Unleashed#70 The Summer Issue by UNLEASH COMMUNICATION AGENCY

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PHOTOS X BEN CANEVARI

Unleashed Wakeboard Magazine World Headquarter France 2 rue Dorbesson 31100 TOULOUSE Issue 70 –May /June Cover : Felix Georgii /photo Bryan Soderling FOUNDER, CEO, EDITOR & DIRECTOR Philippe SIRECH PUBLISHER Philippe SIRECH +33(0)7 87 95 37 40 Europe +1(407)800-3567 USA/WORLD philippe@unleashedwakemag.com MARKETING MANAGER Philippe SIRECH info@unleashedwakemag.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Phil SIRECH ads@unleashedwakemag.com P.R (PRESS RELEASE) Stephanie PROTET +33(0)6 11 11 25 32 - sephanie@unleashedwakemag.com CSO , MARKETING & STATS Sophie Sirech-combettes +1(407)800-3567 - sophie@unleashedwakemag.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elise Fougere +33 (0)6 99 10 62 98 - elise@unleashedwakemag.com WORLD REPORTER AND PROOFREADING Vicki Hernandez Dill +1(832)338-8116 - vicki@unleashedwakemag.com SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER MANAGER Hector Urzaiz Calpe +34 69 725 2381 - Hector@unleashedwakemag.com CONTRIBUTERS PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Soderlind, Hector Urzaiz Calpe , Tim Spanagel , Stijn Vanoverbeke, Philippe Turba, Andres Araya, Leo Francis, Stefan Kuhn… CONTRIBUTERS WRITERS Vicki Dill, Stephane Theys, Joseph Holub , Jack Battleday, Scotty Broome, kiel Bonhomme, Jack Battleday, Martin Martin, Olivier Derome, Jeff McKee, Mark Heger, Eric Moulin, Stan Bresson… TRANSLATION Vicki Dill, Dominique Granger COUNTRIES UNLEASHED FRANCE Jérôme Macquart +33(7) 60 89 76 43 - jerome@unleashedwakemag.com UNLEASHED SPAIN Hector Urzaiz Calpe +34 69 725 2381 - Hector@unleashedwakemag.com UNLEASHED JAPAN Nagahisa Matsukawa +81 9 016 752 900 - Matsu@unleashedwakemag.com UNLEASHED RUSSIA Katerina Yuerieva +79 25 26 304 36 - katia@unleashedwakemag.com UNLEASHED CANADA Dominique Granger +1(514)267-1636 - dom@unleashedwakemag.com UNLEASHED USA Philippe Sirech +1(407)800-3567 - philippe@unleashedwakemag.com UNLEASHED SOUTH AMERICA Nathalia Vinee +33750325437 - nathalia@unleashedwakemag.com PRINT : EVOLUPRINT France and Sundance solutions Orlando USA DIGITAL : ISSUU.COM

Unleashed Wakeboard Magazine is published six-time- sannually by Unleash Communication located at 2 rue d ’orbesson 31100 Toulouse, France. All right reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is strictly prohibited. Unleashed Wakeboard Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited submissions including, but not limited tomanuscripts, photographs and illustrations. Disclamer: The activities described and photographed hereim are performed by trained athletes. Attempting anything contained within these pages could result in serious injury or death. Unleash Communication is not responsible for any injuries sustained by readers or the failure of any equipment shown herein. So wear an Helmet and a life vest !!!!

LEO FRANCIS

#INCONTROL NICK DAVIES

NICK DAVIES

I N C O L L A B O R AT I O N WITH MYSTIC

IMPACT VEST

ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESFUL CABLE RIDERS IN THE WORLD

ZIPPER LOCK Features a button to keep the zipper secure and lock tight.

IMPACT FOAM Give yourself some extra protection and make sure your body can take a beating.

With his talent and determination to the sport of wakeboarding he achieved many great moments including three times World Champion. Next to winning Nick is all about having fun and pushing the sport he loves so much.

Nick Davies

SPECIAL RIENFORCED STITCHING

PK FRONT ZIP

The reinforced stitching makes the vest

Keeps the vest nice and

stronger and more durable.

tight around your body.

Joey Battleday / © Leo Francis

ne more time the summer edition comes with good weather and reports of the beginning of the season which began in the spring.

One year after the complete rebuilding of the magazine, we have more than 3,000,000 readers in 25 countries for the print issue and 167 countries for the digital edition. That means Unleashed wakeboard Magazine is the #1 free wake Magazine on earth! All the Unleashed crew joins me to thank ALL of you for your trust in the magazine. We hope you enjoy your reading experience each time and that we provide you with the content you expect. It’s our goal to bring attention to wakeboarders from all over the world and to bring you the best content ever! One more time - enjoy this new edition of your favorite wakeboard magazine made by the riders for the People who ride …..

Philippe Sirech

ONYX

S E R I E S

C A S T O R C R E W Â´ S D A I LY W O R K W E A R

SURFIN G EL E M ENTS ION-PRODUCTS.COM

bo a rd a rt b y Fab r ic e C le m e n t

12 / N EW S P RO D UC T S It all started in 2007, after years of travel, this visual artist, passionate about board sports, developed an original and innovative concept where nothing is lost but everything is transformed. he began recycling his old snowboards into useful and decorative objects combining aesthetics and utility. fabulous art board was born. This first iconic creation remains, as it was his favorite sport, but it will soon be taken over by surfboards and skateboards in which he will develop some of his most beautiful creations. The combination of materials such as wood, leather and aluminum with “high-tech” elements (digital frames, i-pod systems, mp3) gives his creations a modern aesthetic that doubles with functionality. at a time of mass production fabrice cleMeNT kept his focus at the forefront of his mind. each work is very customizable. The importance of details and finishing erected in genuine trademarks, enables him to capture a unique place and choice in interior design. Much more than a concept, fabulous board art, deposited in each of his creations, that dream footprint where the board is symbolic of the desires of escape and freedom. enjoy your ride. More informations at www.fabulousboardart.com - contact: fabrice cleMeNT - Tel: +33 (0)620075610 - e-Mail: info@fabulousboardart.com 20

18 / N EW S FAS H I O N / Saint Jacques

20 / ART Y / Board A r t

20 /

22 / MUS I C / Mar tin Mar tin

Name: Dominic Lagacé Birthdate: 7/7/77 Hometown: trois-rivières, Quebec, Canada Sponsors: Liquid Force, Tige Boats, Drummondville marine, S3 brdshp, Rip Curl Stance: regular

Dominic LAgace We m e e t t h e Wake s u r f L e g e n d « D o u m » L ag e c e o p p o r t u n i t y t o d o t h e W h a t M a t t e r s I n t e r v i ew

What Makes Doum Lagace Cool ? My travelling life and my smile.

24 / EV EN T / Jam boree 32 / P EO P LE / T im Spanagel

What makes a video edit cool? All kind of angle, good music, slowmotion.

What Makes a Ride Cool ? When you get flow and you can link trick after trick, big and clean.

What makes a photo cool? From chase boat, with sunset and sunrise.

What makes a Wakesurf Boat cool? The wave the Tige boat Z3 create, the sounds system and the peoples in it.

What’s the most important thing in order to get sponsorship? Be involve in the sport you love and represent by sharing your passion.

What makes a Wakesurf trick look cool? If you go big above the lip and you grab it.

What’s the most important thing in order to progress? Never let go.

What makes a Wakesurf board cool? Nice shape and awesome grapgic design. Like my Liquid Force doum pro.

34 / B AC K S AT GE / Playground Contes t

What Makes a Rider Cool ? The style.

What makes Wakesurf Pads cool? Colorfull and grippy. 50

an d g r a b t h e

36 / N EW S I N D US T RY / Pure Slo

50 /

38 / N EW S I N N OVAT I O N / Cross Call acts

40 / C O N T ES T / Wake Well Kicker Contes t 42 /CO N T ES T / Obs tacle jam

Bernhard hi nterBerger

Photo : Stefan Kuhn

46 /C O N T ES T / UK Pro Tour 50 /WH AT MAT T ERS / D oum Lagace

58 /

52 /CO N T ES T / Fise Le Touquet 54 /CO N T ES T / Wake Open 58 / N EW S P O T / A rea47

Guenther OKA 17 YEARS OLD by Phil Sirech

My name is Guenther Oka, I’m 17 year s old, and I’m a professional wakeboarder from Cincinnati, Ohio.

68 /

60 / LO C AL H ERO / Victor Salm on 62 / GALLERY / Acts 68 / I N T ERV I EW / Guenther Oka

THE LADIES OF PLA S TIC PLAYGROUND

74 / C O N T ES T / Gir ls Of T he Plas tic Playgro u n d

Th es e g irls m ay be g o rg eo u s bu T d o n ’ T leT Th eir g o o d lo o ks fo o l yo u . e v ery s in g le o n e o f Th es e la d ies ca n Th row d ow n o n a wa keboa rd a n d pu T m o s T g u ys To s h a m e. by Vicki Dill

G et o u t yo u r wet s u i t s ( yes i n t h e s u m m er ) , yo u r b ea n i es a n d g et rea d y t o d o s o m e p u b cr a w l i n g . T h e U K’s ver y ow n , L i q u i d L ei s u re, h o s t s t h e es t eem ed Pl a s t i c Pl a y g ro u n d co m p et i t i o n a t t h ei r t o p n o t ch fa ci l i t y J u l y 1 1 - 1 6 . T h i s yea r t h e co m p et i t i o n g o t even b et t er a n d i s i n cl u d i n g wo m en ! T h e even t p ro d u cer s i nv i t ed 3 0 o f t h e b es t f em a l e r i d er s f ro m a ro u n d t h e wo r l d t o co m p et e i n t h ei r p ro wo m en ’s d i v i s i o n . O r i g i n a l l y t h ey h a d ch o s en a s m a l l er nu m b er a n d a s ked wa keb o a rd fa n s t o n o m i n a t e l es s er k n ow n wo m en w h o a l s o d es er ved t o b e i n cl u d ed . U n l ea s h ed ca u g h t u p w i t h s ever a l o f t h es e b a d a s s ch i ck s a n d g o t t h ei r f eed b a ck o n t h e b i g even t a n d wa ke b o a rd i n g i n g en er a l . H ere’s w h a t t h ey h a d t o s a y !

robbie rendo Known as a boat rider Buenos Aires , Argentina / Home park is JeepPark . What is the FIRST thought that goes through your head when you think about the Plastic Playground competition? It’s awesome to be invited to the biggest rail event of the year with all the top girls in the world. It really motivates me to ride hard for the event.

85 / S H O P P I N G GI RL

What are 3 things that most people wouldn’t know about you? I spend most of my time traveling the world, following the summer, just to keep doing what I love the most. I can get easily distracted on the water and I sometimes have very stupid crashes. Also, I am a Physical Education Teacher.

90 / H OW T O / Jack Ba ttleday 74 / 10

/ / / / B B TALK I N \\\\ This new communication system has totally changed the progression curve in my student’s riding. I can tell the rider exactly when and where the small changes need to happen and with the open two-way communication they can tell me if they understand or what their fears are at that moment. This system goes beyond coaching and beyond the water with the ability to connect four units together at once. www.bbtalkinusa.com

/ / / / MYS T I C \\\\ THE MAGICIAN The Magician is the ultimate in protection and style! It’s designed by Dominik Hernler, the most talented rider in the industry. His riding represents a form of full commitment of style and execution. Get creative with the Magician and personalize your vest with a variety of name patches. www. mysticboarding.com

/ / / / ION \\\\

/ / / / MO FO UR \\\\

Temperatures are rising ladies and we’ve got a smoking hot surprise for you! Introducing ION’s cute collection of shorties that combine sophistication with a touch of cheekiness. Choose from four designs to complement your style, and check out the innovative zipless option. The MUSE is a must-have for any water woman striving to look good, feel great and have all the protection she needs in warmer climates.

PROTECTION PACK. A brand new protection pack by Mofour wakeboards comes with a super stylish two-sided, pull-over impact vest and a matching thin shell helmet, rocking an adjustable size roller for a perfect fit. Ride more, hurt less. www.mofourwakeboards.com.

/ / / / N AUT I Q U E B OAT 2016 \\\\ NAUTIQUE SURF SELECT The future of customized wakesurfing control has arrived with the all-new Nautique Surf Select. Put control of the wave into the hands of the surfer with the Nautique Surf Switch for one-touch transfers exactly when the surfer desires. For total customization, the Surf Select app for the Pebble™ Watch features the ability to fine tune the ZeroOff Speed Control, NSS, NCRS, stereo volume and track while allowing surfers to transfer the wave instantly or at a three-second countdown. Surf Select is the only system on the market with positive feedback from the helm displayed right on your watch keeping your current settings in view at all times. www.nautique.com/about/new-for-2016

EFFE C TIVE, COM F OR TABLE, ESTHETIC, UNI F ORM, FL A T AND ANTI-SLIP SUR F A CE

[ HOW ] CANDOCK WORKS?

Bolt Connecting pin TIGHT S PA CING

candock@candock.com

C leat

www.candock.com Spa c er Sliding nut Bumper

Nut

DURABLE NUT & PIN MOLDED CHANNELS F OR BETTER DRAIN A GE

DRY DOCKING SYSTEMS

S YSTEM

S YSTEM PREVENTS THE A CCUMUL A TION OF DIRT ON THE SIDES AND GIVES THE IMPRE S SION OF A L O WER PROFILE O VER THE W A TER.

CABLE PARK ACCESS DOCKS

/ / / / JU S T B O N ES B OARDW EAR

\\\\

Just Bones Boardwear™ revolutionizes boardshort design offering lifestyle apparel with 4way stretch performance and hybrid fabrics. Awarded two patents, the design provides the perfect fit with a hidden adjustable waist on the back of the boardshorts, allowing them to be re-sized even while wearing. This is a feature unique to the brand. Just Bones Boardwear™ now offers its innovative design in toddler, junior and men’s collections, all with the same patented adjustable waist technology. A fresh and sexy bikini line will be debuted at Miami Swim Week this July. See how the patented adjustable waist works at www.justbonesboardwear.com on the home page video clip.

//// HUMANOID \\\\ SANDBOX LEGEND LOW RIDER HELMET New! Sandbox x H Collaboration A collaborative skate inspired helmet design with low profile crown Vented, low profile ABS shell with premium soft-core EVA liner Multi impact protection: certified CE EN1385 for water sports Team tested: 18 different padded liner configurations for custom fit. $65.00

/ / / / P URE S LO \\\\

/ / / / M Y STZ

\\\\

Check out @stzlife for their new summer line and be sure to follow them for updates and give aways. Just direct them to our handle and website please: www.MYSTZ.com

THE CRUISER To welcome spring & summer 2016, the French wakeboard & wakesurf brand, Pure Slo, has collaborated with the Swiss skateboard craftsman, Laurent Golay, on a line of cruiser skateboards. This collaboration is a crossover between Pure Slo’s Alaia surfboard and Golay’s concrete shredders. These handmade beauties are available in limited quantities, 20 to be precise, and come fully equipped with Independent Trucks + Krypto wheels and bearings. Five sheets of Canadian maple are covered on top and bottom with mahogany veneers and a transparent grip to let their unique woodgrains breathe. www.pureslo.fr - Ships worldwide.

/ / / / LK I S N AP B AC K / / / / DEEP KNIVES UNLEASHED LI MI T ED EDITION BY BIZMUT \\\\ THE KNIFE THAT STAYS BY YOUR SIDE. Deejo began as the inspiration of Luc Foin and Stéphane Lebeau to rekindle the pleasure and tradition of the pocket knife. Deejo is a nomadic knife forged from a unique alloy: stellar quality and extreme lightness. A fine blade designed to cut through with delicate precision even the most robust dishes. Being just the size and weight of a pen, the Deejo is both easy to carry and use. Deejo is unique and personal. Designated according to their lightness, Deejo pocket knives are available in three exclusive weights across three varieties of material: Deejo colors (27g), Deejo wood (37g), Deejo naked (15, 27, and 37g). The tattoo on the Deejo blade adds another dimension to this already personal object: self-expression. Thanks to a technique of fine engraving on the blade, the handle, or both, your knife carries classic iconography of the traditional tattoo: geometric, latinate, seafaring, ancestral, etc. More: Unleashedwakemag.com/e-shop

\\\\

LKI Mens Snapback - Cotton Twill - Front Debossed Pleather Patch. $39.99

/ / / / T RI P LE8 \\\\ Our Heavenly NEW Sweatsaver Halo takes Water Performance to a Higher Level. All the style and comfort of our classic skate helmets, with a totally re-designed Sweatsaver Halo Liner developed exclusively for water. Snap-in ear flaps are also available.

/ / / / H YPERLI TE\\\\ The Union puts a twist on the new Wishbone shape beginning with its fully machined crossover flex core. The power press rocker allows riders to easily lock into defined presses and the tip and tail concave comes in handy on pipe features. Unique to the Union is the finless feature, Aaron designed this deck for hours of endless fun at your home park. Featuring our fully wrapped ABS sidewall and sintered enduro base you can count on the Union for multiple seasons.

“The MOST comfortable helmet I have EVER worn!!” Danny Burnstein

• Super comfy Sweatsaver Halo Water Liner constructed with three foam layers wrapped in plush fabric • Velcro removable Sweatsaver Halo for easy washing care • Dual-density closed cell EVA Foam Headliner and Top Crown • High-density ABS outer shell • Meets CE EN 1385-2012 Water Sport Standard • Earflaps sold separately www.triple8.com

WET A PORTER

Scallop shell of the sea, child of fashion, Saint Jacques is back on the trail of elegance.

S ai nt Ja cques i s a n ew b rLa a nd o f reTouch a d y- t designs o - we a rWet bea h c l o twe h i ncan g dtake e s i gton e d water by waint estyle. r spor t enthusiasts. A When French A cPorter, the ret ur n t o surfi ng b a s ic s , it re - fa s hions ic onic o u t fi t s u s i n g m o d e r n m a t e r i a l s . It i s g ro u n d b re a k i n g b e cause ready-to-wear designed by ewater sport for t he fi r s t t i me Saint it t r aJacques ns p o siseasnew ur bbrand a n of s t re e t fas h i obeach n i n tclothing o an a quatic nv i ro n menthusiasts e n t . A n who e t hfelt os, a style, that not longer ver sa t i li t y. Di scove r tbeach he Fwear re n fashion c h “We à Porcorresponded t e r ” s t y l e .to their style. This debut neoprene collection is a return to surfing basics which re-fashions iconic outfits using modern materials. It is also groundbreaking because for the first time it transposes urban street fashion (polos, stripey jerseys, jackets, etc) into an aquatic performance. If surfing is more than just a sport, ////ETHOS environment. An ethos,more a style,than versatility. then Saint is the more than just a wetsuit. To the quest Discover these easy to wear outfits, equally comfortable on theJacques beach as on tip of a wave. for that wave, Saint Jacques adds a completely unique style. MYSTICAL ENJOYMENT

More than just a sport, surfing transforms physical and emotional tensions into positive energy. You need humility A STYLE YOU WILL ALWAYS CHERISH… Saint Jacques advocates a return to our origins. With its to face the elements, and respect for nature and others. It is this mindset that presided when Saint Jacques was unique neoprene collection, that second skin is no longer set up, a new brand conceived by surfers who wanted to something annoying we can’t wait to remove the minute share their love of the ocean and these simple and beautiful we are out of the water. Like a musical theme going round Discover the world Saintround Jacques in at your head, it becomes a part of you and most values even to the point of the choice of the brand name. It’s ofand www.saintjacques-wetsuits.com the path that is important, not the destination, enjoyment important of all, it makes you look cool. 2016 Debut Collection available at our E-shop or in shops (see retailers list on our site) More information and visuals available on request info@saintjacques-wetsuits.com 00(33)761625516 18

////STYLE PRACTICAL AND COMFORTABLE

Conceived and designed by diligent water sport enthusiasts (surfers, kite surfers, wakeboarders, standup paddleboarders among others), the collection offers all the qualities of the best waterproof clothing (wetsuits) with maximum comfort and practicality. The morphological assemblage adapts perfectly to body movement. The front zip of the jackets is completely unnoticeable when paddling. Drain channels at the bottom of the legs of the Long John facilitates water evacuation. The necklines are totally waterproof without the seams causing irritation. And for the first time we are seeing zip pockets with magnetic flaps on neoprene jackets.

//// PLAYGROUND VERSATILITY AND SIMPLICITY

Jackets that open, Long Johns that roll down onto the hips, polos that unbutton, Saint Jacques is with you in the water, under the water, on the water and out of the water, adapting to suit your activities with maximum comfort and versatility. In the nautical world, wearing these unique colours and patterns, Saint Jacques water sportsmen are easily recognizable from the beach. Who says the ladies won’t be borrowing your little zip up jacket like they borrow your shirts?

ELEGANCE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL

By its very refined visual identity, Saint Jacques alludes to art deco graphics as we discovered with the tourism boom from Miami Beach to Biarritz. But above all it proclaims its French origins in an approach to fashion found in certain styles like the stripey jersey (Noé) and other prints (Vianney, inspired by winter sports sweaters). Saint Jacques prefers pastel colours and a discreet hallmark to garish colours and omnipresent logos. This is “ready-towear ocean wear” where attention to detail is considered even to the point of the ribbing and collar buttons. So you’ll feel just as comfortable hanging out at the beach bar in your favourite outfit as driving to your surf spot.

Discover the world of Saint Jacques on : www.saintjacques-wetsuits.com - Facebook : saintjacqueswetsuits Instagram : saintjacques_wetsuits - info@saintjacques-wetsuits.com 00(33)761625516

board art by Fabri ce Clem ent

It all started in 2007, after years of travel, this visual artist, passionate about board sports, developed an original and innovative concept where nothing is lost but everything is transformed. He began recycling his old snowboards into useful and decorative objects combining aesthetics and utility. Fabulous Art Board was born. This first iconic creation remains, as it was his favorite sport, but it will soon be taken over by surfboards and skateboards in which he will develop some of his most beautiful creations. The combination of materials such as wood, leather and aluminum with â&#x20AC;&#x153;high-techâ&#x20AC;? elements (digital frames, i-pod systems, mp3) gives his creations a modern aesthetic that doubles with functionality. At a time of mass production Fabrice CLEMENT kept his focus at the forefront of his mind. Each work is very customizable. The importance of details and finishing erected in genuine trademarks, enables him to capture a unique place and choice in interior design. Much more than a concept, Fabulous Board Art, deposited in each of his creations, that dream footprint where the board is symbolic of the desires of escape and freedom. Enjoy your ride.

More informations at www.fabulousboardart.com - Contact: Fabrice CLEMENT - Tel: +33 (0)620075610 - E-Mail: info@fabulousboardart.com 21

Martin Martin, nicknamed M2X, from his real name Laurent Bolorinos, is a French artist from Toulouse. He started his DJ career when he was young and became passionate about electronic music. As a winter sports lover, wakeboarding is a good substitute for snow, and mixing his two passions came easily to him.

M2X often mixes in wake parks with musical and punchy sets in a sunny and lounge atmosphere for the happiness of riders and families. This is a special place where people share a great time with unforgettable smiles and the celebration of new tricks while shredding to Martin Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music. We hope he continues to discover new trendy spots, to travel around the world, to meet new musicians, and to keep on performing and progressing while make a living from his passion!

M2X can diversify his sound at his best. He considers that the meaning of a mix, its atmosphere and its inner energy are key points for him. M2Xâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music is not a simple series of sounds but a real and deep reflection: Mixing compositions, searching for new sounds, developing originality and matching music with riders is his mission.

You can find his new sound selection in the next edition.

Follow him on Facebook : www.facebook.com/2xMartin - Follow him on Soundcloud : www.soundcloud.com/martin2x

Senor Roar Pop That (Original Mix) Hip-Hop

Tom Booze Get Fonky Wit It (Original Mix)

Sicktune Trickery (Beat Fatigue Remix)

Glitch Hop

Wyatt Estes Fresh Air (Original Mix) Glitch Hop

Twenty One Pilots Stressed Out (Tomsize Remix)

TAISUN Senorita Remix (Perfect Driver Music) Glitch Hop

Trap

2 016 SHRE DTOWN

J A MBOREE RO C KS TA R by Olivier Derome / photos : Bryan Soderlind

The Jamboree is more of a “meeting of the minds” than it is a “contest”. Sure there are prizes, but what it’s really about is putting the best riders in the world together in one place without any pressure of an audience. With this setting they can experiment more with their riding and try new things without the pressure they sometimes experience at other style events when all eyes are on them. This gathering is huge for the sport and it helps to steer wake boarding into the future. The riders are free to speak their minds on the current state of the sport. They discuss what’s

working, what isn’t working, who’s cool and who is blowing it and so on. You’d be surprised to hear some of the late night conversations around the campfire. It’s a bonding experience like no other that brings everyone together and creates one hell of an epic vibe that is rarely experienced at a wake event. Props to the boys for creating a dream environment for wakeboarding. JEF F M C KEE

PUSHING WAKEBOARDING IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. GUE N TH E R O K A

Felix Georgii

THE MOST EPIC EVENT Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE EVER BEEN TO. IT SET A NEW STANDARD FOR WAKE EVENTS. A A RO N GUN N Kev i n H en s haw 27

WHERE ELSE BUT SHREDTOWN! BRENTO N PR I E S TLE Y

B r en ton Pri estl ey

IT’S THE BEST EVENT OF THE YEAR. SUPER LAID BACK WITH NO PRESSURE . RIDE AND CHILL WITH A BUNCH OF RAD PEOPLE. WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?!? DY L AN M IL L ER

“I think as time passes we’ll look back at these events and realize how important they really were. It may take years for people to figure out how cutting edge the dad cam footage actually was!” PARKS BONIF AY

“The jamboree was insane! Watching everyone shred the park and road gap was unreal and the vibes off the water were second to none. Time always seems to go so fast out there though... I think it should be a week long event, or even a month! Thanks again for the good times boys.” MARC ROSSITE R

For the 2nd editing of the Shredtown Jamboree, the Texas trio hosted 24 of the best rail /park riders in the world on a private park on their own ranch. With a clean and creative full park as well as a versatile step down bi-level setup, the entire field of invited riders were challenged and put in an environment to push each other as well as park riding a step further. As you can imagine, it was a tremendous success on all parts. If you have yet to see the full video covering the event, don’t waste another second. Jump online to watch the masterpiece from SteffenVollert himself. Enjoy! Check the video on: www.unleashedwakemag.com/ 2016-shredtown-jamboree-just-vid/

Jam es W i n d s o r

t im s panagel

I D E F I N I T E LY F O C U S O N H AV I N G A S T RO N G C O M P O S I T I O N A N D A N I N T E R E S T I N G L O C AT I O N , B U T I A L WAY S F I N D M Y S E L F T H I N K I N G ABOUT COLOR FIRST.

Â© Ti m Spa n a ge l

Hi Tim - Can you introduce yourself in few words? Hi, my name is Tim Spanagel, and I am a Photographer/ Videographer from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Do you have any special camera configurations? When I am shooting photographs I don’t really have any special configurations. But when I’m shooting video I always have a crazy camera configuration. With video you don’t only have to worry about capturing the trick, you also have to think about stabilization and audio.

First of all, can you tell us how you came to take photos? I took my first photography class when I was 15 and fell in love with taking pictures. Being an avid snow skier and wakeboarder, I immediately gravitated towards taking action sport photographs. I have been shooting for nine years now, and I don’t plan on ever stopping.

Do you take photos of other sports? Do you also do Fashion, Weddings, others stuff? I also shoot a lot of freestyle skiing and snowboarding. My friends and I started an action sports crew/film company called Ankilla Productions. Every winter Ankilla produces a ski movie, so a lot of my time is taken up shooting and editing for the movie. I find it helpful to shoot other action sports. Each action sport presents its own challenges which I can learn from and use when shooting wakeboarding.

What artistic elements do you try to emphasize in a photo? The trick? The colors? Landscape? I would say my photographs are more about color than they are about anything else. I definitely focus on having a strong composition and an interesting location, but I always find myself thinking about color first. Color drives most of the emotion in a photograph and can move the viewers eye to the more important aspects of the image. Also a majority of my photographs are shot with a wide angle lens. Shooting with a wide angle lens forces you to get close to the subject making you more involved in the trick. When shooting up close I find myself moving just as much as the wakeboarder. Also shooting wide angles creates a distorted perspective allowing for more artistic liberties.

Do you wakeboard too? Do you find it frustrating sometimes when you see other riders having fun while you’re taking pictures? I do wakeboard but I am not very good… I usually don’t find myself wanting to ride when I’m shooting. I enjoy taking photographs more than I enjoy wakeboarding itself so its not really a conflict. Also I tend to be so close to the rider, whether it be in the water or on the feature, that I never feel left out of the action.

Is there a place in the world where you like to shoot in particular? I think it would be interesting to shoot in New Zealand. The landscapes there are incredible. Who do you usually shoot? I shoot the guys from Cincinnati more than I shoot with anyone else. There is a strong group or riders from the Cincinnati area, and they are always willing to get creative.

Finally, do you have some important tips to give to those who want to progress with action sports photography? My advice would be to always keep shooting and to take advantage of new experiences. Shoot anything and everything because you never know who you are going to meet or where it is going to take you. Also don’t be afraid to re-shoot. If the shoot doesn’t go as planned don’t settle because the second time around you will be more informed and will have a better idea of how to take the photograph.

What kind of camera, flash, and lenses do you use? I shoot with a Nikon D750. The lenses I use the most are my Nikon zoom lenses: 14-24mm f2.8, 24-70mm f2.8, and 70-200mm f2.8. I usually don’t shoot with a flash, but I will sometimes use strobes.

Thanks for your time Tim, if you want to say something else, go for it! Thanks to all of my friends who trust me to capture compelling images of them riding. Also thank you Phil for the opportunity to talk about my work.

great selection of hotels are available in neighbouring Windsor.

Plastic Playground is set on Liquid Leisureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thirty acre site and has the ability to comfortably host large numbers of spectators. The site will be transformed into festival mode with pop-up bars, bbq areas and a huge trade village. There will also be a camp site, primarily for the international riders, but also open to the public; and for those who prefer their home comforts, a

Liquid Leisure is a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw away from Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heathrow Airport, the perfect location to host world class events with global appeal. This venue is one of the most impressive cable parks in the world, with stunning blue lakes lined with green

trees and golden sand beaches, and is just a few miles from the heart of London. The cable lake is packed with the latest wakeboarding ramps and rails crafted by world leading manufactures Unit Park Tec.

We use these features in new and interesting ways to create the most exciting park layout for both riders and spectators; setting the Plastic Playground apart from any other cable event.

pure slo Photo : Ghislain Mirat

History, savoir faire, innovation. Pure Slo is a combination of the three. History was made as the company became the first wakeboard and wakesurf brand to ever successfully launch with the help of a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in 2015. Our savoir faire is applied with every gesture, as each board is handcrafted in Bois d’Amont, France – birthplace of some of the world’s finest gravity sports workmanship. Innovation means combining these rich artisanal techniques with modern aesthetics, aeronautically sound materials, and a direct-to-rider sales policy that keeps these top-of-the-line

boards user-friendly & accessible. Every board that leaves the atelier is unique, numbered, personalizable and issued with a certificate of authenticity. Nicolas Dubost and Ludovic Lacroix, Pure Slo’s in-house engineer and board shaper, hand select every element, working directly with French and European manufacturers for the wood, veneers, fiber glass, carbon fiber, and resin that compose our boards. The results are long-lasting, remarkable products that ride like a dream. Pure Slo is a new brand for a new generation of riders who deserve technical excellence and timeless, crisp design.

THE LINEUP Our motto: Glide the Good. For us, this means knowing you have a superior board between you and the water, whether you riding cable, boat towed or wakesurfing. The experience begins each time you step foot on your French-made wakesurf, 100% French spruce alaia, or wood core & carbon fiber wakeboard. We take the time to design and carefully engineer each model with passion and dedication. Our respect for the process has taught us that every extra hour in front of the drawing board results in another centimeter gained in pop, more comfort off the water into obstacles, and more speed and stability while slashing along your boat’s eternal wave. • Our boat and park wakeboards feature a solid, springy European spruce core with a full body carbon fiber topsheet, high-density Petex basegrinds and perfect CNC sculpted channels for flex and strength in all the right spots. • The Boat Wakeboard is available in 135cm & 140cm and and has a pronounced central channel, which drives water down the board line, giving a quickly release off the wake into bigger aerials. A carbon fiber structure beneath the wood marquetry topsheet ensures stiffness and reactivity. • The Park wakeboard is a new addition to our quiver. It too combines all over carbon fiber with our signature spruce core. The profile is slim, perfect for cutting through glassy park waters and launching highflying raleys. A durable spruce core means

bigger pop, while maintaining flex in all the right places during grinds. Available in 135cm, 140cm and 143cm. • The Carbon 2016 is Pure Slo’s take on structural design: a wakeboard which reveals its full carbon fiber body and 100% spruce core. The ride is fast and strong, just like its looks. Available in park and boat editions. • Our wakesurf Short is based around an ultralight Airex core wrapped in carbon fiber and sealed with epoxy resin for ultraresponsive agility and brilliant speed. Surf quality with a longer lifespan! The 2016 edition includes an FCS II fin box and upgraded traction. • The Pure Slo Alaia is a modern take on the legendary Hawaiian surfboard, adapted with modern curves and a slim profile, it is the soul surfer’s match made in wooden heaven. 100% French spruce body, selective resin applied. • Custom boards are a dream come true for the rider who wants a unique experience that is adapted to his style and personality. More or less flex, a more robust core, carbon detailing… The possibilities are endless. Pure Slo has an ongoing collaboration with the Jurassien ski shaper Ludovic Lacroix and issues new alpine skis each winter. A second collaboration with Jurassien skateboard shaper Laurent Golay resulted in a limited edition of 20 cruiser boards. All available on www.pureslo.fr

T R E K K E R-M 1 T h e A cti on P hone Photo : Crosscall

With it s h i g h q u a l i t y fi n i s h a n d e mb edded t ech nol og y, t h e TR EKKER -M 1 is rea ch ing new he i g h t s . I t s s l e e k a n d e l e ga nt desig n cont a ins a S a msung 13M P / 5M P re solut i o n i m a g e s e n s o r, w h i c h wil l a ccura t el y ca pt ure ever y moment a nd m e m or y. I t s wa t e r p ro o f a n d re i nforced b ody mea ns it s emb edded eq uipment will be ke p t s a f e w h a t eve r h a p p ens . Th e TR EKKER -M 1 l ook s g ood, is pa cked wit h t e c hno l o g y a n d i s a s t o u g h a s ever.

LOLLIPOP Experience the simplicity and smooth performance of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. USB / OTG / NFC The TREKKER-M1 offers full, optimised connectivity via USB, OTG and NFC technology. Adapted for a water environment the TREKKER-M1 is the smartphone specially designed for the Wakeboarder who travels the world ….. www.crosscall.com/en/trekker-m1/

WATERPROOF & TOUGH The TREKKER-M1 stays sealed whatever the environment: with a certified IP rating of 67, it is protected from water and dust ingress. LONG BATTERY LIFE With a 3000 mAh battery, the TREKKER-M1 gives you 20 hours’ talk time and 13 days’ standby time. CAMERA Enjoy a dual 13MP/5MP front and rear camera, for high quality photos and videos. DUAL-SIM Thanks to its Dual-SIM function, the TREKKER-M1 is both your personal AND professional smartphone. FAST The powerful 4G network means you can send, exchange and share your content instantly. WET TOUCH The tough 4.5“ qHD reinforced Gorilla Glass™ III screen on the TREKKER-M1 can even be used with wet fingers.

WAKE WELL

CONTEST HYDROUS by Mark Heger

Kyle Wohler

This past April WakeWell and Hydrous Wake Parks partnered together for the 5th year in a row to host the Kicker Contest, an annual competition to kick-off the Texas wake season. This contest has always proven to be a fun opportunity to reunite with the local Dallas/Ft. Worth area riders after the winter months, and to reconnect out on the water.

As with each year’s Kicker Contest, this year featured riders of all ages competing in six different divisions; Grom, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Wakeskate, and Pro. Each division provided awards for the top 3 Best Tricks, the single Biggest Air, and the overall Best Crash. Each competitor got 3 chances to hit the kicker of their choice (right or left), with only their best trick being scored. And with many different sponsors providing incredible prizes, the competition in each division was fierce.

The Kicker Contest is hosted by WakeWell, a non-profit organization that desires to share the love of God with the people in the wake culture. Their motto is “Love God. Love Others. Love Wake” and through hosting weekly meetings as well as various contests and events they are able to gather wakeboarders and wakeskaters together within a positive environment and share a positive message. And each year, Hydrous Wake Park has always been very gracious to open their incredible facilities to the WakeWell organization.

In the Grom Division (12 and Under), young Hayden Chambless was the clear stand-out, landing a frontroll and a huge heelside stalefish grab, but it was his massive scarecrow that sent him to the top of the podium.

The Beginner Division was filled with riders of all ages. Two long time Kicker Contest veterans, Ron Van Vliet and Barbara Markham battled it out for 2nd and 3rd place on the podium with big grabs. But in the end, Barbara barely edged out Ron with one of the best tail grabs she has ever landed. And taking the top spot among the Beginners was Aliza Capen, a young and talented rider who has been showing a lot of passion and drive for pushing herself in the sport. Her frontside 180s were absolutely textbook and also earned her the Big Air Award for her division.

him the Best Crash in the Pro Division. Next was Hydrous local, Aidan Gunningham, who earned his way into the finals by landing several switch heel frontside 720 variations and a double-grab backside 540. And in the finals Aidan was able to land a big mute-grab switch heelside frontside 900, securing himself a third place position on the Pro podium. Oklahoma native, Trey Romine took 2nd place with one of the biggest mute mobe 540s that the judges had ever seen. His style and amplitude was definitely one of the highlights in the division. And in the top spot among the Pros was JB O’neill. JB had been fighting off flu-like symptoms the days leading up to the contest, but it didn’t seem to affect his riding at all. In three rounds of the Pro Division, JB was able to land all 6 mute halfcab double backrolls that he attempted! He was absolutely flawless and simply could not be stopped. It was a final mute half-cab double backroll that sealed the deal and earned him 1st place and the cash prize. Other notable hits in the Pro Division were Cody Johnson’s double grabbed (indy/nose) crowmobe and Kyle Woehler’s indy glide (Big Air Award).

The Intermediate Division featured another appearance from Hayden Chambless, who also won against the Groms, and he would once again prevail using his signature scarecrow off the UNIT XL Kicker. Barely missing the podium, but still earning herself the Best Crash award was Erika Etling, who got smashed on her first two tantrum attempts but then persevered to land the trick on her third and final attempt.

The Advanced Division was swarmed by young up-and-coming riders. Taking 3rd place with a massive nose grab heelside frontto-fakie was Martin Van Vliet. Martin has improved a ton over the last few seasons and has started to build a reputation for himself with some of the biggest and prettiest method glides in Texas, which earned him the Big Air Award for his division. Sam Lacerte took second place with a big, slow, laid-out tantrum-to-blind, and Scott Havener earned 1st place with a super clean crowmobe that separated him from the rest of the pack. Ryan Scarborough took the top spot in the Wakeskate division, landing some huge grabs. Ryan also earned himself the Best Crash on a kick-flip attempt that he came close to landing. Other notable tricks in Wakeskate were Sebastian Moran’s massive indy grab (Big Air Award) and Sam Lacerte’s 360 attempt. The Pro Riders took to the water as the last division of the night. With the sun setting and a head-to-head format, the excitement and intensity could be felt in the air. After the initial quarter finals and semi-finals, the field was narrowed to a four man final featuring Clayton Greer, Aidan Gunningham, Trey Romine, and JB O’Neill. Each of these riders was absolutely charging on every approach to the kicker, and the crowd was loving the amplitude. Clayton started things off landing a smooth heelside backside 720, and then spent his two remaining attempts going for a backside 900…a trick he has only landed a handful of times…but unfortunately was unable to ride away successfully. His attempts however, earned

After the competition ended, Mark Heger, the national director of WakeWell, spent some time to thank the crowd for supporting and participating in the contest. And as tradition at every WakeWell Kicker Contest Mark shared a short message from the bible, making it relatable to wakeboarding. WakeWell is incredibly thankful for the generosity of Chad Lacerte and Cody Johnson at Hydrous Wake Park for always graciously opening their park to this contest. Also, this event could not be possible without the support of the incredible sponsors that help to put it on each year: Hyperlite and Byerly Wakeboards, CWB Wakeboards, Elevated Clothing, Billabong, Globe, Von Zipper, and DFW Surf.

Te rhills Obstacle

J a m 201 6 by Thomas Vincent / photos : Elke Venken

This year’s Terhills Obstacle Jam was much bigger than the years before. On Friday there was a kicker contest on the left Fooshee kicker and the Large right kicker. On Saturday the main event had 4 categories, Open Men, Juniors, Women and Pro Men. There were over 70 boarders coming in from all over Europe and even Israel, Canada and Australia. With a cash prize of 5750€, this was the biggest obstacle contest in Belgium. Riders from last year like Joachim Bertelsen, Lior Sofer, Daan Rigter, Antoni Van Der Wekken were back to win the prizes. Jascha Wonka (GER), Jules Charraud (FRA), Ariano Blanik (DUI), Mateusz Wawrzyniak (POL), Robin Leroy (DEN) were several of the many new guys. With the new category Women, World Champion Julia Rick popped in to get her first competition of the year. With the juniors it became clear how extremely talented the upcoming guys are with Enzo Asseraf (14, FRA), Markus Breuer (17, GER), and Tom Vanhauer (17, DUI).

On Friday night Terhills Cablepark organized the kicker contest. The kicker specialists could get their first victory in for the weekend. 40 boarders got ready for a thrilling competition. Because of the falling darkness the final was moved to Saturday with Lior Sofer winning that part of the Jam. Ariano Blanik came in second, Thibault Cenci 3rd and Joachim Bertelsen 4th.

The obstacles being scored during the competition were the Fooshee kicker on the left, the Large right kicker, the Nico Von Lerchenfeld Signature rail, the Funbox-Ledge and the Rooftop-Smiley-Kicker-Polejam. Every jam session was 10 minutes. Each rider’s best trick per obstacle was counted and compared to the others ranking it from 1-4. All obstacle scores were combined and the one with the lowest points would win the Jam Session Competition. The first two moved on to the next round.

At 10 am on Saturday the competition started with the Open Men followed by the Juniors, Women and Pro Men. Every category did the first qualifiers until the semi-final. At noon all the riders took a break for lunch and enjoyed the delicious Terhills Burger to keep up their energy. The day started gray but it turned out to be a sunny Belgian day with temperatures of up to 25°C.

Early that evening the finals of all competitions were held. The level of the riders was off the chart and the judges had a hard job choosing the winners. The prizes included quite a bit of cash so choosing the most deserving winner was a big job for the judges. In the Open Men’s category

E V E RY J A M S E S S I O N WA S 1 0 MINUTES. EACH RIDER’S BEST T R I C K P E R O B S TAC L E WA S C O U N T E D A N D C O M PA R E D TO THE OTHERS RANKING IT FROM 1-4.

Raphael Pelerieux took first, 2nd spot was for Yann Van Wassenhove, third spot for Matteo Kasprzak and 4th spot for Roel Steuckers. The Juniors had a very young winner with 14 year old Enzo Asseraf from France taking first, Markus Breuer took second, Tom Vanhauer third and local Tom Verhaak fourth. The win in the Women’s category was for Julia Rick winning her first competition in 2016. Deanna Hatten from Australia got second and Chen Hanna Tsur got third before Naomi Wetzels.

Some of the epic tricks in the final were a huge TS BS 9, HS FS 9, Backmobe 540 and Mobe Dick 540. There could only be one winner and it had to be the person who sent the biggest hits and style combined with over all best tricks on kickers and rails. It was upcoming champ Jules Charraud from France who won the competition before Ariano Blanik (GER), Nik Schäfer (GER) and Joachim Bertelsen (DEN). Congrats to all the riders and we will be back next year for sure!

The Pro Men semi-final was epic. Nerves were high and every rider was on top of his game! The semi-finalists that did not make the final still got to walk home with 150 € and this was for Mateusz Wawrzyniak (POL), Lior Sofer (ISR), Jascha Wonka (GER) en Mik Nieuwenhoff (NL).

Sponsors: Sport Vlaanderen, GoPro, Bomber, Terhills Cablepark, SK8DLX

Industry Wake Parks

UK Pro Tour

Stop 1 - Foxlake - Scotland by Scotty Broom / photos : Jon Shrimpton

competitions that can be run, but without a doubt the best things to come from them has to be the ability to showcase wakeboarding to thousands of new fans by focusing on these major festivals and busy cities.

The Industry Wake Parks UK pro tour kicked off in Scotland for the 2016 season and the future of wake in the UK is looking bright. With an impressive showcase of talent from wake parks across Europe, mixed with a new guard of talented young riders in the UK, the first ever 2 tower and features only series in the country is set to excite.

Industry Wake Parks knows about this development all too well, having been involved in the development of such events in the UK and abroad. Industry Wake Parks very successfully runs the international events such as Wakestock UK, Wakestock Abu Dhabi & every edition of Red Bull Harbour Reach to date. They know the right mix of fun and riding to make the riders and crowd equally stoked. With Industry Wake

Not only will this tour bring some hotly contested riding on the water but it will also run alongside some of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular music & cultural festivals in and around popular cities across the UK. There is no doubt that 2 tower cables have changed the way wakeboarding can be viewed and the 46

Parks getting behind the UK Pro Tour, wakeboarding in the Scotland is certainly in good hands.

The idea behind each event is to push the creative side of the participating riders by creating one-of-a-kind features that fit in with the local scene and locations. Foxlake is located in the beautiful coastal area of Dunbar in Scotland, about 30 miles outside the city of Edinburgh. Though located not too far from the Scottish capital, the scene is certainly rural and so the Wake course adapted to this with features that included the use of tractor tires, farm crates & 44 gallon oil drums.

The first event saw 24 riders travel to take part in the contest running alongside the Foxlake Outdoor Festival and John Muir Coast Festival. An event that not only included the Pro Wake event but also a 50km Ultra Marathon with 120 entrants, live music from over 30 bands, outdoor cinema showcasing action sports films, a climbing wall, inflatable village, trade markets, food and drink stalls and of course a very impressive fireworks show!

The talent pool is strong with a whole host of current and past UK champions, multiple world champions, and top riders from across Europe competing. The 2-tower cable 47

wakeboarder has developed hugely with the amount of parks installed around the world that are using the system now. Atighter, higher pull on the line mixed with the linking of multiple features in very quick succession, can prove difficult for even the most seasoned of riders. At the end of the UK Pro Tour season the most consistent rider that can deal with the pace of these contests will certainly be the champ in2016.

They are actually amongst three sets of brothers that are competing on tour this summer with brothers Ryan and Liam Peacock also bursting onto the scene and pushing the riding level to a new high at this year’s events. Double flips, crazy rail combinations and stylish taps on the farm crates weren’t a thing for this pair who have been preparing in the southernhemisphere during winter ahead of the event season. Liamfound that form and flare would land him in 4th place.

Earlier rounds saw some killer runs from all the riders. There were so many impressive lines to call, it would take an entire magazine. A few of the standout sessions we saw were from CK Koester, Matty Crowhurst, Harold Theys-Isautier andJack Battleday. Jack won the best invert category, with a boosted Indy Tantrum to blind over the farm crates. Meanwhile, Freddie Carter and Matty Muncey took best backside 180, and best less than 540 spin respectively.

The final pair of brothers on tour were Jack and Joe Battleday. A powerhouse pair of siblings that have fine tuned their skills on the full cable of JB Ski and now easily transitioned across to the 2 tower system for the Pro Tour. They both have a very unique, but explosive approach to the way they ride. Jack’s powerful riding was impossible to miss, taking creative lines on just about every move he does, and boosting absolutely huge.

Local ripper, Blair Fraser, was super impressive all the way through the event in Scotland putting on a great show for not only the riders in his head to head battles, but also the local crowd that came out to support him. Mixing tech rail hits, big kicker moves, and creative lines, including a shifty hand plant backside 180 on the tractor tires, Blair took an impressive 3rd place in the main event. Not only did he make it through 4 competitive rounds, but he also won best crowd-pleasing trick, and took home the Industry Wake Parks Award for most impressive overall rider of the weekend. Watch out world this Scottish rider is coming for you!

Younger and considerably smaller Joe seems to have a ‘pop’ and control like no one else, which sees him floating effortlessly high above features and landing perfectly on every move. Being one of the youngest riders on tour youcan’t help but notice that Joe has a creative knack for riding the features like no else can. Something you might find in a seasoned professional. Joe rode great all weekend, flowingsmoothly into the top spot, and rounding out a top 4 that were all 16 or under. Make no mistake; Once again the young guns are coming for us. A special mention of course must go to Industry Wake Parks, Foxlake Adventures and Tim Woodhead for putting this great event together.

Alfie Constable made it to his first ever-Pro finals in Scotland and took home a very tidy 2nd place. Alfie and brother Jack are amongst the many success stories of the GrassrootsTour in the UK. It is an amateur event series, also run by Industry Wake Parks, that focuses on fun and nurturing the local talent at all of the System 2.0 parks across the UK and Ireland. These events give amateurs an opportunity to hone their skills in a competition environment and meet more riders in the comfort of their home park, or traveling to new ones if they choose too. It’s a great steppingstone for guys like Alfie and Jack. They have been able to start from humble beginnings at their modest home park in the coastalarea of North Devon, to now being recognized as some of the top new talent on the UK scene.

The opening event was a fantastic way to kick off the season and by the time August rolls around we will have seen some insane world-class wakeboarding and no doubt had an amazing time. I can’t wait! Thank you to Sesitec, O’Neill, and Industry Wake Parks for supporting this year’s event series. Stay tuned to the socials for more information on this year’s tour, @industrywakeparks Peace!

Name: Dominic Lagace Birthdate: 7/7/77 Hometown: trois-riviĂ¨res, Quebec, Canada Sponsors: Liquid Force, Tige Boats, Drummondville marine, S3 brdshp, Rip Curl Stance: regular

Dominic LAgace photos : Sergey Smolenko

We m e e t t h e Wa ke s u r f L eg end « Doum » La ga ce a nd g ra b t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o d o t h e W h a t M a t t er s Int er view

What makes Doum Lagace Cool ? My travelling life and my smile.

What makes a video edit cool? All kind of angles, good music, slowmotion.

What makes a Ride Cool ? When you get flow and you can link trick after trick, big and clean.

What makes a photo cool? From a chase boat with a sunset or a sunrise

What makes a Wakesurf Boat cool? The wave the Tige boat Z3 creates, the sounds system and the people in it.

What’s the most important thing in order to get sponsorship? Be involved in the sport you love and represent it by sharing your passion.

What makes a Wakesurf trick look cool? If you go big above the lip and you grab it.

What’s the most important thing in order to progress? Never let go.

What makes a Wakesurf board cool? Nice shape and awesome graphic design. Like my Liquid Force doum pro.

What Makes a Rider Cool ? The style.

What makes Wakesurf Pads cool? Colorful and grippy. 51

H ar o l d T h ey s

FI SE L E T O U Q U E T Watersport and New Wake Park

a t L e T o u q et- P a ris- P la ge by Eric Moulin / photos : Stijn Vanoverbeke

FISE Xperience first stop at the Touquet-Paris-Plage took place this spring but it was also the first stop for the FISE Xperience Series. A 100% Wakeboard edition on the wonderful seafront of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage.

It was also the opportunity to discover and try land sailing, pirogues and giant SUP paddle. As always the FISE Xperience is a free access festival with multiple disciplines, initiations and demos.

Riders were competing on the new permanent Touquet Wake Park and its impressive obstacles were designed and built by FISE AREA. The best French wakeboarders were in attendance to inaugurate this brand new attraction which will remain throughout the season for everyone to enjoy.

Antoine Allaux won this competition and as one could expect from a guy like him, he made good use of the set up. Like a champion should, he landed all his tricks including huge transfers. Jules Charraud finished second despite a fall. Wesley Gumpel finished third with perfect style but not as strong as Antoine and Jules on the kicker.

We sl e y G u m pel

PRO ’ S R E S ULT S

AM AT EU R ’S R ES U LT S

A N TO I N E A LL A UX 64. 5PTS

1 .

H ARO L D T H EY S 5 2 . 5 P T S

J ULE S C H A R R A UD 57 PTS

2 .

V IV IEN P ER IER S 4 6 . 5

WE S LE Y GUMPE L 50 PT S

3 .

Q U EN T IN AN S ART 4 5 P T S

BR UN O BA RGÉ 47. 5 PT S

4 .

T H IER RY RO U YAC Q U E 4 3 P T S

ROMA N S TYCZE N 46 PT S

5 .

JER RY DU S ART 4 2 P T S

K E VI N CA LVE Z 39. 5 PTS

6 .

V EL ER IAN B U V RY 3 4 P T S

D E N I S H A R RY 36 PTS

MA RY H RO UGI E R 30. 5 PT S

New Format Brings Great Success at

Wake Open 2016 by Buckman Fergusson / Photos: Phil Sirech

J D We b b

Over the years The World Wakeboard Association has made changes to the format of their competitions for the better of the sport. The adjustment that they made this year proved to be very successful in the first stop of the Wakeboard World Series in Orlando, FL.

In Pro Men Qualifying, rookie Nic Rapa made a statement early, winning his first heat over Rusty Malinoski, which is an impressive task for any rider. We also witnessed one of the oldest heats in wakeboard history with three riders over the age of 30 riding together in one heat - Chad Sharpe (35) Dean Smith (31) and Danny Harf (31). Dean Smith dominated, going massive as usual and Danny Harf squeaked by to move on over Chad Sharpe.

Last year the finals heats consisted of six riders. The riders were given two runs, no falls, and the judges took the best score of the two. Under this format riders would often throw down a “safe” run first to get a score on the board and then go for a more difficult run to improve upon their first score. The change this year has eliminated the “safe” run. For 2016 every WWA competition will feature an eight-man final with only one run rather than two and if the rider falls they will receive one pick-up and a chance to continue their run. The change has made competitions more exciting for the fans while also keeping a fair format for the riders.

In the Pro Women division, 19 women rode in the first round featuring some new faces, as well as some seasoned riders like Amber Wing. Amber returned this year after having her first child and while Amber makes her triumphant return, Dallas Friday will sit this season out as she is also well on her way to having her first child. The Quarter Finals heats were very windy as many competitors struggled to land their usual tricks including #1 rider Meagan Ethell, who placed a rare second in her heat.

As well as the final run format for 2016, the top 8 riders ranked on the Wakeboard World Series will be pre-qualified to quarter finals. For this year’s Wake Open, the top 8 riders from 2015 who pre-qualified were:

We saw some outstanding runs from some riders who have obviously worked hard to improve their riding during the offseason, most notably Larisa Morales, Chloe Mills, Erika Lang and the 12-year old Australia Zhara Kell. While none of these riders were able to podium at this event, we are very excited to watch the rising female talent for the rest of the season. Meagan Ethell finished first, followed by Raimi Merritt in second and Amber Wing in third. This marks Meagan’s fifth consecutive win behind the boat.

1. Harley Clifford 2. Phil Soven 3. Mike Dowdy 4. JD Webb 5. Steel Lafferty 6. Noah Flegel 7. Cory Teunissen 8. Austin Hair

Pro Women

The Pro Men were pushing the limits, making the contest exciting to watch as the level of talent continues to rise. This rising level of talent caused some big name riders

Pro Men

Kicker Contest

Ol i De r ome

Harley Clifford

to be eliminated early, such as World-Champion Massi Piffaretti and Japanese prodigy Shota Tezuka, who were both eliminated in Quarter Finals. After the water had settled we were left with eight riders; Harley Clifford, Cory Teunissen, Mike Dowdy, Rusty Malinoski, Phil Soven, Oli Derome and JD Webb. This eight-man final proved to be one of the most impressive and entertaining finals in the past few years. Every rider threw down incredible stand-up runs and it seemed like each run was better than the last. Oli Derome was first off the dock and set the bar with an incredibly clean run including some 900â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Mobe-540â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. JD then threw down the best run of his career, followed Mike Dowdy who threw down a perfect wake-to-wake double flip in his run. In the end it was Harley Clifford who performed an outstanding run with a double flip of his own and an absolutely massive Front Mobe 540. Harley would take the win followed by Mike Dowdy in second and JD Webb in third.

Finals Heat:

1. Harley Clifford 94.00 2. Mike Dowdy 91.00 3. JD Webb 87.67 4. Oli Derome 81.33 5. Nic Rapa 74.67 6. Rusty Malinoski 7. Phil Soven 65.67 8. Cory Teunissen 58.67

70.00

The next Wakeboard World Series event will take place in Portugal June 10-12 at the European Pro-Am followed by the Sparks Pro in Sparks, Nevada July 1-3. For full contest results or more information about any of these riders visit www.thewakeboardsite.com

WAKE AREA @AREA 47 First Wake Cable in Western Austria photo : AREA 47 | Wake-Concept | Florian Breitenberger Tirol’s outs tanding Adventure-Par k ca ps off its range of options , one-of-a-kind in Europe: a 19,000m2 large lake for wakeboarder s once and for all makes AREA 47 the “Ultimate Outdoor Playground“ in the Alps .

Boys and girls of all ages looking for adrenaline and action will find the greatest variety of outdoor and action activities in Europe on 6.4 hectares: Rafting, Canyoning, High Rope Course (27 meters), Water AREA with various unique and entertaining options like Slip’N’Slide, Canonball, Freestyle Water Ramp, Speed Slide and much more. Since 2014 there has been a 2 tower system placed inside the WATER AREA, where all guests of AREA 47 can ride free of extra charge. The idea of a full-size cable was born years before. Finally the idea turns into reality. “We want everyone to have a sick time outdoors”is the motto they live by. Wakeboarding fits perfect to AREA 47’s mission to offer trendy action sports under safe conditions. The landscape as well as the approach to build a wake spot for riders by riders makes this place outstanding. Get out here and check out Western Austria’s first Wake Cable!

The new artificial lake has the following facts: •20,000 m2 hectare surface (surrounded by natural reserve area) •5 towers (Rixen Cableways | Concept, Layout & Assembly by Wake-Concept 360° GmbH) •420m length •Clockwise 6 carriers •5 obstacles (Shape OG): Kicker Small, Asym Kicker, Rainbow Popoff, Rooftop Butter Combo, Funbox w/ Postbox designed A-Frame; more to come •Partners: Red Bull, Stiegl, Bergbahnen Sölden, GoPro & Schöller •Wakeboard Shop, restaurant and accommodation on site •Located 30 minutes from Innsbruck Airport and 5 minutes from the next train station (Ötztal Bahnhof) •Best glacier snowparks within one hour ride (Glacier Oetzal | Soelden)

Contact WakeConcept : Moritz Grotepass moritz@wake-concept.com I 0049 176 20 313 606 www.area47.at

V i c to r Salmon by Dom Granger / Photo : Andres Araya

Can you introduce yourself in a few words? My name is Victor and I am from Belgium but I live in Thailand. I’m 15 years old and I like to wakeboard.

You are invited to Plastic Playground, the big contest at Liquid Leisure in London. Are you excited? Yeah - when I got the invite I got so excited because I’ve always wanted to go to that contest since the moment I first heard about it. So I think it will be a great opportunity to step up my riding and to start to get more noticed in the wakeboard world.

Where are you from and how did you end up shredding at Terhills? I’m originally from Belgium but I live in Thailand because of my parent’s job. Since I come from Belgium my grandparents live there and I got really lucky because Terhills was built just 5 minutes away from my grandparent’s house. During the summer time when I’m doing a lot of contests in Europe it’s a lot less expensive and convenient to stay in Belgium then to come back to Thailand every 2 weeks.

What do you like the most about this sport? Probably traveling because you’re always meeting new people who are also interested in the same things as you. Also with traveling to different cables you always get to ride different rails so there’s always new ways to push yourself and your riding. But I think the feeling you get when you land a new trick is what makes me want to go shred everyday.

Why wakeboarding? Because I like pushing myself and wakeboarding is perfect for that because there are always new tricks that can be done or invented. I really like the feeling of adrenaline when I try something new.

Rails, kickers or air tricks? Rails and kickers Describe yourself in 3 words: Tall, sociable, and long hair don’t care

Riding a lot at Thai Wake Park and here in Belgium, you must see a lot of riders coming from different backgrounds. What do you think of today’s level in wakeboarding? I think that the things that people are doing on a wakeboard now were never expected to be done 3 or 4 years ago Also events like Plastic Playground and Red Bull Rising High and the Shredtown Jamboree are pushing the sport.

How would you describe your riding style? Sexy Who inspires you? I can’t really choose who inspires me because there are so many good riders these days and they all have different styles. So everyday it’s a different person because there are so many guys who are killing it so it would be hard to have one favorite.

Do you see a difference in the way people ride (style, tricks, etc) between here and in Thailand? It’s different because in Thailand the riders focus a lot more on style and making the tricks look good. The reason is probably because at Thai Wake Park there are a lot of really good riders that come to visit and I think the pro riders who visit influence the local riders at Thai Wake Park. In Belgium there aren’t many good riders that come to visit the parks so the riders in Belgium don’t have much to inspire them. The season in Belgium is much shorter than in Thailand so that also affects the level of the riders in Belgium.

What are your goals with wakeboarding? My goals are to be able to wakeboard for a living and to be able to inspire other riders. What do you do outside of wakeboarding? Go to school, hang out at the cable, flow boarding and graffiti is what I’m mostly I’m doing. Shout out? To my mom for being so supportive over the past few years and to my sponsors for providing with the best gear there is.

What do you like the most about Terhills? The chicks at the beach bar. 60

Name: Victor Salmon Birthdate: November 14, 2001 Years of Riding: 5 Sponsors: Steeze, Driftwood, Slingshot, Bomber Eyewear, Wax That, Terhills Cablepark

acts

B ER N H AR D H IN T ER B ERG ER : “ F RO N T IN DY IS O N E O F M Y F AVO R IT E T R IC KS ” Photo : Stefan Kuhn

DANIEL GRANT, POWE R FUL BACKSIDE AIR AT TH E 2016 FI S E Photo : Hector Urzais Calpe

PEDRO CALDAS, TAIL BOARDSLIDE AT THE REDBULL WAKE OF STEEL 2016 Photo : Philipp Greindl

B R EN T O N P R IES L EY, TANTRUM INDY JAMBOREE 2016 TEXAS Photo : Bryan Soderlind

Guenther OKA 17 YEARS OLD by Phil Sirech

My name is Guenther Oka, I’m 17 year s old, and I’m a professional wakeboarder from Cincinnati, Ohio.

ÂŠ Br yan S o d e rlin g

You ride both boat AND cable - Can you tell us why? I really enjoy mixing it up when I’m on the water. If I start to get bored with cable I’ll go ride boat, and if I start to get bored on boat I’ll go ride cable. I think it helps keep riding fresh and fun.

Tell us more about this last victory and how you felt when your received your prize in front of the insane FISE crowd? The way they announced the awards on the water was super cool. We were all just standing in the middle of the river with people surrounding us and applauding. The people on the sidelines cheering you on during the contest just got you more fired up to ride and do your best!

Lately you’ve been traveling all around the world, what are you trying to accomplish by traveling and riding? I’m really motivated to continue my travels overseas and competing there as well but also to keep pushing myself to film better video parts and keeping my riding new.

WAKEBOARDING IS FUN! IT HAS ENGULFED MY WHOLE LIFE AT THIS POINT AND I WANT TO MAKE THE BEST TIME OUT OF ALL OF IT!

What is a typical day for GUENTHER OKA? Normally when I’m in Orlando my days consist of riding at OWC or Area 52 in the morning and then heading to the lake after for a quick boat session.

Who are the riders that influence you the most? Oli Derome, Felix Georgii, Kevin Henshaw, Mike Dowdy, Meagan Ethell

Tell us your five favorite cables to ride and why? 1. Wake Nation Cincinnati: That’s been my home cable since day one and the vibes and people there never get old. 2. Area 52: Kevin Henshaw is the man and he has dedicated his whole life to making wakeboarding better. The park is perfect for hitting some scary features and I’m stoked to have the opportunity to be a part of that paradise. 3. Valdosta Wake Compound: The boys at VWC are like non other. The most laid back vibes and one of the best setups around, you really can’t go wrong there. 4. Velocity Island Park: The Cali crew is so sick and VIP has some of my favorite Unit features! 5. Terminus Wake Park: Good features and good people!

Which videos blow your mind the most this last season? Bob Sichel - Consolidating Oli Derome - My wake Raph Derome - Real wake Tell us more about your life and your training? I switched to online school half way through grade 11 so I could make the move down to Orlando. Being in Ohio for the winter where all the lakes freeze over just wasn’t cutting it for me. I knew I had to be involved with wakeboarding 24/7 if I wanted to do my best. I don’t do much training off the water but that’s definitely something I need to get started with.

Do you do any other sports? I’m really big into skiing and snowboarding. Before I started moving to Orlando for the winter, just about every day back home was spent at my ski resort.

What have you been focusing on during the wakeboard off season? I’ve really been focusing on trying to make my riding legit. I think it is super important to be doing grabs differently and performing tricks in a way that’s unique from everyone else. I see a lot of people who go out and all look the same when they ride and that is something I’d like to move away from.

You’re probably the newest revelation in USA with your fresh victory at the most popular European contest “THE FISE“. How do you feel about that? I’m still so stoked on that! It was like no contest I’ve ever been to and the fact that I had my first pro victory there was all time! I cannot wait to head back next year.

What kind of music do you prefer? Classic Rock is always a good choice. Would you consider yourself mostly a contest rider or a free rider? I’m a wakeboarder. I like to go out and ride but I also think going and competing is fun as well but I’d never call myself one or the other. You’ve only been riding for a short time, what does wakeboarding provide for you? Wakeboarding is fun! It has engulfed my whole life at this point and I want to make the best time out of all of it! What is your best memory as a wakeboader? I’d have to say my best memory has been Wake Awards 2015. After having a pretty good rookie year in 2015, seeing all my hard work pay off by earning the “Check Out” award was epic. Being in front of such a large and legendary audience was so unreal. How did you discover this sport? My parents both grew up water skiing so for me to get on a wakeboard right when they started to get popular was a no brainer. Any big fails? So far I’ve been injury free but of course there are always fails. Coming up short of one’s goals is always a failure but it always leaves room for improvement. Tell us about your new contracts and sponsors? I’m officially on the Global team for Liquid Force and I’m the newest member of the O’Neill USA team! What are your plans for this year? I plan to continue to push my riding as much as I can. I’m working on a pretty big video part right now that I’m really stoked on. I also plan on continuing to travel oversea for more cable contests!

Thanks for all your answers Guenther. Any last words you would like to say? Huge thanks to my parents for letting me live this life!

T H E L A D IE S OF P LAS T I C PLAYGROUND TH E S E GI R LS MAY BE GO RGE O U S B U T D O N ’T L ET T H EIR G O O D L O O KS F OOL YOU. E VE RY S I N GLE O N E O F T H ES E L ADIES C AN T H ROW D OW N O N A WA K E BOA R D A N D PUT M O S T G U Y S T O S H AM E. by Vicki Dill

Get o u t yo u r we t s u i t s ( ye s i n t h e summer) , your b ea nies a nd g et rea dy t o d o s o m e p u b c r a w l i n g . T he U K’s ver y own, Liq uid Leisure, h os t s t h e e s t e e m e d P l a s t i c P l a yg ro u n d compet it ion a t t h eir t opnot ch fa cil it y J ul y 1 1 - 1 6 . T h i s ye a r t h e c o mpet it ion g ot even b et t er a nd is incl uding wo m e n ! T h e eve n t p ro d u c e r s invit ed 30 of t h e b es t fema l e r ider s from aro u n d t h e wo r l d t o c o m p e t e in t h eir pro women’s division. O r ig ina l l y t hey h a d c h o s e n a s m a l l e r numb er a nd a sked wa keb oa rd fa ns t o no m i n a t e l e s s e r k n ow n wo men w h o a l so deser ved t o b e incl uded. U n l e a s h e d c a u g h t u p w i t h severa l of t h ese b a d a ss ch ick s a nd g ot t he i r f e e d b a ck o n t h e b i g event a nd wa ke b oa rding in g enera l . H e re ’s w h a t t h ey h a d t o s a y !

ROBBIE RENDO Known as a boat rider Buenos Aires , Argentina / Home park is JeepPark . What is the FIRST thought that goes through your head when you think about the Plastic Playground competition? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome to be invited to the biggest rail event of the year with all the top girls in the world. It really motivates me to ride hard for the event. What are 3 things that most people wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about you? I spend most of my time traveling the world, following the summer, just to keep doing what I love the most. I can get easily distracted on the water and I sometimes have very stupid crashes. Also, I am a Physical Education Teacher.

JULIA RICK Known for her “better than most guys” airtricks Age 22 / From Germany / Home park is “Wasserski Bleibtreusee“ / Rides for Ronix Who pushes you the most in your training? I think I’m the one who pushes me the most. I just want to improve my riding every session and step up my game. For me, the best feeling in wake boarding is landing a new trick. In addition I not only want to push the level of my own riding but the level of women’s wake boarding in general! Landing new tricks, that no other woman has landed before, motivates me most! What are your strengths in riding? I try to be a very balanced rider so I pay attention not only on my air tricks but also on my obstacle riding. However, I think the air tricks are definitely my strengths and I really enjoy doing them! What are 3 things that most people don’t know about you? I have turtles as pets, I’m afraid of spiders and I just finished my bachelor thesis of business administration at the university.

ANNA ZHAKOVA Known for her over-the-top fashion style AND strong riding! Age 27 / From Saint-Petersburg, Russia / Home parks - In St. Petersburg and Thai Wakepark

What is the FIRST thought that goes through your head when you think about the Plastic Playground competition? I think it will be one of the biggest events this year. There will be all the best riders competing, and the set up will have amazing features!

DEANNA HATTEN Age 18 / From the Sunshine Coast in Australia Home park is Bli Bli Wake Park but spent this summer at GoWake Mackay. Who pushes you the most in your training? Probably Jacob Vinali, he’s such a good rider. Filming and riding with him nearly every day has helped a lot with my riding. He also pushes me to hit set ups that I’d usually be too scared to do. What are 3 things that most people wouldn’t know about you? I still love kid’s movies. I’m probably going to be that crazy old cat lady with 20 cats and I wish I was talented enough to be a tattoo artist. What is the FIRST thought that goes through your head when you think about the Plastic Playground competition? That it’s going to be an insane competition to be a part of, both riding and watching.

MARYH ROUGIER

What are your strengths in riding? My biggest strength is maybe taking it easy! Wakeboarding is so fun and I like to have fun on water and keep it like a game! I’m just focused on that awesome feeling that you can taste when you land a trick!

Known for her strong podium finishes at France’s Fise Competition in 2015 & 2016. Age 24 / From Toulouse, France / Spends most of her time riding at Sesquières (TNS), Toulouse.

What are 3 things that most people wouldn’t know about you? Hmmm…I’m a big wimp! I’m a very shy person so I’m just scared of everything, both in my wakeboarding and even talking to someone! Then, I am so gourmand, I could almost kill someone for a honey banana pancake! Lastly…I’m still living with my mother!

What is the FIRST thought that goes through your head when you think about the Plastic Playground competition? My first words were “O-M-G!” I’m really excited about seeing all the best women wakeboarders from all over the world riding right in front of my eyes! It is a big opportunity to be a part of this contest. I’m so excited and grateful!

Who are the girls that you think are up and coming? ALL girls in the whole world are killing it! Girls like Melissa Marquardt, Maxine Sapulette, Sophie Hogben, Courtney Angus and Julia Rick are just pushing our sport to the next level of female wakeboarding! They are now followed by a lot of awesome girls like Carro Djupsjo, Jamie Lopina, Cosima Giemza, and so on! But I really have a girl crush for Anna Nikstad’s riding. I had the chance to see her this winter riding at CWC and she is on another level of riding. She can hit everything like a man but with a fabulous girly style!

What is your favorite park to train at & why? In France, I like to go to Damazan (TND). It’s an amazing spot with good obstacles and good people! I used to spend a lot of time in Lacanau as well. But this winter I had the chance to discover CWC in Philippines, and now I’m sure that it is the perfect spot to train, learn, and catch some inspiration!

ALICIA & CANDICE BOISSON Well known French sister wakeboarding duo! Alicia - Age 21 & Candice - Age19 / Home park is Condrieu Wake Park near Lyon, France / They also ride Le Muy & TSN 44 frequently. Who pushes you the most in your training? Both - Being sisters, we push each other. It’s fun that we can share wake boarding as a family. We have three other siblings, making five total kids in our family. Our parents taught us the sport and we loved it so naturally we started competing. Our father trains us and it’s cool that wake boarding brings us together as a family. Alicia - It’s great to be able to share a sport with my family. In France, I don’t have a coach, besides my dad, to work with, so I train and learn from friends and my sister. We always ride the same spot together, which has the same features and same pull from the cable. This makes it easy to learn new tricks. My best motivation is my sister. We help each other progress, and we push each other out on the water. Which cable is your favorite park to train at & why? Both - Our favorite sessions are at a cable called Spot Tencin in Grenoble. This place is the best for training because it has lots of different obstacles and for air tricks it’s perfect. We also really like La Source in Southern France. We rode this park during a catalog team shoot for Jobe.

Candice - For me Star Wakepark in Italy was awesome for the European Championships last year. This was where I had my first international podium win receiving 2nd place. Alicia - I had the opportunity to travel with Julian Cohen to Florida for Surf Expo last September. Along with our friend, Dillon Dreiling, we visited all the cables in Florida. I loved Miami Watersports Complex with it’s two systems - one clock wise and one counter clockwise. It was ideal for air tricks. What are 3 things that most people don’t know about you? Candice - Before wake boarding we shared the passion of Judo. We started practicing at the age of four. We both earned our black belts. We had the option to pursue wake boarding or judo and we chose wake boarding. Alicia - I completed my University diploma this year as a physical trainer and preparatory in wakeboard. (Licence Entrainement en Sciences et Techniques des Activites Physiques et Sportives)

ELKE VENKEN Known for beating ALL the best Belgian guy riders at the Red Bull event in Antwerp in 2014! Age 29 / From Belgium / Home park is the beautiful spot - Terhills Where is your favorite park to train at & why? Terhills Cablepark! It’s only ten minutes from my house and the park just gets better every year. Each winter we build new obstacles and we switch around the old obstacles to different places so the park just never gets boring! What are your strengths in riding? I love doing kicker tricks and I mostly practice on this so I think that it would be my strength. Who are the girls that you think are up and coming? I think in two years time Zahra Kell will be the best wakeboarder out there. She is only 12 and she is already landing some crazy tricks with a lot of style!

MEG BARKER Age 22 / From West Yorkshire Lass, UK / Living down south at her home park Liquid Leisure. Where is your favorite place to ride? My favorite place to ride IS liquid leisure. They have a Nautique G21 with the meatiest wake and a whole wake lake full of only Unit plastic fun.

What are your strengths in riding? My strength in riding would have to be how I bounce about and keep my energy. Also I would have to say kickers are definitely the key to my riding. After riding so much boat this is what feels most natural. What are 3 things people don’t know about you? I live in a tin-on-wheels...just me and my dog. I love to eat and eat and eat. I wake up at silly times in the night just for a tin of spaghetti hoops. Lastly - I’m quite destructive. I enjoy ripping out kitchens, bathrooms and floors way too much and re-building new ones.

STEPH CALLER Age 31 / From London / Home park is WM ski What is your favorite park to train at & why? I love my home cable WM ski, but it has been shut down for the past two years, waiting for planning permission on a new lake. So I have been riding all over the place which has been fun. In the UK I really enjoy going to New Forest Wake Park and JB ski. Abroad, I love Copenhagen Cable Park as I have so many good friends there and CWC in the Philippines... anyone who has been there will understand why! Who pushes you the most in your training? The Team Great Britain coach, CK, is fantastic at pushing the whole team. The Peacock and Battleday brothers are also really encouraging and are always be pushing me to try something new. What are your strengths in riding? I think I am a good all-round rider - I enjoy obstacles and air tricks. I also really like doing competitions because I think the pressure to perform on the day pushes you. What are 3 things that most people wouldn’t know about you? I run my own graphic design agency - zebrative.co.uk. I have a yellow kitchen and I have just taken up water polo!

MELISSA COLBORNE Age 20 / From South Africa / Home park is Blue Rock in Cape Town.

Who pushes you the most in your training? My brother, Jason Colborne. We ride together most days. He’s always pushing me to try new things, and is realistic about it because he knows what my capabilities are. What are your strengths in riding? I’ve always considered myself a cable rider with rails and kickers being my strong point. Over the past two years, I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Xtreme Gene in Spain a few times, where i got to ride more boat. I think my boat riding has improved a lot and it feels good to be getting it on par with my cable riding. I’m looking forward to returning in June again. What are 3 things that most people don’t know about you? I am currently studying at Stellenbosch University. I like hip hop and I am afraid of the cold. Who are some girls that you think are up and coming? Megan Nel, a girl that I ride with at Blue Rock. She’s 15 years old and has only been riding for two years. She shreds already!

Known for the hammers she throws down on the kickers! Age 20 / From Houston, TX / Home park Wake Nation Houston

Anna - Who pushes you the most in your training? My brother definitely pushes me the most. He’s always after me to try something new. Anna - What are your strengths in riding? My strengths are kickers but I’ve been focusing on rails a lot more this year and I’m definitely feeling more confident with them.

CARRO DJUPSJO Age 24 / From Stockholm, Sweden / Home parks include The Cable Park in Stockholm, Next Level Ride in Austin, Texas, BSR, CWC and Anthem Wakepark.

What is the FIRST thought that goes through your head when you think about the Plastic Playground competition? The crazy quarter pipe! Haha! Who pushes you the most in your training? In wake boarding I’d say my boyfriend JB O’neill. He always tells me ”you should do this” to which I will say ”Fat Chance!” Then I’ll end up trying it anyways and most of the time landing it. I’m lucky to always be surrounded by friends who throw tricks my way. For example,

this winter at CWC, I felt like I had a whole army of coaches such as Jeremia Hoppe, William Klang and James Boggia to mention a few. What are your strengths in riding? I am good at listening. I think when you want to learn something new its always good to ask for help from a more experienced rider and also I think my determination plays a big part as well. Once I want to do something, I will do it no matter what. What are 3 things that most people don’t know about you? Before I signed with Lifeproof I destroyed 4 phones in 6 months. I always sing and dance when I’m driving, so much that people have pulled up next to me and given me the thumbs up. I turn into an angry 5 year old when I’m hungry.

COURTNEY ANGUS Age 22 / Home park is Cables Wake Park in Australia What is the FIRST thought that goes through your head when you think about the Plastic Playground competition? It’s the event of the year! What is your favorite park to train at & why? Cables Wake Park for sure! Clockwise and anti-clockwise full size cables with a great range of homemade and unit features! Who pushes you the most in your training? Watching all the girls progress definitely pushes me but my brother and I have the ultimate sibling rivalry!

Which girls do you think are up and coming? Shantarna McPherson-Bremner, Deanna Hatten, and Marilyn Pruitt. Oh and let’s not forget Zahra Kell - THIS CHICK IS INSANE! She is a next level grom thats coming up too fast!

Other girls invited to compete at Plastic Playground are: Maxine Sapulette, Angelika Schriber, Jamie Lopina, Sophie Hogben, Sophia Reimers, Taylor McCullough, Sanne Meijer, Elizeveta Pruzhanskaya, Meagan Ethell, Erica Langman, Vanessa Weinhauer, Marie Lehmann-Chanal, Chloe Amanda Bailey, Cosima Giemza, Nicola Butler and Vanessa Tomaselli.

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FS180 Wa ll to Indy T antru m J ac k B at t l eda y Photo : Stijn Vanoverbeke

When you start edging into the kicker you want to have a confident and fairly strong edge all the way into the kicker. As you pop up off the kicker you want to make sure you really pop up so you get somewhat high on the wall. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do a frontside 180 and get your board up in front of you. As you make contact with the wall you need to push off really hard and throw your head to initiate the rotation. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve left the wall you need to try and tuck your knees back up so you can grab your board to complete the rotation. You stay tucked until you spot your landing.

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THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST WAKEBOARDERS COMPETING FOR A 40K CASH PRIZE