Table of contents for June 1, 2015 in WAKEBOARDING

Call it narrow, call it skinny, call it what you want — there are a lot of riders out there pulling those feets in closer in an effort to make their riding look different and feel more comfortable on their boards. Trend or here to stay, I thought I’d throw out my take on the whole deal — call it my stance on the current stances. Only time will tell if this one sticks around, or if down the road we’ll be drinking beer and saying, “Remember when?” But since this trend is the elephant in the room, I thought we should get it out in the open. A lot of the riders pulling their stances in claim it’s a significant improvement on the health of their knees, and that…

Shaun Murray hits us up with crazy, wacky, fun ideas for things to do all the time, so when he came to us with his schoolthemed Pop Qwiz event idea, we were fully on board. Basically, he hit up a bunch of pro riders via mass text, and the first 10 to respond got an invite to show up at OWC with no idea of what was about to go down. When they arrived, Murray had three class periods planned out, a bunch of insane prerequisites, and a kickoff to the contest season to see if everyone had been doing their homework over the winter break. Want to know the outcome? Check wakeboardingmag.com/popqwiz for the full video!…

PARKS BONIFAY DOUBLE-UP “The very first double-flip that I ever landed was a double-tantrum at a 1997 Pro Tour stop in Indianapolis, Indiana, at President’s Park, in front of the crowd. It seems like whenever I try stuff in front of crowds, it amps me up a little bit more. I think this time that’s what pushed me over the edge to land my first-ever double-tantrum. I was so pumped when I came out of the second flip — I knew I was gonna land it. I got two hands back on the handle and powered through it. It wasn’t the prettiest thing ever, but I finally got my double-tantrum. I remember my mom jumping off the dock and swimming to hug me. One of the best days ever! I…

Ready for a massive, comfortable ride you can share with all your friends? Ready for the latest tech that a surf and wake boat has to offer in one of the newest hull designs on the water today? Then you’re ready for the Supra SE. New for 2015, the SE builds on the solid foundation set by the smaller SC and SA to create a big, social boat that can surf and wakeboard at a really high level. Mercifully replacing its lesser-waked predecessor, the 242, the SE is a big boat worthy of the luxury brand’s high standards of performance. One of the great things about a Supra is the pricing simplicity, and that’s especially apparent on a massive boat like the SE. A big boat like this has plenty…

When it comes to keeping your priorities straight, the crew over at Axis has it figured out. They make the best wake for your money by keeping the wake at priority No. 1. Because honestly, what more do you really need? To set the record straight, I tested the wakes on the fully redesigned 2015 Axis A22. There were two things that really made an impression on me when I tested it. The first and most obvious was the wake — which I’ll get to in a moment. The second is actually the lack of complication involved in creating that wake. When I get into a new boat, I just want to turn it on, fip a switch, and have an amazing wake. Period. I don’t want to deal with…

We all know the biggest fashion statement you make on the water comes down to what shorts you’re rocking. Fashion aside, a comfortable pair of shorts makes a huge difference in terms of mobility and performance when you’re on the water. Everyone has their sweet spot when it comes to boardshort length, so we highly recommend trying on a few different pairs and finding that perfect length you love. For future reference, always remember what the outseam measurement is! That way you’re always dialed in and ready to make a purchase if you see some shorts you’re into. BODY GLOVE — DIS N DAT, bodyglove.com, Shown in indigo, Things We Like: A 360-degree drawstring keeps these comfortable and on your waist. / The polyester-spandex blend is quick drying and super…

Wakeskate set: Keys Cable yesterday. Wakeboard set: I took a boat set like a week and a half ago and crushed it. See you boys on the dock this summer. Skateboard session: Yesterday on my mini ramp. Fish you speared: A couple of big yellow jacks and a rainbow runner while trying to get wahoo. I shot a giant wahoo, but the tip slipped. Ride on your beautiful Supreme: A week and a half ago. Baby was getting a new pair of shoes at Transition Watersports last week (aka being serviced). Romantic gesture: Took my girlfriend on a private horseback-riding tour to the top of a volcano in Nicaragua and had lunch. Wake trip: Went to Area 52 with Phil Kerr for a week last month. Meal that you caught…

There’s no doubt that you can spot Kevin Henshaw’s Area 52 compound in a photo or video by now. What photographer Bryan Soderlind wanted to do was get out there for a photo shoot where viewers would have no idea whatsoever of the riders’ location. It took two industrialsize fog machines and cinematic lighting to create an insane apocalyptic scene with five riders hitting Henshaw’s spot and Dieter Humpsch shooting a video piece. If you are reading this, that means the video is live right this minute on wakeboardingmag.com, so check out the full recap from the shoot.…

TOP 3 Movies: 1. Step Brothers 2. Talladega Nights 3. Old School Wakeboarding musicians: 1. [Erik] Ruck 2. Parks [Bonifay] 3. [Aaron] Rathy Kids’ songs that get stuck in your head: 1. Wallykazam! theme 2. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse songs 3. SpongeBob opening song People to control the tunes in the boat: 1. [Shawn] Watson 2. [Kyle] Rattray 3. Parks Traveling accessories: 1. iPad 2. Portable chargers 3. Neck pillow Contest preparations at home: 1. Ride multiple times a day 2. Work out at least once a day 3. Try to get more sleep Must-have electronics when you have kids: 1. iPad 2. iPod Touch 3. Sound machine Jobs you would consider other than a wakeboarder: 1. Landscaper 2. Construction 3. Car detailer People to travel with: 1. Rattray 2. Watson…

MasterCraft’s X20 is a stylish little boat with signature MasterCraft quality and craftsmanship, but the real story here is the surf wave. For a 20-foot hull, this surf wave is phenomenal. You won’t believe how far back it extends. The Gen 2 system creates an equal wave on either side, so you don’t have to worry about which side you surf, and the wave’s push with the 2,000 pounds of ballast is really impressive. Gen 2 gives you presets with steep and mellow characteristics so you can surf right away, but you can also customize the presets to create your own unique wave. The whole Gen 2 interface is integrated into the X20’s touch screen, so your driver is in complete control from the helm. Wake shaping, lighting, ballast, speed…

There are some unique things about the Sanger Matrix ZXR 212, but overall, it’s a very simple, budget-friendly boat. The most complicated thing on the ZXR 212 is the engine — and it’s Indmar, so you won’t have to worry about reliability. That’s not to say the boat doesn’t perform; the simplicity just means you won’t have to take it to the dealer every couple of weeks to get something fixed. The ZXR 212 is focused on sport, and particularly surfing. This little boat throws a solid listed wave with the maximum factory ballast. Dial it in to your liking using the wake-shaping tab. The ballast on the ZXR 212 is unique in that the majority of it is flooded into the hull through gates on the bottom of the…

We all know you’re champing at the bit to land your first 540, but before you get too ahead of yourself here, let’s talk about your 360s. Yeah, maybe you can land them, but if your technique isn’t sound, then those faws can creep into your 540 — significantly lengthening the learning process and leaving them inconsistent at best. To be clear, we’re assuming that you’ve already landed either a heelside frontside 360, a toeside frontside 360 or both, and that you are comfortable enough with them to start attempting frontside 540s. If that’s the case, let’s take a quick look at your frontside 360s. You should be able to land your heelside frontside 360 easily, landing one-handed, with your eyes looking back toward the wake. You should not be…

Like with your heelside 540, the tempo of the toeside 540 should be broken into two parts: a toeside frontside 180 and a switch heelside backside 360. Practicing these pieces individually in a lower-risk environment will noticeably expedite the learning process. The easiest way to get a few switch backside 360s under your belt is to first practice some inside-out switch backside 360s at slow surface sliding speeds. Start with an inside-out handle-pass backside 180 that immediately flows into another 180 on the surface without pause. Then start landing later and later into the trick — impact at 270 and slide the remaining 90 degrees, and so on — and you’ll be landing inside-out switch heelside backside 360s before you know it. Once that rotation feels comfortable, it’s time to…

The from-the-boat angle is one of those weird paradoxes of our sport — as soon as you think you have a stance on it, a shot like this pops up. Being in the tow boat looking back at the rider is definitely the easiest way to shoot; that’s probably why it gets such a harsh rap. While it’s still somewhat of a faux pas, now and again someone like Collin Harrington gets creative and makes this angle look insane. Side note: Have you ever watched Randall Harris video footage from the boat in real time? There’s no better angle.…

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW THE PROS ALWAYS SEEM TO RIDE IN PERFECT CONDITIONS? LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SHORELINE TO FIND OUT HOW THEIR RIDING LOCATIONS STAY SO GLASSY. IF YOU’RE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW YOUR HOME LAKE CHECKS OUT, TAKE A LOOK AT OUR LIST OF ATTRIBUTES TO SEE WHETHER YOU’VE BEEN RIDING IN THE WRONG PLACE THIS WHOLE TIME. Wind Let’s face it: Wind is the arch nemesis of every rider. And avoiding it can seem impossible at times. There is a simple, well-known trick to finding calm water on a windy day that remains seemingly unobserved by the average weekender — ride along the shoreline where the wind is coming from. It might seem counterintuitive to drive toward the wind, but…

PRODIGY. IT HAS TO BE THE MOST UNEASY TITLE TO WEAR IN ALL OF SPORTS. SURE, IT COMES WITH ITS SHARE OF CELEBRATION, BUT THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION IS ALWAYS LURKING IN THE BACKGROUND TOO. AND FOR EVERY LEBRON JAMES, THERE’S A FREDDY ADU, AN ATHLETE WHO BOUGHT INTO THE HYPE BUT WAS NEVER ABLE TO COME CLOSE TO LOFTY EXPECTATIONS HEAPED UPON HIM. HARLEY CLIFFORD HAS WORN THE PRODIGY MONIKER EVER SINCE HE EMERGED OUT OF AUSTRALIA’S GOLD COAST AS A TEENAGE PHENOM, WINNING THE FIRST PRO WAKEBOARD TOUR EVENT HE EVER RODE IN AS A PRO AT JUST 15. NOW 21, HARLEY HAS ALREADY MORE THAN DELIVERED ON HIS CONSIDERABLE PROMISE. HE’S WON EVERYTHING THERE IS TO WIN ON THE CONTEST SIDE OF THE SPORT, NETTING THREE PRO…

The Super Air Nautique 230 is one of the best overall surfboats on the market. We can confidently say that, thanks to hull tweaks made in 2014 that were specifically tailored toward making the 230 work in perfect concert with the Nautique Surf System. NSS allows you to keep the boat weighted evenly from side to side and make a wave through a button at the LINC digital helm. The system switches quickly from side to side so you can transfer while riding, and each side has an impressive amount of push. In fact, the 230 makes us feel like we’re surfing a listed boat, which is about the highest praise a surf-system-equipped boat can get. The 230 (along with the 210) is one of Nautique’s most scalable boats, which…

Remember when we used to fill sacks with ballast pumps? You had to try to swap the pump for the plug before the bag sprayed water all over the boat. And remember the ballast compartments that would pump based on unreliable timers so you never knew whether your ballast was empty or full? Now forget all that because Centurion has a better way. Centurion’s Ramfill ballast uses gravity — the most simple and logical of all forces available to a boat on water — to fill its massive internal subfloor ballast. To fill, the system needs to be going 20 miles per hour so scoops on the bottom can intake water, and the opposite to empty. Everything is controlled through the Centurion Touch Vision screen at the dash through a…

As we just discussed, the tempo of a frontside 540 is a 180 plus a 360. So in the heelside frontside 540’s case, it would be a heelside frontside 180 plus a switch toeside backside 360. That’s the tricky part. You’ve probably never really thought about learning a switch toeside backside 360 before — but don’t worry, you won’t need to do this wake to wake yet. Ideally, though, you should experience it at some level — surface slide, ollie, one-wake or inside-out. To break the ice, begin with a simple surface slide starting in the switch cuffed position. The key is to travel laterally across the middle of the wakes when you practice this 360 slide. Be sure to overexaggerate, continuing your traveling direction over your toes when you…