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/

History of Wake Surfing

Wake surfing has been around since the 70's but it wasn't until the 90's before it started catching on. Not many people have heard of this sport. If I were to mention wakes surfing in a group of 20 people, 3 people out of this group might know what wake surfing is. When it first came to notice, surfers would surf on a long surf board (ocean boards) behind the boat and they called it, boat surfing. Finally companies began to build wake surfing boards which are thinner, lighter and smaller. Ocean boards were a lot heavier and thicker because with the amount of speed and pressure of an ocean wave you need a board that can compensate the big waves.

      In the olden days, surfers would use regular boats and have, what we call, a messy wave. Once technology advanced. Surfers realized to get the perfect neat wave you need to bare most of the weight to one side of the boat. If you were to bare the weight on the right side, that would be regular stance and if it were on the left side of the boat it would be goofy stance.

      Everyone at the beginning was scared and shocked. No one wanted to be that close to the boat, no one has every riding a board so close to the board. The first world wake surfing competition started in 1996 in Michin bay, in 2011 Parker, Arizona became the new home of the worlds wake surfing competition with the most competitors yet. It is one of the largest water sports competition in the world. The competition is getting greater and greater like wake surfing is getting bigger and bigger.

      There is a wonderful video on youtube that is 26 minutes long. It is a wonderful video to watch to see the differences between then and now in the wake surfing world.

source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWYZf3A7aas

   

How To Wake-Surf

      Wake surfing can be difficult if you do not follow instructions.

One of the most important things is getting up on your board. You can start with your feet on the board. the advantages of using this technique is it's the easiest way to get up, unless you have a large surfboard. It is also faster to get up.    

      You want to start in the water on the side of the boat on which you intend to surf (goofy or regular; will be explained in a different post). Put the board in front of you. Lay back and put your feet on top of the board; the board will be floating on top of the water. Hold the rope secure in your hands and signal to the driver when you are ready. As soon as the boat start moving, push down with the heels of your feet so the board flips up flat against your feet and KEEP YOUR ARMS STRAIGHT. If you bend your arms, you will not be successful getting up. Once the board is flat under your feet, stand up slowly.

      Now that you are standing, you want to start creeping your back foot all the way back to the bump. Make sure you move slowly and smoothly. Once you move your foot back, you want to creep your toes forward closer to the edge of your board. You want to put more weight on the inside edge of the board, the side closest to the wave. You now want to find that "happy medium" on your board. If you shift your weight forward, the board will accelerate. If you shift your weight to the back, it will slow down.  Staying in the happy medium zone takes practice and very little shift in weight or position.

      Be patient, your first time wake surfing will be hard. Most people ride several times before they catch the wave. Once you feel comfortable you can throw the rope to a person on the boat waiting to catch it. You can free ride and have fun.

      Once you are comfortable you can do trick, you can cut back and forth, ride up and down the face of the wave, attempt side slides, 180's and 360's.

   

Sources: http://www.howtowakesurf.com

What Is Wake Surfing?

Wake surfing is a water sport where the surfer follows behind a boat, surfing the boats wake; however, the surfer must stay a safe enough distance to avoid falling and coming in contact with the boat. When you ride close to the boat there is a risk of breathing in carbon monoxide, riding further away from the boat is so you do not breathe carbon monoxide. Normal ocean waves have relatively the same feeling as a wake created by a boat. Wake surfing is commonly recognized to be similar to regular surfing, the only difference is there is a smaller board and you are riding the wake of the boat. Wake surfing is also known to have low impact and rarely any injuries. When you are wake surfing you do not hit the water as hard as other water sports like tubing, kneeboarding or wake boarding. Wake surfers use a board with no bindings for the feet, instead of kneeling or laying down they are standing. There are different wake surfing terms that you will need to know:

There are 2 different ways to ride a board: Regular and goofy. Regular is when you ride your wakeboard on the left side of the boat with your right foot back. Goofy is when you ride your board on the right side of the boat with your left foot back.

There are also 2 sides of the wake board you can ride. Toe side and heel side. Toe side  Is when your body is facing the wave. Heel side is when you are riding facing away from the wave.

There are two ways of wake surfing with comfortability. When you are holding onto a rope which is attached to the boat, you are riding lineride style. When you are holding onto the rope that is attached to the boat you are riding freeride style

My cousin is a semi-pro wake surfer and has made a video. Check it out and you will fall in love with wake surfing !

A Wake Surfing Short

Sources: http://www.howtowakesurf.com