eyebrows. This will undoubtedly make for entertaining viewing, possibly in the cringe category of entertainment but that remains to be seen. Either way big things are happening and I hope everyone gets behind are beloved sport and please vote to get wakeboarding into the Olympics!

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Pond Trotting Words and Photos: Reed Watson

Hello. Welcome to the first “Pond Trotting” article.

My writings will take you to the places I go and along with the people I meet. My water activity is wakeskating, so the majority of my trips and stories will be about this. However, I may even talk about food or the neighbour’s dog at times. And who knows, I may even include the occasional wakeboarder. Overall I will do my best to parade you with my adventures.

This past summer I returned to England to meet up with the Dirty South wakeskate crew and friends.

The first thing we did was take a three-day road trip to Holland and Germany to have some fun and be spectators at Wake the Line. During this short trip we decided it would be a good idea to make a wakeskate video while I was visiting the U.K. So that is what we did. We filmed for five to six weeks capturing what we could. I then sat at Liam Smith’s computer for a week straight to produce, “A Cup A Tea,” after which I flew home. The day after returning home to San Diego, California I got in the car and drove five hours east to Bullhead City, Arizona to attend Wake the Plank. It was nice to see some friends again, to wakeskate in the blazing heat, and to win enough money (gambling) to pay for my car drive.

Check out my blog on www.syndicatewake.com if you haven’t yet. After all this I managed to settle in at home for about ten days before departing for my next trip.

Travis Doran with a frontside noseblunt at Retention

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Sunday, August 21st, I flew from San Diego to Washington D.C. I have never been to Washington D.C. and my friend Celeste moved 20 minutes from the city. So I took advantage of this and visited her for three days. The day we go to the city we experience a rumble while in a movie at the Air and Space Museum. We thought it was part of the movie we were watching, but afterwards we find out that it was an earthquake. They then shut down the city and that was the first place we went to. Oh well. I guess it was good memory for a first time to Washington D.C. Retention was starting soon, so the next morning I packed up my bags and flew south to Jacksonville, Florida.

I arrived the afternoon of Thursday, August 25th, at the Jacksonville airport hoping to catch a ride north to Georgia. Stu Shinn and Travis Doran were on their way driving north from Orlando, so I caught a ride with them and we drove two hours to Ben Horan’s home in Nahunta, Georgia. This is where Nike 6.0’s event, Retention, was being held. Retention was an all wakeskate event following the prior year’s Ragging Pull event. Ben remade his entire pool set up different for us this year. It was unreal. From the start dock you could hit a cement ledge on either side and then have just enough time to set up for a trick down the 4’ drop. When we arrived there were already several people testing out the set up. A lot of good tricks went down in practice. Looked like there would be some competition the next two days. The rest of the day we say hi to friends and settled into

Kyle Walton does not comply - no comply camp for the evening. The next day the amateur wakeskaters would compete for two open spots. These spots would be judged on best line or trick, and the best two would get the chance to compete with the pros the following day for $5,000. Andrew Fortenberry was one of the qualifiers with a 360 flip, and David Roehm landed a pressure flip to ensure he qualified too. As the sun went down we ate some barbequed food and waited for the movie screen to get set up. Then Anenberg premiered “The Apocalyptic Tour” video. It was awesome. It was the first time I got to see it and I think Kyle did a good job editing the video. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it as well. Saturday was the last day of Retention and the day the

Wincher’s lounge

Retention finalists with winner Ben Horan $5k richer

pros winched. All kinds of tricks went down throughout the day. Kyle Walton was trying no comply 180s off the drop, then the board hit his head and he almost gave up, but the crowd cheered him to land it next try. This let him win his heat, but he listened to the doctor’s orders and figured it would be best not the wakeskate with a head injury. The finals then came at night. The wakeskaters would blaze through the fog and green-lit sky for two hours. I think the entire town of Nahunta was there by this point now. Ben Horan landed a backside lip shuv out then varial heelflip down the drop to win the $5,000. This night was a fun party again with barbequing, people jumping off the cherry picker, and skating the skate park in the driveway.

After Retention a few of us stayed around for two days to winch the Ponds some more, before packing up our bags and driving south to Orlando for Toe Jam. Wednesday, August 31st, was the start of the Byerly Toe Jam. It kicked off with the boat event. There wasn’t too much of a crowd this day and a few of us weren’t competing in boat, so we decided to go winch for the afternoon.

We went to the Anderson Gap in Orlando. This was my SYNDICATEWAKE.COM

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Big gap, big trick. Andrew Pastura, varial heelflip

Matt Hooker makes short work of a tall ollie, back lip 90 shuv out

first time winching it and I thought it was a blast.

We went there one or two more times and would capture some never before done tricks at the spot.

After the boat finals were over, Kyle and I went back to the Projects to camp for the remainder of Toe Jam. We had the tents set up, tikki torches, a campfire, and a picnic table. During the week we managed to attract in a few people with our art gallery, and coal walking exhibit. There was only the Byerly bus with a few people aboard, and one other group who camped for the week. I think the camping made the Toe Jam more enjoyable. As for the contest side of things, Matt Hooker won winch with a frontside. Four days of the contest were over we went to downtown Orlando for the awards ceremony. “The Apocalyptic Tour” video even premiered for its second time. And the crowd went just as wild as before. Hooker even celebrated with a bloody elbow all night. After the partying we decided to call it a night and head back to the house.

A few days later the Pastura brothers and Walton took off to Ohio. I think they went over to Orlando and had some WaterMonster’s stuff to work on. The rest of us got ready for the four days of Surf Expo. Surf Expo is a one time a year exhibition where several of the companies in the wake, surf, and skate industries get together to showcase their product. The first night was also the awards ceremony for tricks and videos of the year.

I wasn’t really listening too much, but I did hear that the wakeskate video “More Than Machines,” won video of the year. That was out of wakeboard and wakeskate too, so that was rad. Andrew Pastura got wakeskate video part of the year. Ben Horan got wakeskater of the year. And Stu Shinn won wakeskate move of the year with his waketo-wake backside flip. I stayed with Stu for two weeks and only saw him wakeskate once. He did manage to kickflip Anderson twice and frontside flip his first try down it. I guess if you’re as good as Stu Shinn and have won two move’s of the year awards, then you don’t need to wakeskate every day. We then enjoyed three more days of Surf Expo. After Surf Expo ended we got out on Lake Nan to do some wakeskating behind the jet ski.

The lake is nice and small with two rails and a few docks that you can jib and jump over. Jen GilanFarr and I even wakeskated two mornings early before any one in the house woke up. After all the shenanigans and fun for three weeks, I decided it was time to fly back home to California.

I love to travel and it’s something I will never quit doing. There are so many different people and cultures to experience, foods to taste, places to see, and much more. Get out and travel when you get the chance. It’s usually always worth it. Thanks to the Horan family, Stu, Anenberg, WakeSports, and everyone else who made this trip possible. Well this was the first of many articles from me. The rest are just going to get better. Hope you enjoyed!

Lake Nan by night

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Ben Horan at the Toe Jam backside tailslide

Andrew Pastura at the Anderson gap with a chunky backside flip SYNDICATEWAKE.COM

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life witho intense, explosive, controversial Words: Andrew Eddy Photos: James North Ben Hitch has seen it all, the rise to the top as a Junior European and World Champion and the falls of a professional sports career and losing sponsors amid questions and behaviour off the water. Now ten years after winning a world title he is competing again and back in the game. We have heard stories in the past along similar lines that have faltered along the way. Ben tells Syndicate why this time he is back for good and what has changed within the mind of this ferociously explosive rider.

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ut a hitch

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Back on a board and hitting the gym… what’s this all about? Is this the same Ben Hitch?

Of course it’s still me! Just with a very different outlook and approach to my competitive riding.

Is there some sort of master plan that we need to know about?

The master plan is to get back in the game, I want to be competing with the best again and doing well. I want to see and help the sport grow in a positive way.

What positive changes have you made in your life recently?

Well I have knocked the crazy out-all-night partying on the head, which was my biggest downfall and responsible for most of my problems. And I have been hitting up the gym with Neil Shannon at Lakeside gym with a strict training regime. I’ve also been doing a few kids coaching clubs at JB Ski which has been real good for me and the kids. I’ve really taken a liking to reflecting on all of this off the water in my blog writing; the travelling, the training and everything that comes with it. Writing is a great way of grounding yourself and finding out who you really are.

You are used to controversy by now and seen your fair share of it along the way, how do you think that has affected your career as a whole?

This is not the first time we have heard this is it? What and why is it different this time?

Every decision of the past has brought you to where you are today, are you happy with that thought or do you feel that you could have achieved more?

Well this is the first time I have been serious about these changes, and over the last five months I think I have proven that I am serious about this decision to channel all my energies into giving wakeboarding my all, and that I’m going to stick to it and not be broken by my demons.

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Yeah I am used to it but I’m aware the main reason all the controversy surrounded me was because of the silly decisions I made and my reckless behaviour.... which is why I’m making all these changes and trying to better myself, so that the only vibes and energy that surround me are positive ones.

Of course I feel I could have achieved more, but I’m not one to sit around and cry about it and dwell on the past. I was very young when I was thrown into this world of freedom and I travelled a lot with an older crowd of people and back then things weren’t as professional. Partying

"I'm going to stick to it and not be broken by my demons" and getting loose was a big part of it, and I was strongly influenced by all of this from a very young age with no parents travelling with me to guide my decisions. Yeah I got older and could have made better decisions in the paths I walked, but the fact is I didn’t and I’m not going to sit here today and say I regret everything I did as I had an amazing time when I was young-en! I travelled the world doing what most people would love to do at that age. The regrets I do have are those in which I upset people and sponsors in the times where I was just basically out of control, and I admit I was stupid and wild at times but everyone grows up - it just took me a little longer.

purity.

Do you feel that this is a last chance at proving what you want to prove?

The thought of getting back on top and being the best I can be, or seeing what I’ve got in me if I give it my all. Music plays a big part in keeping me on track in life. There’s always a suitable tune for every mind state.

I feel it may be the last chance to prove to my sponsors that I can be a good representative for them. As far as riding goes, I don’t really feel I need to prove anything, I ride because it’s amazing fun and if you’re trying to prove something out there then your riding starts to lose its

Do you feel like you owe it to yourself or anyone else for that matter?

As I said before I feel I owe it to my sponsors and everyone that’s stood by me throughout everything; the low times, dark times as well as the good.

What is your goal/motivation apart from riding, what keeps you going in the gym and on track with everything?

If you had to teach something to some wakeboarding groms what would you teach them?

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Eddy

"I'm looking forward to giving back to

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Eddy

the sport I've gotten so much from"

Clockwise from left: 1. Method Man has a lot to learn - switch method 2. Early morning indy glide 3. Same face, new attitude 4. Switch frontside boardslide

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Explosive in all the right ways

I would say if the riding is starting to lose its buzz and you have had enough of it for a while then step back and take a break. Don’t try and grind through it, go do something else. My parents never gave me any grief with my riding and they were never pushy and I’m super thankful for that. I think one of the biggest problems for kids riding nowadays is that they are being pushed too much by either their parents or trainers to be the best, then they start to forget why they started in the first place... the fun. Off the water I would say that a trampoline was the biggest help for me as a grom. It’s amazing for your cardio levels and your spatial awareness will go through the roof in weeks.

What life lesson did you learn the hard way that would have made a big difference to you?

Below: Look at it, look at it again, now notice that it is switch

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Knowing when to stop.

How would you describe your outlook on the next couple of years on the water?

I would say that it’s going to be an interesting ride and that a lot of positive things shall arise from it. I’m looking forward to giving back to the sport I’ve gotten so much from.

You have had a host of different sponsors through the years; do you feel that you can deliver this time around?

I feel that I have always delivered in the riding department, but this time

Crail never fails

I will be delivering a lot more as a rounded representative for their brand and I feel that they are going to be positively surprised with my efforts.

I’m really grateful to Oakley and Vans for sticking with me through the years and really excited to be riding for CTRL now and have Lakeside, Liquid Leisure, Jam Agency and Believe all supporting me.

and that is keeping me stable. It’s also bringing out the best in my riding, so it’s all good!

What would you say to sceptics and those within the industry that might have experienced a darker side to you?

I mean yeah everyone knows I was no angel, but I never went out of my way to upset people. I liked letting loose and was a bit a bit of a cheeky bugger... But as I said earlier people grow up and I feel I’ve grown up and am ready to prove myself as a good rider who is able to represent those who support me on and off the water.

Eddy

I would say that I will probably always have a dark side, I think it’s in my nature. To be honest I think everyone has a dark side, mine just arose more so than others. But that side of me will only surface in my riding now. I think I am learning to channel those energies and aggressions

Do you think that they have a point or do you feel like you deserve their trust, if so, why?

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Josh Letchwort h

An interview with a legend Words: Andrew Eddy Photos: Josh Letchworth

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“Sometimes, there’s a man, well, he’s the man for his time and place.”

The Stranger

Josh Letchworth is the man for our time and our place. For more than a decade Josh Letchworth has been at the forefront of wake photography, not just in the Mecca where he lives but on a global scale. He has an eye for art, not just from behind the lens but also on the water, few capture the essence of our sport in the way he has and continues to on an almost daily basis. Seldom found more than an arm’s reach away from a camera, he is the real deal, an artist and lover of his art.

Fresh back from a family holiday and undoubtedly unpacking to pack again we caught up Josh to gain an insight into his world and introduce those of you who don’t know him to open your eyes, and those that do to enjoy some gems from one of wake’s most decorated photographers.

it. It was exciting. Finally something that has its’ own identity with a bottomless pit of possibility. I appreciated the fact that they were trailblazing something. I watched them fail and succeed. And from a historic standpoint, I couldn’t ask to be a part of something any better than that.

Welcome home Josh I hope your holiday was eventful and enjoyable, what does the next few weeks hold in store for you?

Outside of wake, what has been your most inspiring shoot so far?

Well, I’ve learned to be really flexible over the past 12 years. Plans happen quickly and change even faster. On a personal note, we will basing our beautiful family of 5 out of Sun Valley, Idaho for the month of July. It’s a good time to get out of the Florida hear and enjoy some fresh mountain air.

On a work note, I will be travelling out on a few jobs for Nike 6.0. It looks a Surf lifestyle trip first and then who knows. As long as there is an airport where I’m going to be, then I’m all good. I can go anywhere.

Well, I’ve always been a surfer at heart, so my recent ventures into the surf arena have been pretty gratifying. I’ve been given some great opportunities with my Nike 6.0 relationship and we’ve been back and forth to Hawaii a lot to shoot some of the world’s best surfers. That was an arena that I always looked at as a spectator or a fan and now to be a part of that is pretty surreal. Its like a big circle of inspiration. They inspire me to make impactful images that will stand the test of time and offer a new look on the sport of surfing. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Julian Wilson, Michele Bourez, Dusty Payne, Kai Barger and Carissa Moore, to name a few.

How are you finding the transition into more broader sports and lifestyle shoots?

Really smooth. I’ve always incorporated a lot of lifestyle and portrait images into my shooting style. That was always a goal of mine, to link more of a lifestyle and story to the action images. I like what happens when athletes are off the stage just as much as when they are on it. And people rarely get to see the other side, so I enjoy capturing that. And in regards to shooting other sports, it’s been a really natural transition. I like taking what I’ve learned from shooting Wake and putting that into other sports. Its gives me a fresh perspective on the way different sports flow.

You were a finalist in the Red Bull Illume (photography) competition last year with a shot of Ben Horan against 22,000 others, how do you feel about the recognition and what is your proudest moment as a photographer so far?

Yeah, I just like what is being done on a wakeskate. We’re obviously seeing more progression, so that’s an obvious answer, but there’s more for me. I like how the sport is “smaller”. I know that may sound funny, but I mean that in an accessibility manner. It’s closer to you, more minimal, less grandiose, like wakeboarding. I’ve never really like putting my feet in bindings, personally. So I relate to it in that way too. It makes more sense to me and that helps greatly when you’re going to shoot something. If you can’t visualize what the person is thinking or feeling then you will have a hard time anticipating the moment.

It was definitely one of my proudest moments in my career. I can remember taking the Red Bull bus up to Altanta in 2007 to see the finalists of the first Red Bull Illume. I was semi-finalist in that one. I made it to the round of 200, but was selected as finalist of 50. When I saw those images illuminated in downtown Atlanta, I was blown away and completely motivated to do whatever it took to become a finalist for the next Red Bull Illume. So, in 2010 when they announced the “call for entries” I began my search through the archives for my best work. The image of Ben was in my head from the beginning and I knew in my heart that it was one of my best images I’ve ever taken. So, with that I was content with my submission.

Whether I was selected or not, I knew I had given my best. Well, fortunately I was selected as a finalist and I was psyched beyond words. There were so many ridiculously good images submitted by photographers that I’ve looked up to around the world. I was proud to be recognized out of such a stacked pool of images. I just recently had the opportunity to see the Illume gallery when it came to Miami Beach. I was invited down as a guest of honour and treated very well. That was huge moment to stand in front of my image illuminated in the park 4 years later from when I set my personal goal.

When did that transition occur for you, was it the development of the sport and its’ riders or has it always been the way since day one with skating?

We are all human and we all make mistakes, is there a shot that you have missed or lost in your career that you would really like to have today?

It happened naturally along side the growth of wakeskating. When my friends like Thomas Horrell, Scott Byerly and Aaron Reed starting moving in that direction, it just made sense to me to photograph it and be a part of

Ha….Oh I’m sure there is. I have a way of putting those out of my memory.

But, yes, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and missed many shots. I’ve ran out of film mid-sequence, been horribly out of focus, missed the landing, cut

Wakeskating is a favourite of yours to shoot, what gives it the edge over wakeboarding you, is it purely the freshness of the sport or more than that for you?

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“This shot was taken exclusively for Nike 6.0 Just Do It campaign. We worked on shoots for all of the sports, but with Wake I was able to shoot both Lifestyle and Action images. It was one of most incredible lighting setups I have ever been a part of. “

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Above: “This is 3 of my favorite things... Aaron Reed, B/W film and a good poke” Above Right: “Aaron Reed and I went up to a natural spring that he had found in the Ocala forest. The water was crystal clear and I dove down to shoot from below him. Shot with a NIkon F5 and Tri-X 400 B/W film” Right: “Danny Hampson always make the best out of taking photos. These guys are like family to me and that makes a difference in the things I get on film”

off heads, pre-maturely formatted memory cards, lost hard drives. I’ve done it all. And, yes you’re right, we’re human. Making mistakes is part of the process. Its sucks, but we wouldn’t learn if we didn’t. The worst part is having to be vulnerable with your mistakes and telling someone…”I missed it.”

Having seen the wake industry develop into a global industry from a unique position around the riders and industry folk alike, what would be your advice to those who are looking to get into the sport and make a living from it?

You better love it…and I mean LOVE IT. The only thing that got me where I am to day is my true passion to link together what I love with what I do for a living. I went through several dry spells and scraping by, but it didn’t matter to me, because I was still doing what I loved and not sitting under fluorescent lights, rotting away. Every industry is tumultuous, and especially ones that are easily effected by economy shifts. So, just keep that in mind.

Have a back up plan, don’t put yourself in too deep and always you’re your periscope up. The true art of business is being aware of what’s coming and being in the moment simultaneously.

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Having been around and seen the sights, what would be your most memorable experience whilst on the job?

Hands down, watching Teahpoo break in Tahiti. We were there shooting an editorial story for Alliance with Danny Harf, Parks Bonifay and Collin Harrignton. They were doing tow-ins at various breaks around the island.

After 2 weeks of shooting we got the word that Teahpoo was in the window for a massive south swell. We knew it was going to be out of our league, so we took the day off, reserved a boat and went for a front row seat in the channel. It was one of most surreal things I’ve witnessed, next to watching my three kids being born. There were only a few guys that were out doing tow-ins that day. Shane Dorian was one of them. I remember this one set starting to feather way out on the horizon. Being in that boat is so nerve racking. There is fine line between safe and sorry. The current is ripping and it is a constant battle to keep from getting sucked into the impact zone.

When the huge set finally made it to the reef, we were the closest boat out of the pack. We had a clear view of Dorian’s most memorable barrel of all time and one the best waves ever ridden at Teahpoo. I shot the whole thing. I have to go back and look at that image sometimes just to relive the

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“This is NIck Taylor from an experimental angle during a Nike Wake shoot. One of my favorite wakeskate action shots to date”

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Above: “This photo entails everything that I’ve ever wanted out of an action image. Really. When I think about what has been in my head since I started shooting Wake, this is it. Ben Horan, at home in Nahunta, GA” Right: “When shooting photos, sometimes you gotta make shit up to help tell a better story. This is a result of me asking Andrew Pastura to run back and forth through the woods to tell the story of the “journey”. It was actually fun...how often do you get to see these guys run on the ground?”

experience. It was mind-blowing overload.

If you had free reign and could plan your ideal trip with car full of riders, who would you take, where would you go and what would you shoot?

That would have to be team Obscura. Aaron Reed, Danny Hampson and the crew. And then for fun I would put Ben Horan, Ben Greenwood, Silas Thurman, Kevin Henshaw and Thomas Horrell in there. It would be a bus, a van or some sort of shitty RV. We get on the road with no direction. That’s how we work best. Just us and the wide open road with nowhere to go. You can’t have too many expectations….the good shit happens when you let go of all of that.

Up until only a few years ago you were still a hardened disciple of film, what made you eventually make the change to digital?

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I guess the modern times just finally got me. But like I’ve always said, cameras are just tools. It doesn’t matter which camera you shoot with, as long SYNDICATEWAKE.COM

“It doesn’t matter which camera you shoot with, as long as it’s giving you what you want for your vision” as it’s giving you what you want for your vision. People are always trying to compare the two. They are both great. Every camera is great. It just matters that you have one with you when the moment happens. I will always shoot film, I love the process. It slows me down, it makes me feel good knowing that its burning an image into something tangible that can be archived forever. Now that is truly “preserving” a moment in time.

into play when you are shooting people and have to be up in there personal space. In order to get what you want out of that person, you have to play a role in getting it out of them. If you can’t be in the moment and create that reaction, then you are stuck with only what they are willing to give you.

How have you seen your work change and style develop since you had your first shots published?

Art is a very personal thing and we all have our own styles in everything that we do, photography is no different, how do you think your personality comes through in your work?

When I look back each year, I see a more accurate definition to my style.

It’s taken me a long time to realize what my style is. For such a long time, I was focused on creating images like others that I would see or inspired by.

And, that too is good, but often times will send you into a tailspin to create something that doesn’t really relate to how you make images. When I finally “got it”, a really fascinating thing started to happen. I embraced the way that I liked to shoot things and honed in on making that better. Now when I shoot, its whole heartedly the way that I like to shoot. I’m no longer trying to emulate a style. I can still be inspired, but I make it fit into the way I do things best.

My personality definitely comes through in my style. Just like how we deal with different situations depending on how we feel at that moment. I believe that we are the sum of our experiences, therefore what we create and how we go into it, also changes with each experience. . At times my work is happy, bright and colourful. Other times its dark, moody and serious. I think that in general, I am a positive, magnetic person. That really comes

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Freshers

this month’s young gun is on the up AND UP, WITH A NATIONAL title under his belt and some respectable placings elsewhere on the circuit. Syndicate caught up with jorge gill at quayside to see what he had to offer Early doors at the Quays, Jorge punches out a batwing Name: Jorge Gill Age: 16 D.O.B: 5th August 1995 Years Riding: 5 Home Town: London Home Spot: Quayside Favourite Spot: Quayside and anywhere in Orlando Sponsors: O’Neill (Clothes & Wetsuits), Ultrasport (Liquid Force & Bern) Welcome to Syndicate Jorge, how have you been on and off the water recently – anything happening in your world?

I have been great thanks, and am very busy at the moment. I’m in my final year of school with thousands of hours of homework and exams but still wakeboarding every week, I recently came 4th in Open Men at the 2011 Nationals, I won the Youth Nationals in Junior Men and came second overall in the UK Pro Boat Tour.

is massive, letting you go that bit bigger on the tricks you want to land.

Also America is where you will find all the pro wakeboarders who are truly inspiring to watch.

Do you do any other sports or is it all wake related?

Yes, although I spend most of my time wakeboarding I am also into kickboxing and I snowboard too. Kickboxing helps a lot with my fitness especially in the winter months; I am going to enter my first kickboxing comp in December.

What would be your favourite wake movie, old or new?

I really enjoyed the Parks documentary, I don’t come from a waterski/ wakeboard background so it was great to see how it all started. I cannot believe those guys invented the tricks we all do today on those early boards.

That is awesome, good work. I know you have been riding a lot over the last couple of years, what do you think has been the most beneficial aspect of your training?

It was only a few years ago that you probably didn’t know what a whirlybird was, is there a time that you can remember thinking that wakeboarding was for you and that you really wanted to pursue it more or was it just a natural progression?

The most beneficial aspect of my training would have to be going over to America, not only is the weather perfect but every single wake out there

I started wakeboarding about five years ago at JB Ski, at the time I was into skateboarding when a friend asked me to come down and try out

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wakeboarding with him. I started to ride nearly every weekend but I wouldn’t say I was hooked, I started to get really into it about a year later after a couple of visits to Xtreme Gene in Spain were I landed my first invert (scarecrow), that’s when I started to enter comps and it all went from there.

Do you have any targets that you would like to achieve on the water, tricks or titles, film sections?

I recently won Stop 2 of the Relentless UK Pro Tour so I am hoping I can get a good result in the final stop at the Quays. Trick wise I would like to start getting some mobe 5’s on the go, I am close to whirly 5’s so I would love to nail that and also get my 7’s more consistent.

If you could take one element from three riders, what would you take from who?

Eddy

I like the way Bob Soven rides boat, I like his style so I’m going Bob for style. Harley has so many big tricks, if I could do half of the tricks he has I would be happy so it’s Harley for tricks and I would go for Keith Lyman or Randall Harris for intensity, not many go as big as those two.

Have there been any moments that you feel like you have really understood something about riding, something that made a trick easier or made you understand it all better? If so who told you and what was it?

Nothing is ever easy and when things go wrong it hurts, the whirlybird was a tricky one for me (line tension), it’s always best to try and work with people who know what they are doing, over the past five years I have had the privilege of working with some of the best wakeboard coaches in the UK, Europe and the world, they all have a different approach and they have all helped me lots.

If you could add one thing to the wakeboarding industry, on or off the water what would it be?

I would like there to be more money in wakeboarding, the cost of riding boat is high over here so most riders in the UK go the cable route these days. I am still at school so I have to thank my parents for making it possible for me to keep riding.

If you could take one thing out of the wakeboarding industry, on or off the water what would it be?

I don’t like kickers in boat comps, I don’t know why they are used, there is no need as the boat is creating a big liquid kicker that you hit 5-6 times in each pass.

If you could create your own private setup, what would it be, where and with whom and what equipment?

At the moment my perfect setup would be to own my own house on a chain of lakes somewhere warm with a 2012 X-Star or Nautique 230 with Phil Mitchell and Stewart Mackie on hand to drive me and my friends.

You have a few sponsors on board now, how would you like to stand out from the crowd. What would you like to be recognized for?

Yes, I have some fantastic sponsors such as O’Neill and Liquid Force and I hope they are happy with my progression so far, but it’s not just about the tricks and comp results, I hope to be remembered as a nice person as well.

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Style counts, indy nosebone blind 180

adley Pic SIm Br

tional

erna O’Shea Int

arine, The Old Mh Rd, Abersoch, Sarn Bac LL53 7ER Gwynedd 5 58 713 46 +44 (0) 17easurf.com info@osh f.com osheasur

GLASS BUTT

Lewis

Scotty Broome, GBB champion with an indy glide off the double up

Kurt Graham, batwing

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Bombora beach games

ER BEACh Lewis

A new festival and wake event was added to the calendar this year; Glass Butter Beach, which in previous years has been a small gathering of riders converging for a ride or rail session, saw a big transformation into a fully fledged wake comp and festival. Unlike many other festivals GBB is a far more personal experience, in that there is plenty of space for everyone on the beach front site with multiple areas and stages for all to enjoy. With everything from beach games by the outdoor waterside stage hosted by Bombora founders Sam Hall and Scotty Broome, to open sessions on the full size half pipe that was peering over the beach.

The whole vibe of the event was chilled and relaxed with plenty going on all the time, with other sports also being involved in the festival. This included surfing, BMX and skate all having their own demos and comps during the weekend giving everyone plenty to do or watch. The wake side of things was taken care of courtesy of Nautique Scotland bringing a Super Air 210 to tow the event, which had divisions all the way from Junior Girls through to Pro Men. A strong turn out throughout the divisions gave the great atmosphere on the beach and the boat a competitive, yet relaxed, vibe. Invited Pro division riders were Jack Hammersley, Scotty Broome, Sam Carne, Jonty Green, Kurt Graham, Matt Crowhurst and Dan Jordan who has been off the scene for a little while but made a triumphant return at GBB.

Lewis

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Some solid performances were laid down throughout the divisions with notable performances from some of the younger riders. In particular, Jamie Nicol from the Offaxis crew who threw down an incredible line in some challenging conditions. He suffered some rogue swells traveling through his pass, yet still throwing down a huge toeside 5, Tantrum and taking a man size digger off a front edge on a chunky raley; respect to the young local charger. As we carried on through into the Pro division, Jonty Green was explosive as ever and regardless of conditions Jonty always puts on a great. He came out of the gates charging hard with a massive batwing and

SUN AND GAMES IN WALES gargantuan front flip, way way way into the flats, saw him raise the bar before the others even had their bindings on. Sam Carne followed and was not to be outdone and threw down an incredibly clean and poppy indy tantrum to blind first trick. He did however struggle to find his feet in some more rogue chop that proved challenging to plough through. Regardless, he still lived up to his usual light hearted approach and clean style.

Sam Carne means business, indy tantrum to blind

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taking him to the second spot on the podium. The Australian connection Scotty Broome took flight next and once again laid down some solid moves, in conditions which were pushing all the riders to their limits. But our honorary Brit stood firm showing the judges a solid variety of tricks and again a chunky indy glide finished off his run with style. That was to earn him the crown for the boat comp. Jack “The hammer� was out in front of Kurt Graham and, whilst both riders are well known for their boat riding, the conditions held them back from their best yet. They still got down some bangers for the boys. Jack with his signature nuclear Tantrum and Kurt boosting a massive Batwing, showing that they were not going to lay down and let the water get the better of them entirely.

Dan Jordan, a man we have seen both on and off the scene for some years now, made a triumphant return with some incredible pop generated from a tumultuous tide. An enormous tantrum and scarecrow opening his run, followed by a unprecedented toeside backside 180 - mixing tech tricks and a tasty indy shifty to round off his run and the boat section of the competition.

Saturday brought us some cloudier weather than the beautiful Friday that we had been treated to; but as the next part of the competition was to be held at Glasfryn Wake Park the conditions were less important due to the sheltered nature of the site. With a light drizzle, the water was kept flat and calm. Winners from the junior sections were treated to ride with the Pros in the obstacle section of the competition, along with some tips and direction from the Pros, the juniors all saw some good progression. Three passes on the System 2.0 for the finals gave the Pros a chance to lay down their most varied and expressive runs - to impress each

Dan Jordan making a welcome return to the wake

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WAKEBOARDING, ATMOSPHERE, FUN AND MUSIC MADE GBB ONE TO REMEMBER other in the second leg of the rider judged event. Again, all the riders threw down and the spectators were treated to a showcase of tricks and rail flare. With Kurt Graham landing a toeside backside 5 off the kicker there was no messing about - Jack the Hammer again showing his flexibility with a meaty nuclear glide off the kicker. Sam Carne stepping up on the Leviathan rail with a gap to back lip first hit, but it was a two horse final as Jonty Green and Matt Crowhurst went at it. Jonty boosting a huge batwing off the kicker, along with a sick nose press over the entire length of the rail, and some impressive gap transfers. It was Matt however that clinched the title with a fully laid out hoochie glide off the kicker along with a mix of regular and switch transfers on the Leviathan; proving that there is life in the old dog yet.

The thing that stood out at Glass Butter Beach was the atmosphere. On and off the water there was a light-hearted approach and great attitude, from not only those attending the event, but those taking part. Having a rider judged event meant that not only did the riders have a vested interest in each run but the inclusive nature of the format meant that all the riders were a big part of the competition from start to finish. Definitely one for the calendar for 2012!

Matt Crowhurst takes the park title

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Jack shows us his hammer with this steezy nuclear

Beach life at GBB

Jonty Green with a solid nose press on the Leviathan

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ExPix Goldierocks rocks the house

GBB all stars

Scotty Broome taking home the money

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Rizzle Kicks getting down with GBB

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Saturday night Rizzle Kicks loving

The Cuban Brothers putting on their best

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goldierocks speaks glass butter music

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It’s always a special time. The first year of a festival. There’s a nervous energy and anticipation in the air & the sense that you’re part of something special. Glass Butter Beach has all the promising qualities of a great festival. Set right on the stunning coast line of Abersoch in North Wales (most known for now mega festival Wakestock, up on the hill). Glass Butter Beach combines wakeboarding, surfing, bmxing, skating & music. There’s a chance for everybody to have a go at the sports which makes it more of a family vibe. But enough crackers on the line up to keep us ‘adults’ entertained.

Myself and pro Australian wakeboarder Scotty Broome were delighted to be asked to assist the programming of the beach stage. Our new interactive party experience ‘Bombora’ suited the bill to a T and so we invited up house/disco DJ Alex K (Giles Peterson, BBC R1 producer & House FM resident), electro/indie girl about town Izzy Lawrence (Apoloplypstik), electro-swing Death By Disco and super club Slinky resident & producer Tim Lyall. Charlie ‘Dub’ Young (now a bit of a wakeboarding community legend, although er.. he doesn’t actually really wakeboard) was our Games Master of choice and proceeded to run activities by the beach stage. Mainly involving picking the giggliest girls in the shortest hot pants to try their hand at hula hooping, space hopper races, water fights or to well, just have a blow on his rave whistle.

Friday was a beautiful day- epic rustic coastline, with sparkling water and baking sun. Simply idyllic and perfect for lazing in oversized hammocks, going paddling, making friends with over-excited dogs on the beach or just enjoying a cider or five. We holed out by the tropical looking style beach bar and soaked in the sounds of Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Wills and local band & fast rising stars The Kickbacks.

As you climbed the stairs up to the main stage you could be forgiven for thinking you were on a rural cliff hike, passing blackberries and brambles and overhearing the odd mooing cow trying to join in. For a small boutique festival, the main ‘arena’ actually had a wealth of activity- a tasty jerk chicken pit, the normal per say chippie vans, a day glow tent selling all in one neon ‘morph’ suits, glitter and glow sticks, a dressing up stall with animal heads and vintage army jackets and a brilliant crepe stall serving the most delicious brandy hot chocolates- perfect as the evening grew chillier.

Friday night saw ‘The Cuban Brothers’ headline- an act you simply have to see before you die. Two ‘brothers’ with spot on Havana accents, clutching Romeo & Juliet cigars, proceed to make dirty jokes, sing and tantalize the crowd to roars of laughter. Wearing thick black synthetic wigs, poking from under trilby hats and lycra fringed cat suits. Their ‘son’ a Japanese guy, wearing an afro wig, DJs behind them before jumping into action in a break dance battle and synchronised dance routines. We retreat to our tents happily, grinning and gawfawing, only to take a moment to reflect on the dramatic, dark whirling night, the crashing waves beneath us, the fairy lights waving in the wind and the shaking branches of the oak trees lining the camp site.

Lewis

Matt Crowhurst takes the first GBB rail title

Rizzle Kicks, GBB champs and Goldierocks

And on Saturday it rained. No simpler way of saying it, but oh it poured. Tis always a risk you take by putting on an outdoor event on our fair British shores. The covered dance tent was a safe haven from the weather- with the crowd fully embracing the bass and acts like Tyrell D & Pete Gooding whipping up a slightly soggy crowd into a hyped frenzy. We headed to the wakeboarding finals, now relocated to the shelter & impressive set-up of Glasfryn cable park, due to the conditions, to watch our Scotty Broome take 1st prize (go baby go!), before heading back to site as the sun was setting, and thankfully the rain had moved on.

The crowd seemed to surge back in time for Piff the Magic Dragon, a kooky, amusing cabaret act and a storming headline show from Rizzle Kicks. Bounding round the stage like a pin bull machine, the two cheeky chaps from North London pumped out their hits (that went to No 1 in the UK charts that day!) as well as a couple of newbies, complete with live band- they were tight and energised and thoroughly enjoyable. Reggae 90s legend Aswad proceeded to “ooh and ahh” through 40 mins of love-filled, soul warming hits, their dreads a swinging, their three piece suits shimmering. And then it was me! Goldierocks closing the festival for it’s first year with a mash up of house, electro and party hits making everyone bounce and a stage invasion from all the pro wakeboarders closed the night. Glass Butter Beach I salute you, can’t wait till next year.

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Hemmings

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North

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Garrison

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Brown Page 58: Scotty Broome hits a monster indy glide Page 59: Front board tail time for Shane Bonifay Page 60: LDB takes his new board for a ride earlier in the summer Page 61: A meaty stalefish for Jules Haley Page 62/3: Sjors Van De Kerkhof boosts in the evening light at The Projects Left: The Projects again but this time Rossi reflects Above: Ryan Watkins takes a boat ride

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playgrounds

box end Words: Chloe Mitchell The UK scene is growing with many wakeboarding venues being set-up to cater for the need, each with their own identity and ‘feel’ and Box End Park is one of them. Whether it is a boat lake or a cable lake you are looking for, Box End Park has it covered.

Because of this, you see many riders of all levels coming back for more and more throughout the year come rain or shine.

Set within a stones throw from Bedford, it’s a central wakeboarding Mecca that must be visited. The Park itself is set within 100 acres of landscape based around two custom dug lakes to ensure the ideal riding experience is had. The lakes are fed by natural springs and is cleaner than most riding spots in the UK. You wont find any duck poo or weed between your toes there!

Kurt Graham, batwing Lemm

The Boat Lake is a great shape, especially designed to reduce the backwash from the wake. This lake is the home of the fully loaded Mastercraft X-Star along with a smaller Nautique kitted out for those who want to get involved in the ever growing sport. The black X-Star runs fully loaded, and has the sweetest wake. It will be behind this boat, where you will find the likes of BEP team riders, Declan Clifford, Katie Batchelor and Edd Bundell throwing down the big tricks. Katie and Edd are both British team boat riders who are stomping it on the competition circuit at the moment.

The custom dug Cable Lake boasts a central island that keeps the lake flat, even when it’s blowing a hoolie! Because of this awesome bit of island, the wakeskaters have taken a bit of a liking to it. Known as the wakeskating mecca in the UK, the flat water and skate friendly obstacles attract shredders from near and afar. The annual Dawn Raid skate morning is exclusive to wakeskaters and attracts many onto the glass for an early morning shred and the opportunity to stomp their tricks and win awesome prizes.

The cable lake is splattered with a variety of obstacles, 11 in total.

Riders have the choice of hitting rails, boxes, wallrides, transfer and kickers. The most famous obstacle is the new O’Brien transfer box. This monstrosity has so many options and different lines to it and a wallride that’s just right! Along with big technical obstacles, there are also wee obstacles that are designed to be mellow therefore are ideal for the frequent skaters and newby’s.

Not only are the boat riders catered for with the awesome boat lake and boats, but the cable riders have the chance to ride on one of the newer cables in the UK. Team riders Liam Bliss and Bryn Lee Williams are smashing it up on the cable and are ones to watch out for on the competition circuit this season.

With these two ideal lakes, the atmosphere creates itself. The vibe

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Matt Burns, bigspin transfer

Eddy Eddy Lemm Solid Jim, solid back tail

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Eddy Eddy

Katie Batchelor tail grab

around the place is relaxed. Riders of all ages like to hang around and enjoy the scene and it’s the ideal place to learn new stuff and slam down new tricks in a friendly and fun environment.

The whole wake scene in the UK has had a nuclear reaction and is growing faster than anyone realizes. It’s a good thing to see places like cables and other sights start to enjoy boom, getting more and more people involved in the awesome sport.

Box End Park hosts a number of different events throughout the year and were the home to the Nationals last year. Check out their website and The Ron for upcoming events and clinics.

Liquid Force and O’Brien are leading brands who have spotted the awesomeness of BEP and have stamped their mark on the site buy making it a demo site for their boards. The pro shop stocks everything from boards and bindings, to an array of Bern helmets, down to the software goods like boardies and wetsuits which compliments the full set up for any rider.

The site itself doesn’t just offer a boat lake and a cable lake. It has many other things on offer to keep you entertained during your visit.

The spectacular Scandinavian Club House offers incredible views

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across the water. The Club House is where Corner 5 is situated and offers the perfect setting to have a meal and drinks whilst surrounded by beautiful scenery. If it’s a quick snack in between your riding then the Cable Café can cater for you hungry and thirsty needs- As a wakeboarder/skater it’s important to keep your energy levels up after all!

See youn on the glass...

Kurt Graham indy glide

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freshers Words: Andrew Eddy Photo: Terry Hannam Vital Statistics: Age: 16 D.O.B: 26/08/94 Years Riding: 2 Home Town: Nottingham Home Riding Spot: Nottingham Cable Favourite Spot: WM Ski Sponsors: Born Extreme, Gimp Winches, Wmski and Aesthetic Wakeskates

Soon no more exams and a new ride.. can’t be bad Will Bradley has been around for a few years but recently things have started to happened for the cable meister with a winch sponsor and as of very recently joining the Aesthetic team, things are on the up and up this talented teen.

How you feeling about your year so far, any new bangers?

Its been a good year so far, had a lot of fun with my skating. I’ve learnt quite a few quirky tricks like shuv revert variations and different pokes off kickers.

However, now I’m into A levels school has stepped up a notch in importance and takes up a lot of my time! I’ll hopefully learn some more new tech tricks over the summer hols though, A level free!

What brought you into the wakeskating world?

I first had a go on at Nottingham cable when I was about 10, kneeboarding of course, tagging with my bro and his mates. I wasn’t too great at it, I was far too light to edge the board at all so I just drifted down the first straight a few times letting go at the corner but it was fun none the less. I then re-attempted it a year later with a few mates, this went a lot better and we were hooked! I then moved onto a wakeboard for a short stint, but never really got along too well being strapped to my board… Once I’d tried a wakeskate this seemed to make much more sense in my head so I stuck with that!

What is your favourite element of wakeskating?

I think my favourite element is the endless possibilities of tricks that we can do on a wakeskate, as we can always look to whats being done on a skateboard for inspiration. I like how this means the sport will never really stop growing and progressing.

What would you like to achieve before the end of the year?

I think the main goal I’ve set for the end of the year is to try and get kickflips to a consistent level. They have seemed to wonder in and out of my riding but never staying for more than a week or 2 before returning to hours of frustrating bails. It would be nice to crack them over the next few months.

Any plans for the rest of the season?

I have no real skating plans I’m afraid! I guess just hope that we get loads of winching done! Got a tonne of spots that need scoping, should be a fun summer.

What do you find helps you ride well/what is your ideal scenario for a ride?

My first ingredient for a good ride is riding with other skaters that are out to

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have fun session, and this usually results in some sick skating going down in the mix. It also helps if the lake is nice and flat, no one likes chop. Something that usually manages to ruin a ride, is a long que on a cable… nothing kills a session like waiting 20 minutes while a million kneeboarders do a million laps around the cable.

Who do you look up to?

I’ve always had a lot of respect for Nick Taylor, I’ve never met him before but I spoke to him a couple of times about videos that I’d put up and he’d always have really positive and helpful things to say about them. He just seems really chilled and approachable, I like that.

What would you like to achieve with your wakeskating?

I really want to start doing more winching, thanks to Gimp Winches this will definitely start to happen! I got my sick little winch a few weeks ago and have only had the chance to test drive it a couple of times so far, but with loads of spots lined up and a groups of mates keen to winch… should be good! Hopefully I might be able to take some of the tricks I’ve learnt on cable onto the winch down weirs and other crazy spots.

If you could get a trick for Christmas, what would it be and why?

Damn there’s so many tricks I’d want for Christmas! One trick that I have always dreamt about doing is a kickflip bs noseslide on a ledge. Noseslides have been one off my favourite looking tricks for a while now, same goes for kickflips.

When I saw a couple of people doing flip noseslides down at my local skate park it immediately became one of my all time favourite tricks. I can only imagine how sick it would be if someone managed to pull one off on a wakeskate!

Any destinations that you would like to visit/ride at?

Somewhere really hot! I’ve always wanted to make a trip the the Phillippines, quite a few dudes from the cable have been for a few months trip and it always seems to get sick reviews from everyone. And their pool gaps look crazy, skate heaven!

What is the most inspirational thing you have seen within the sport this year?

How did it motivate you?

When the wakeskate vid ‘morethatmachines’ was realeased I found that super inspiring. It had all my favourite skaters pushing all the aspects of wakeskating that I like. There were a lot of really creative winch spots, like banks and hips that really made me want to get out and find some nearby me to winch! All of this for only £6!! So worth it.

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