Who Said Girls Aren't Athletic?

Caroline Villeneuve is a professional wake surfer. When she was young, she focused herself on swimming. She had all her certifications to be a swimming instructor and a life guard. She also took a major in Music in College for Latin percussions. She then moved on to university and majored in Kinesiology and worked as a Canadian Coat Guard for 4 years. She continued in swimming and aquatics and took many clinics and courses to become a better coach and sustain a higher level in coaching. Since 1999, she has coached well over 15 different aquatics disciplines and water sports across Canada and a few times in the USA.

Caroline wakeboarder occasionally with her friends as a pastime. She was never serious about wake boarding. One day when she was training with Orbite Sport in 2007, she found a new love for a new sport called wake surfing. In 2007 she started wake surfing and began to coach with the team. She then participated in 7 competitions and placed rice 1st and twice 2nd. She found a certain love for the sport and began dedicating all her time to practicing and perfecting wake surfing.

In 2009 she attended her very first competition in the United States with a sponsor called Board Stiff. Once she won the 2009 and 2010 NWWSA Wakesurf Open the offers for sponsorships flooded in. When it was off-season she got the chance to train with Dominic Lagacé and Sean Cummings. Training with the two motivated her and kept her training strong.

This is an interview I found on the website at the bottom:

"WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

Chambly (20 minutes away from Montréal), Québec, Canada

SIBLINGS?

2…. 1 brother & 1 sister (I’m the youngest)

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

Learning new tricks & having fun! But also hope to attend more competitions for this upcoming season... I love to see the progression of the sport every year & meet-up with the riders! I also want to keep promoting the sport & hold a competition in the beautiful Canadian Rockies!

SPONSORS:

Centurion Boats, Inland Surfer, Board Stiff, Wake Shredder, Absolut Watersports & Sunshine Houseboats

BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN YOUR SPORTS:

Starting my own Wakeschool in the Canadian Rockies: H2O School Ltd. was a very big step for me but I have to admit that going up on the podium at the 2011 World Wakesurf Championships definitely put a smile in my face!

PROFESSION:

Wakesurfing, Wakeboarding, Swimming and Diving Instructor & Owner of H2O School Ltd.
Kinesiologist
Wakesurfing Pro Rider 

LIKES?

Like to go river surfing before my wakesurfing season starts. Also love to snowskate, snowmobile & snowboard in the Rocky Mountains in the winter time!

DISLIKES?

Having to wait 8 months to go back to my very short wakesurfing season & still having to get in cold water temperature at 52’F (about 11’C) in June!

FOODS?

I like pretty much anything……. but definitely not a big fan of spicy food!

BELIEFS? OUTLOOKS ON LIFE?

If you have a dream, reach high & grab it!

FAVORITE RIDER AND WHY?

Dominic Lagacé…. Very talented, lots of technical tricks, he is working hard to push the sport, he travels all across the world, he shows a good attitude and has a great personality… & he is also an awesome coach!

BOARD:

Inland Surfer: Keenan Flegel Pro model

BOAT:

2012 Centurion Enzo 244

WHAT FIRST INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN WAKESURFING?

I was only wakeboarding but every time the water was choppy, my coach was suggesting me to wakesurf instead. Stubborn like I am, I was usually wakeboarding anyways! The day I saw white caps on the river, I had the choice to go home or wakesurf… so I finally decided to try it! I guess I did pretty well as I attended 2 competitions in Québec that year and got 4th & 1st place!

HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET TO RIDE?

Not enough! We have a really short season here in the Canadian Rockies…. So from June to September, I usually try to ride 1 to 3 times a week… and almost every day in the summer peak when we are living on our houseboat right on the lake!

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK OR GIVE PROPS TO?

Really want to thanks everyone that believed in me and supported me over the years! Starting by my parents, Orbite Sport’s crew (my first sponsor) and all my coaches! Also a big thanks to all my current sponsors: Inland Surfer, Centurion Boats, Board Stiff, Wake Shredder & Loki!"

Source: http://www.centurionboats.com/team-centurion/caroline-villeneuve.html

2 Time Champion - Keenan Flegel !

Keenan Flegel is a 2 time World Wake Surfing champion !

Keenan says that he never really found himself to be a team sports kid. He started skateboarding when he was still in diapers. When he was six, older kids taught him how to wakeboard in the inter coastal behind his house, ever since then he was hooked. His family found a Wakeboarding school called LTS ten minutes from his house and Keenan and his brother trained with Dean Lavelle for about 8 years. Before wake surfing he was very into wake boarding and was doing well in competitions for his age level. One day he decided to try wake surfing that was also the day he never wanted to wakeboard again.  He fell in love with wake surfing.

He went to the World Championships in 2005 and won the juniors division. He then became a part of the Inland surfer team. From there on he practiced and practiced and decided to entrée the open division at the World Championships. At the age of 13 he made it to the finals, he finish fifth overall in the open division at the 2008 World Championships. At the 2008 World Championships he saw Drew Danielo. He watched his final run and was so inspired to learn all the ricks he performed. That was exactly what he did.

Recently he is trying to create his very own surf style board for Inland Surfer. He would like to compete in surf and skim on his very own pro model boards. Other then wake surfing, Keenan skimboards, skateboards, wake boards and plays lacrosse. He is a junior and honour roll student in high school at North Broward Prep School.

This is Keenan Wake surfing: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBIZh83hIzQ

This is an interview I found on the website stated at the bottom:

"WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

Deerfield Beach, FL

SIBLINGS?

Younger brother, Noah

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

Get into surf style wakesurfing as well as skim style and just have fun with the sport.

SPONSORS:

Centurion Boats, Inland Surfer, Reef, Body Glove, Lavelle Train Station, and Island Water Sports

BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN YOUR SPORTS:

Won the World Wakesurf Championships 2010

LIKES?

Riding any type of board, being in the water, and food.

DISLIKES?

Sitting in class when there are waves

FOODS?

Cheese, Pasta, Chipotle, etc...

BELIEFS? OUTLOOKS ON LIFE?

Life is what you make it.

FAVORITE RIDER AND WHY?

Scott Culp, never seen anyone else have so much fun wakesurfing.

BOARD:

Inland Surfer Keenan Flegel Pro model

WHAT FIRST INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN WAKESURFING?

Just tried it one day and loved it.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET TO RIDE?

Once a week on average, but it depends on the season.

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK OR GIVE PROPS TO?

Thanks to mom and dad for supporting me in whatever I do and for always being there. Also thanks to all my sponsors for the support and opportunities.

DAILY RATE?

$300 + travel and lodging"

Bibliographie : http://www.centurionboats.com/team-centurion/keenan-flegel.html

6 Time World Wake Surfing Champion!

Drew Danielo is the 6 time World Wake Surfing Champion. He is a professional wake surfer wake skater and skate boarder. Drew was born in Florida in Sarasota County. He started skateboarding when he was in grade 2 with a plastic skateboard from Wal-Mart. He was interested in football and wrestling in elementary school but he learned that team sports were not for him. He continued skateboarding to become a professional skateboarder. 

 He then started surfing when he was in grade 5. He loved the water and really enjoyed surfing. In high School he started skim boarding. He felt that it came very naturally to him and he caught on quickly. He began participating in skim events and was placing very well at the time. He went pro in skim boarding and finished in the top 10 for 3 years. During that time he met his wife Nicole.

One day, Bob Smetts from Zap skimboards started Phase 5 wake surfers. He came up to Drew and said "Hey Drew there is this wake surf championship thing in California, You wanna go?". In 2003 he went to the wake surf championship and managed to win 1st place in open division. Ever since then, he has been hooked on wake surfing and the perfect wave behind a Centurion Boat. 

Since 2003 he has won 6 World Championships wake surfing and wake skated professionally on the Byerly Tom Jam tour. He married his wife Nicole in 2007 and had their first little boy February 2nd, 2010. He has also opened up a Wakeboard, Skateboard and Skimboard shop called Ollie's Wake-Skate-Skim in 2007.

His Winning Run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsJ31q7r5Po

This is an interview that I found on the source stated at the bottom:

"Where did you grow up?

Venice, Fl

Siblings?

2 Brothers Nick and Ben

What are 3 things you point out to someone at a boat show to sell Centurion over a competitor’s boat?

The Reverse Shoe box method that fits the top of the boat to the hull. The pro vision Dash. The amazing wave it produces.

What are your goals?

To win at least 1 more WWSC, and to be the best Dad and Husband for my family.

Sponsors:

Centurion, Phase 5, Boardco.com, M&M Watersports, Dunkelvolk, Ollie’s

Most recent results:

3rd At the 2012 WWSC

Biggest accomplishment in your sports:

Won the World Wakesurf Championships 6 times.

Profession:

Co-Owner of Ollie’s Wake-Skate-Skim

Likes?

Spending time with my family, Being on a boat.

Dislikes?

Fish, Sushi, and selfish people

Foods?

Chicken, Mac and Cheese, McDonalds Sweet Tea

Beliefs? Outlooks on life?

Live life to fullest and trust in the lord.

Favorite rider and why?

Anyone who rides to have fun. I love meeting new people

Board:

2013 Phase 5 Danielo Carbon or 2013 Phase 5 Diamond Danielo

What first inspired you to begin wakesurfing?

Was a professional wakesurfer and was introduced to it through my Sponsor Phase 5.

How often do you get to ride?

Since my son was born once every couple weeks atleast. Priorities change.

Who would you like to thank or give props to?

My Wife Nicole for all her support. My son Ty. God for giving me the life I have and the ability to do what I love and teach others how to enjoy it as well.The crew at Phase 5 and Centurion, Troy and all the boys at boardco.com and all my friends and family.

Quotes?

Never Give up, Never Give in."

Bibliography : http://calabogiewakesurf.com/meet-the-pros/drew-danielo

Many Tricks To Come!

There are many tricks you can do while wake surfing. I have already demonstrated two tricks. Those two trick are for intermediate to expert level wake surfers. In this post, I will give you all the tricks that can be done and I will divide them into beginners, intermediate, and expert.

From personal experience, doing wake surfing tricks are extremely difficult. Performing and perfecting these tricks takes patience, skill and concentration. You may not get the trick perfect the first time, the second or the third time, but that does not mean you quit. You have to push through, tell yourself you can do it and try, try, try again. You should ALWAYS start out with the beginners tricks. Master the basics first. I am still only perfecting the cutbacks. Be very patient, it will come.

When I first tried wake surfing I immediately got up on the board and fell in love. My cousin Bryan Gardiner, who is a semi-pro wake surfer, told me that no one that he's trained has ever gotten up and stayed up longer then 1 minute in his whole training career. The second time I tried, I was up, shifting my weight and mastering the basics. I never felt so free in my life! Having the water underneath me flowing on a board felt like I was floating on air. Once I mastered the basics, my cousin told me to try cutting back. I fell right on my face. It did not hurt physically but it definitely hurt my pride. I didn't even want to get back on the board. However, my cousin forced me to get back up and try again. The second time I tried I fell on my face again. I try to third time, I managed to do a cutback. I guess third time really was the charm.

"Beginners

Pumping - turning up and down the face of the wake to gain speed

Stalling - applying pressure to your back foot to slow down or "stall"

Floater - when a rider and board "floats" on top of the wake

Cut backs - Bashing off the lip of the wake with the board - the more extreme and risky the better

Paddle back in - Going to the extreme rear of the wake, throwing down on the board and paddling back in to the power zone. This can also be done be pulling the outside rail of the board to bring it back to the power zone 

Posing - doing hand and body positions while riding for cool style points

Intermediate

Lip Slide - just like a floater but the board is sideways

Spray - gouging into the face of the wake to create the water under you to explode and spray

Fire Hydrant - placing one hand on the board and taking your front foot off

Hang 5 - Rider extends front foot (toes) over front of the board

Rail Grabs - grabbing the board's rail while the board is on the wake - one or both hands

Switch stance - riding with the opposite foot forward

180 spin - spinning 180 on the wake - board and rider spin

Airs - launching off the lip with the board into the air and landing back on the wake

Experts

One hand grab air - grabbing one rail of the board while the board is airborne above the wake

Double grab air - Grabbing both rails of the board while the board is airborne above the wake

Hang 10 - rider extends both feet (toes) over the end of the board

360 spin - Spinnig 360 on the face of the wake

540 spin - rider spins continuously 1 and 1/2 times until he is riding switch stance forward

720 spin - rider spins continuously 2 complete 360's

Alley oop air 180 - doing an air while spinning 180 in the air and landing in the wake with a switch stance

180 shuv-it - spinning just the board 180 under your feet and landing with the board backwards

900 spin - rider spins 2 and 1/2 times until he is riding switch stance forward.

360 shuv-it - same as a 180 but you spin the board a full 360 under your feet

Big Spin - same as a 360 shuv-it only the rider spins a 180 at the same time the board does a 360"

source: http://www.howtowakesurf.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcEYL6PVBB8

Trick No. 2 - 360 Spin !

Doing a 360 spin is very tricky. The rotation of the board is not the problem, the problem is keeping your momentum and balance.

To start this trick, you want to enter the trick with speed, but not insanely fast. Just enough that you are gaining on the boat. Lean forward and bend your knees so that you are building speed. At the same time you want your weight to be ini the centre of the wake surf board. This is probably the most important part of the 360, and if you are falling off backwards, you're not leaning forward. If you plow through the wake, you are leaning too far forward.

The next step is the turn up and into the wake which is combined with dragging your trailing hand in the wake. You must keep your focus on trying to place the nose of your board at the very top of the wake. Also, where you place your hand in the wake will be where the nose of the wake surd board will rotate. Technically, your hand is the picot point and you should leave it in the water. As the board starts to rotate, you'll pull your hand out and the board will rotate using the momentum you have created.

Finally, the tough phase. When you are up and around, you need to start looking for the boat. After that, you will be square to the boat, once you are square it will cause your rotation to be slow and wide. Now you will begin to come back around to the boat, start looking for the boat and your will rotate completely.

The three components of the trick are:

1)Set up, board flat, some speed
2)Turn up the wake and drag your trailing hand
3)As the board reaches about 180, turn your head over your shoulder and loot for the boat.

This video shows a 360 spin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKbW0NQfQ-Q

sources: http://www.wakeboardingmag.com/wakeboarding-brand-channel/malibu-wakeboard-boats/2013/03/14/how-to-wakesurf-360s-made-simple/

Wake Surfing Trick No. 1

The first trick I will present will be the cutback. The cutback starts out the same way to the wakesurfing lipslide; however, the tail slide is extended more fully to an 180 degree angle to the boat. The key to this trick is going to be the weight shift to your normal front foot, se that you can keep the tail out of the water as the board is surfing revert. A revert is when you turn your wake surfing board away from the board. You will need to shift your weight to enable the rail of the board, which is now facing forward to the boat, to be lifted out of the water slightly.

After you manage to shift your weight comfortably, there will be a lot of substancial pressure on the fins to turn the board back around to your normal stance, so you have to fight the pressure to keep the board revert for a bit.

After shifting your weight, you want to head into the wake with enough speed to break the fins loose and give you enough momentum to ride the board revert for a second or two. At the lip, slide the rail around, but keep pushing it until the board is completely revert. As you are pulling your board in revert, you want to shift your weight on to the foot that you normally ride forward and that is now your back foot. Ride the board revert for a few seconds. Riding the board revert makes the board to drift backwards on the lip, before you fade out the back, turn the board down the face of the wake by rotating your lower body in a frontside roatation.

You should wind up at the back of the pocket, set up again to do your next trick.

To preform this trick and to perfect it you will need a lot of patience. Be patient and do not get frustrated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4E2ci8VGU0

This youtube video demonstrates some of the best tricks.

sources: http://flyboywakesurf.com/wakesurf-tricks-how-to-do-a-cutback/

Difference Between Wake Surfing and Wake Boarding

      Wake boarding and wake surfing are similar, but are ultimately very different sports. In Wake boarding and wake surfing, the rider moves over the waves that are made by the boat. Wakeboarding involves grabbing onto a rope to be towed behind the boat, the rope helps the rider to stay behind the boat and to do tricks, without the rope the rider would not be able to float. Wake surfing does not involve a towline. A wake surfer usually surf, without being trailed by a rope, behind the boat on the wave that is naturally made by the boat. Since outboard motors expose their propeller, inboards are the only safe way to wake surf. Remember, you cannot use any type of boat, you have to use certain boats. Most boats used in the sport have some sort of weight to make large wakes. Wakeboarding evolved from a combination of various sports. Wake surfing is a very similar feeling with a combination of snowboarding and surfing.




A wake boarder is pulled behind the boat by a rope or a towline and the wake boarder rides the waves much like a snowboarder would ride the snow. The wake that the boat created acts as a jump, once you are more advanced you can use it to catch big airs.









      Wake surfing is just like regular surfing on a wave you caught in the ocean, only you don't catch an ocean wave, you catch a wave that your wake boat has created. We create a wave that mimics a real ocean wave big enough to ride and do tricks! The boat, by a rope, pulls you out of the water with a rope and once the wave is to your content and you get used to the wave and ride it comfortably you throw the rope back into the boat for someone to catch and you ride the wake freely.

      Personally, I like wake surfing much more then wake boarding. Everyone has different preferences. You have to try both sports to get a feel of which one is best fit for you. Depending on the person wake surfing will be harder then wake boarding. For me, I had some trouble wake boarding and wake surfing came easily. It all depends on the type of person you are.

source: http://www.projectfreestyle.com/2011/08/the-difference-between-wakeboarding-and-wakesurfing/