Wake Journal, Issue 90 by Wake Journal

NOVEMBER 19, 2012

THE WAKESKATE ISSUE

BRET LITTLE GRANT ROBERTS / MATT MANZARI / BRIAN GRUBB

ON THE COVER By Andy Lazarus Wakeskating has come so far D I G I TA L M AGA Z I N E www.WakeJournal.com Published every Monday.

and is now a legit sport. Or is it art? Call it what you want, but it isn’t going anywhere. It’s here to stay. Anyone can mess around with the skate… any age group.

PHOTOGRAPHER

DESIGN

Joey Meddock

James Krawczyk

(UNLESS SPECIFIED OTHERWISE)

It can be low impact with soul turns for surfers, exercise or

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

ADVERTISING

Raley training… Just sayin’. Or

Pricing, availability and specs:

Rodrigo Donoso Adam Aslanian Grant Roberts Javier Ovalles

wakejournal.com/advertising

high impact, like ending up in a

DEALER DIRECTORY Get your shop/camp/park listed:

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adam Aslanian Brandon Thomas Matt Manzari Andy Lazarus Brian Grubb Joey Meddock

ditch somewhere… Regardless, wakeskating is truly a sport that

wakejournal.com/dealers

stands alone.

GENERAL INFO

Innovators? Definitely, Scott

Email us!

Byerly, Eric Schmaltz, Josh

info@wakejournal.com

Smith, Thomas Horrell, just to name a few. Back in the day, there was serious experimenting. From crazy one-footed velcro gizmos that Eric Schmaltz came up with, to

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Astrodeck stuck on cut-down wakeboards. Byerly would pad up old blank wakeboards when bored or on down days. He would ride those with so

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Website

much style. He could do Pop Shuvs, 3-Shuvs and wake-towake stuff. It was pretty much

LENS: NIKKOR 80-200MM ANGLE: DOCK

BRET LITTLE skateboarding on water. Byerly started the wakeskate push then Horrell busted out with the grip-tape, shoes and the kickflip. Horrell had a vision that paved the way wakeskating was approached and performed. Once this happened, we all realized this was big. They were up to something. This had serious potential. Such that it led some riders to ditch the straps forever and only participate in wakeskating. Pros nowadays have the privilege riding for huge names like Nike and Red Bull, further putting the sport on the

VIDEO

map. From velcro to hooks,

introduction of the different pull

Even the tools we’re using are

hooks to pads, pads to blocks,

variations has had the biggest

evolving, continuing the upward

soft tops and thumbscrews, soft

effect on the sport as a whole.

progression of the sport. No

tops vs grip-tape, sneakers, cut

Each pull has its purpose.

longer shadowed by its big bro

wakeboards to real wakeskate

Some riders try to be the best

“The Straps,” wakeskating is a

shapes, compression molded

at all, while others stick to their

legit action sport that has quite

vs wood… The list goes on and

disciplines.

the following, with professionals

on. As far as it has come, we’re

To see a sport be invented

and industry to back it.

just now starting to realize what

and progress the way it has

Enjoy The Wakeskate Issue!”

works. Then there’s the boat, the

in 15 years or so is truly quite

cable, winches, and PWCs. The

amazing. And it keeps going.

—Andy Lazarus

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PIC POCKET

GRANT ROBERTS

Pics from the pocket of Grant Roberts.

VIDEO

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ON BOARD

MATT MANZARI

GROVELAND, FL

“It’s not every day you can kickflip up a water

some of our favorite spots; all in

ramp… or can you? Every year we travel the

his back yard! Now we can think

globe seeking the best gaps to help push

of new tricks, ride all day without

wakeskating’s limits. We normally get kicked

the worry of a bust, and just sit

out in 20 minutes, sleep in some back alley

back with friends and watch our sport prog-

Filipino motel with a random priest and den-

ress. That’s just a tiny glimpse of what riding at

tist, get staph infection and lots more, but it’s

Battle Falls has done this year! The best part

all part of the journey.

of it all… Battle Falls is not the grand finale to

Reed Hansen building Battle Falls gave us an

backyard gap dreams; it’s a mile marker in the

opportunity to construct a culmination of

beginning of a new era in wakeskating!”

VIDEO

— Matt Manzari GET THE APP

Brian Grubb LAKE JESSAMINE, FL

VIDEO

Aaron Reed BULL SHOALS, AR

VIDEO

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WEEKLY GRAB

LEILA

SWIMSUIT

PHOTOGRAPHER

Twisted Candi

Javier Ovalles

BUY NOW

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FOLLOWING HOMETOWN AGE YEARS RIDING ROPE LENGTH SPONSORS CABLE PARK FOOT FORWARD WAKE LEGEND GROM WAKEBOARDER WAKESKATER VIDEO SECTION GOLF COURSE MUSICIAN PHONE APP FOOD COCKTAIL BEER TRUCK BBQ MAGAZINE HOBBY PRO TEAM ARTIST BAND MOVIE FLIP BOAT WAKE ACCENT CANDY 16

BRIAN GRUBB Orlando, FL 32 20 75’+

PHOTO: RODRIGO DONOSO

Hyperlite/Catalyst Billabong Red Bull Malibu Boats

Zeal Optics OWC Kustom Left foot back Scott Byerly Performance Ski & Surf Daniel Grant Parks and Danny Harf Ben Horan and Nick Taylor Chris Kallas - Noisia Vision Sanctuary Ridge Jake Owen iPhone 5, I’m finally off Android Instagram Mexican Jack Budweiser Suburban 4Rivers Men’s Journal Golf Orlando Magic Banksy ASG Top Gun Blind Pete Malibu Wakesetter 22 MXZ Australian Sour Patch Kids

VIDEO

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SEQUENCE

BRANDON THOMAS

Lake Butler, FL

Wake to wake 3 Shuv “Reed Hansen got me into wanting to try Three

wake to wake. It’s a trick that I really try to conquer

Shuvs. This is an entirely different trick when done

and keep consistent throughout the year. I feel like

I’m in the matrix while in the air for those few

take my breath away every time.”

seconds. It’s one of those tricks that continues to

—Brandon Thomas VIDEO

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ANGLE

PHOTO: ADAM ASLANIAN

ORLANDO, FL

“Winching is awesome, not just

Canon Speedlite, I was excited to

and make sure they were both

for the rider, but for the photog-

use the off-camera functions it

pointing directly at each other or

rapher as well. It is the one time

offered. Using the flash already

they wouldn’t fire. Needless to

you can really bust out all of your

mounted on my camera, I would

say, it wasn’t the most effective

equipment in order to get that

fire the second Speedlite that

way to capture the right angle, let

perfect shot. This was actually

was sitting on shore. However,

alone properly expose an image.

my first time ever using a flash

I quickly learned that this was a

Luckily, Dieter is a good sport

to shoot wakeskat-

process much easier said than

and was willing to do the trick a

ing. Having recently

done. In order for this to work, I

million times until I got a shot to

acquired another

had to be within 20 ft. of the flash, work.”

VIDEO

DIETER HUMPSCH

—Adam Aslanian

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Grant Roberts BULL SHOALS, AR

VIDEO

Travis Doran BULL SHOALS, AR

VIDEO

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TRENDING

KYLE HYAMS

SOUTH FLORIDA

@kylehyams

VIDEO

This is an app-only feature. Click to download the free Wake Journal app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

PHOTO BY: ADAM ASLANIAN

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FOCUS

BYERLY HERITAGE WAKESKATE

FEATURES Pure wood construction and a team-influ-

• 39” and 41” lengths

enced shape make up the new Heritage

• Shaped by Scott “Butch” Bouchard

wakeskate series. This 12-ply concave

• 12 Ply Wood Construction

deck was designed by Butch and ridden by Scott, George, and Ross until they had created the perfect wood deck. The blended

• Concave Top • Blended 3-Stage Rocker

3-Stage rocker line generates great pop

• Variable Edge Bevel

but is mellow enough to carry good speed

• Die Cut Griptape Top

into the wake. The machined base channels also help to add just enough edge hold without sacrificing a fluid release off VIDEO

• Fins: 2-.8 inch Blunt

BUY NOW

the water.

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Jon Snell SECRET SPILLWAY, INDIANA PHOTO: ADAM ASLANIAN

Dieter Humpsch GROVELAND, FL

VIDEO

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BONUS

BRIAN GRUBB

VIDEO

LAKE UNDERHILL, FL

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iTRAVEL

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BONUS

GRANT ROBERTS B-ROLL

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