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THE PARKS ISSUE
D I G I TA L M AGA Z I N E www.WakeJournal.com
/wakejournalmag
wakejournal
ALL PHOTOS BY JOEY MEDDOCK (UNLESS SPECIFIED OTHERWISE)
© 2011 Wake Journal & Meddock Photography, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Independently published online every week.
Orlando Watersports Complex ORLANDO, FL
The first year OWC opened in ‘99 there were no rails and no crowds. It was just brown water, my FM board, a set of gloves, and the Indian Line. This was my first pro model board that I had with Free Motion. These were the days when Mark Kenny was living with me and I would just do endless laps around the cable, all day long. He’d push me so hard back then. Nobody could boost like he could… Those were the days!
All photo captions by Parks Bonifay. 2
ON THE COVER
PARKS BONIFAY
BY JOEY MEDDOCK
There
is
no
one
more
the Meddock library of wake
recognizable in the sport of
images. It only seemed fitting
wakeboarding
Parks
to have Parks lead off the idea
Bonifay. I was lucky enough
of “themed” issues in Wake
to meet him right around
Journal. You already know he’s
the time he rose through the
a wake legend, but perhaps
ranks of the highly publicized,
what is more important than
X Games back in ‘96. I was
what he can do on any board,
the intermediate wakeboarder
is the fact that he’s an all
average goon, he was that
around genuine person and
young pro kid everyone was
loyal friend. Parks is as equally
talking about on the docks,
well rounded off the water
much like the Harley Clifford
as he is on the water. He’s an
of today. I certainly knew of
honest guy with a great since of
him, but I doubt he’d ever
humor, harnessing more raw
heard of me. After blowing
talent than most people see in
out my knee in ‘98, I gave up
a lifetime. Play a round of poker
riding competitively and turned
with him and you might as well
my focus on photography
donate your money. Put a golf
and the sport I felt I knew
club in his hand and expect a
best,
With
miracle that only Parks could
Parks being a mainstay in the
pull off. Give him a guitar and
industry, it was only a matter
a pic, then just sit back and get
of time until we crossed paths
ready to laugh. The stories go
more, on a regular basis. All
on and on. Wake Journal Issue
CLERMONT, FL
through the Pointless days
20 is one for the record books.
MARCH 15, 2011
and up to date, Parks and
Thank you Parks. Thank you
CAMERA: NIKON D3
I have logged some iconic
for the decades of images.
LENS: NIKKOR 80-200MM
images that will hopefully
Thank you for influencing the
ANGLE: IN YOUR FACE
never be forgotten. Through
sport, and thank you for being
photo shoots for sponsorships,
you. You are a cut above the
advertisements,
magazine
rest and stand in a class of
content or team trips together,
your own, more than the wake
he’s made a significant dent in
world will ever know. Cheers!
than
wakeboarding.
@ PARXXX PARKS DOCUMENTARY
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Ski Fly’d You PINE MOUNTAIN, GA
This shot was taken as I was leaving the dock just before my finals run at the ‘99 Masters Tournament. It was just before I was nearly disqualified for hitting the ski jump ramp, and just two years before I borrowed the Ski Fly boat in the middle of the night… hahaha.
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“Ahhh Ship!” SAN FRANCISCO, CA
I love this San Francisco backdrop. We were just outside of Oakland, CA doing a photo shoot for Fox. They took us to an old aircraft carrier graveyard where I got to ride between these massive ships. I remember how erie it felt being in the water looking up at them. It’s crazy being that close to those huge chunks of metal.
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Microsoft Trip LAKE POWELL, AZ
The Microsoft video game team brought us to Lake Powell, where we filmed for the video Blacklist in 2003. Microsoft was working on the Scott Byerly video game that, unfortunately, was never released. We played some samples of the game and it was unreal the way it functioned, looked and moved. Hopefully the idea will resurface one day.
VIDEO
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Indian Line ORLANDO, FL
The Indian Line is where you shorten up
in it’s own special way. The best ones were
the rope (at the cable park) really, really,
that Thursday night before Surf Expo.
short. Short enough where the rope is
There was always a big party at OWC and
barely touching the water. On the corners,
thousands of people were on the shoreline
if you edge out and snap off a Raley, it
wanting me to demo. I would cut so hard
can send you up to 35 feet or so. I’ve had
around the corners and just fly. But it was
a few where I could look up and clearly
never big enough for the buzzed up Jeff
see over the highest part of the cable. It’ll
Heer on the dock yelling at me. I could
then swing you back underneath it for a
hear him, “CUT F’ING HARDER, EH?!”
surprising, super soft landing. It’s a high
Hahahha, gotta love em!
VIDEO
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2005 Red Bull Double or Nothing LAKE HAINES, FL
This was the winning ‘big air’ doubleup I had for my contest that year. It was pretty cool because it was the lake I grew up on, my event, and all my buddies pushing it. Notice Rusty Malinoski in the front of the bow taking some notes on how to get properly “PUNTED!” (I think he was actually standing on the tower by the end of the contest haha...)
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F’N DBL UP’N HIAWASSEE, FL
Shooting for a potential WBM cover in 2004, this double-up sesh on Lake Hiawassee was firing. AND, you may notice I have on those infamous Fox tan and plaid board shorts. I wore those shorts for a year straight, riding or not. It’s funny how many shots they appear in. They were just a pair of sample shorts we were not supposed to take from the Fox aircraft carrier photo shoot. Whoops. I really liked them because they had perfect pockets for my cell phone and wallet, they dried fast, and they didn’t show any stains. 16
Light’n One Up LAKE HAINES, FL
Thanks to my friend Nevin (the original flash Gordon) for taking the cold water punishing behind these buckets. This pic landed on the July cover of Alliance in 2001. I still owe ya Nev! See you at the bar.
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1999 Photo Shoot Checklist LAKE JESSAMINE, FL
1. Neck and wrist chains…Check. 2. Mohawk… Check. 3. Nick and Julz Heaney in boat… Check. 4. Photographer… Check. Now just pose and glide…
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Methodologist LAKE HAINES, FL
If only I could have my snowboard methods look remotely close to this… I’d be a happy man.
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Free Nevin LAKE POWELL, AZ
Shooting for the Blacklist video in 2003, we set this rail in the muck between a little pool we found and the lake. The best part was whipping back into it from the lake without the rope and hitting the rail back up into the pool... It was sooo fast, and a lot of mud was ate. Speaking of blacklist, more notable is the ‘No Trespassing’ t-shirt I wore at this shoot and several contests. I hope it got you un-blacklisted Nev! 23
Gone Streaking TAMPA, FL
This was at our good friend Wes Brisco’s house where I added to the long list of nutsmashing rails.
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VIDEO
Close Call LAKE ALFRED, FL
We were filming for Faction (a film by Mark Bame) where we built this rail over JD Webb’s dock. It was super sketchy. A few hits after this one, the pipe popped off the end of it just as I was landing at the beginning of it. I smoked the 4x4 at the end with my board so hard. I was lucky to bounce off it. That one would have impaled me. Thank God the rails have gotten better! (Oh yeah, notice Robby Stru in the background)
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Breaking Back In LAKE HIAWASSEE, FL
This was the first time I did a photo shoot after my infectious knee surgery. It was also the first shoot on a Ronix wakeboard. It feels so good to get back on the water after a year of not riding. I hope no one has the same experience I did, but if you do, that first time back on the water is as good as the first time you ever rode.
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The Sub Pits BOCA CHICA KEY, FL
Collin Harrington guided us to these old deserted submarine pits… It was so sick to ride in. Each slip was about 3,000 feet long, 100 ft wide and 60 feet deep. It once housed 5 different subs, one per slip. (Notice the Fox tan/plaid shorts are back)
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Tree Barrelled BOCA CHICA KEY, FL
Back in the sub pits, four years later. This time, we were down there shooting for Red Bull. I love a dose of soul turns and tree barrels. 31
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All Or Nothing LAKE HIAWASSEE, FL
Ronn Seidenglanz and I were filming for the 2003 Hyperlite video, All or Nothing. This was a lil gap we had set up on the other side of the lake, across from my house. I don’t know why I decided to use this for a landing off a 40ft gap. Not one of the best ideas I’ve ever had… let’s just say that. 33
Get Whacked LAKE MINNEHAHA, FL
One of my favorite things about surfing is how much water they toss around off one a good whack. Again, if my surf whack looked even half like this one… I’d be one happy man. But it doesn’t, so I’m still dealing with it. 34
Bird’s Eye View RADAR LAKE, WA
Chopper pilot and friend, Dave Kelly, pulls in for a birds eye view above my cab-front flip while filming for Danny Harf’s video project, DEFY. Due out later this summer, his video is gonna be sick!!!! You’ll see all the boys throwing down out at Radar and around the world. VIDEO
Check out the trailer here. 35
Fake Skate THE PROJECTS, FL
It doesn’t make since why Watson is so stoked before I stuck this switch, tail-slide 900, bigspin-out. You can see it on my face how pumped I am. I knew I had this one. Sooo clean. So unbelievable! Thanks for spotting Watson.
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Double Half Cab Roll LAKE SAW MILL, FL
About a month ago, I went over Star ridiculously huge, he really to Rusty Malinoski’s house
gets me fired up while I’m out
and pulled this Double Cab
there. It’s the kind of confidence
Roll. I like riding with Rusty
I need to try this, considering
when I’m throwing down
I took a five year hiatus from
these bigger tricks. Not only is
this doing this trick after my
the wake on his MasterCraft X
infectious knee surgery in 2006.
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SEE THE VIDEO BEHIND THE COVER