Wakeboard Season is Almost Upon Us!

Alex_6n2 · 7 Apr 2011 at 12:39

So April is usually the month when all the cable and boat lakes begin to open up again so who's ready to crack out their 5mm suits and get back on the water?

I know that my local home lake at Nottingham spent £300,000 over the winter installing a brand new cable that's A LOT bigger than it used to be along with a system 2 so I'm looking forward to heading up there next weekend to try it out. A few competitions and exhibitions going on at Cirencester too in the next couple of months that look like a lot of fun. I'm going to try and go to as much stuff as I can this summer after I finish Uni before I start work, hopefully the weather will hold up this time around!

Anyone thinking of going to Wakestock in July? Line up is looking pretty good for the music festival and the competition has a decent selection of riders too.

Compulsory picture:

Benihana · 7 Apr 2011 at 12:41

I'll be attending Wakestock again this year as I'm a photographer for one of the promoters

if last year is anything to go by it should be a great event both music and events wise.

kiteloopy · 7 Apr 2011 at 13:18

your only just going out????? you GIRLS!!!

ive been riding since febuary! JBski's been open for 4-5 hours every sunday for a few months. If I hadnt busted my ankle at hipnotics a few weeks ago Id be out everyweekend!!!!!

Ellie goulding lined up for friday at wakestock. Benihana if you get me a riders pass ill glady give you my bank account contents.

Alex you part of uniwake??? Was out at hipnotics at easter with them last year. Notts is my local aswell. cant wait to try it out. Obstacles look amazing. Massive fun box like cwc/bedford, but nowt on sheffield.

compulsory facebook profile pic.

Alex_6n2 · 7 Apr 2011 at 14:07

Yea I'm part of Uniwake mate. Not really been involved much though so far cause of everything else I've been doing. Bristol wakeboard society is only just starting to get going again after winter so hopefully should pick up a bit now! Would have loved to have gone on the most recent holiday to Greece or wherever it was. Sounded epic.

My sister is currently trying to get us both riders passes for Wakestock

Skidder · 11 Apr 2011 at 09:27

I went to JBski yesterday for a couple of 15 minute lessons (boat not cable). I've been riding for ages but never with a lesson and just a few times a year. Having taught myself by trial and error it was really good to hear what I'm doing wrong and have stuff to work on.

HAz · 21 Apr 2011 at 18:45

pespro · 21 Apr 2011 at 20:51

Someone asked me if i wanted to do this soon, is it worth it?

Skidder · 21 Apr 2011 at 22:00

pespro said:
Someone asked me if i wanted to do this soon, is it worth it?

yes

Bes · 25 Apr 2011 at 14:30

Used to love wakeboarding until I came unstuck when showing off and managed to give myself a slap lesion in my shoulder :| Strangely both doctors I have seen (Specialists) have recommended against surgery as the lesion is not very severe and as I run my own business and work full time, I cannot really afford the time off (4-6 weeks of one arm in a sling and immobile).

Still have my board, jacket, etc, and can still ride (as long as I don't go too crazy), but prefer kitesurfing these days.... Far easier on the arms and more technical skill.

pespro · 27 Apr 2011 at 12:55

Skidder said:
yes

Didnt enjoy it.
Only went on twice and felt so bad i couldnt go on it again.

Dont know what happened but first we jumped into the water, i got out easily, pulled my mate out too.

Then after 2nd time i fell off couldnt even pull the board out of the water, some guy had to help me get out.

Benihana · 27 Apr 2011 at 13:06

kiteloopy, last year I managed to meet Feeder, Blood Red Shoes and the two guys from Dirty Sanchez, plus lots of goodies from Jack Jones

Just praying Ellie Goulding won't lock herself away inside her trailer!

No bank contents would sway me at the moment!

kiteloopy · 27 Apr 2011 at 17:03

Benihana said:
No bank contents would sway me at the moment!

I'm pretty neat behind a camera. If you get a spare (which I dont think you will!)...think of me!

Bes said:
.... Far easier on the arms

True!

Bes said:
and more technical skill.

Not true!

. Wait until you start with kickers, sliders and inverts...thats when the tech increases.

I got out my cast last tuesday. Should be riding this weekend if I dont get hit by a car. New season...new boots needed.

kiteloopy · 27 Apr 2011 at 17:07

pespro said:
Didnt enjoy it.
Only went on twice and felt so bad i couldnt go on it again.

GIRL!
If you aint crashing...you aint learning!

pespro said:
Then after 2nd time i fell off couldnt even pull the board out of the water, some guy had to help me get out.

Its just muscle memory & strength. I cant walk for a week after the first session of the season. At the end of the year I can ride with agression for about 3-4 hours day-in day-out.

Skidder · 28 Apr 2011 at 07:34

pespro said:
Didnt enjoy it.
Only went on twice and felt so bad i couldnt go on it again.

Dont know what happened but first we jumped into the water, i got out easily, pulled my mate out too.

Then after 2nd time i fell off couldnt even pull the board out of the water, some guy had to help me get out.

that's odd, because everyone I know loves it first time out and lands a tantrum by the end of their second go

It takes a bit of perseverance, but it's worth it.

kiteloopy · 28 Apr 2011 at 10:04

Skidder said:
... and lands a tantrum by the end of their second go

I still havent tried this. Me and going upside down dont mix well. I'll hit massive sliders no problem, but backflips; even for a split second scare the **** out of me.

Bes · 28 Apr 2011 at 10:23

pespro said:
Didnt enjoy it.
Only went on twice and felt so bad i couldnt go on it again.

Dont know what happened but first we jumped into the water, i got out easily, pulled my mate out too.

Then after 2nd time i fell off couldnt even pull the board out of the water, some guy had to help me get out.

I think most wakeboarders have been there. I remember the first few times I went, I couldn't grip anything more than a pen afterwards for about a day (Seriously hurt), but as others have said, it's all about muscle memory. After a few sessions, I was tearing up the lake for hours at a time.

It takes a lot of practice, and those who learned in a cable park will know the frustrations of falling off at the first corner and facing a massive walk & swim back the first few times

Did you do cable or boat?

Skidder · 28 Apr 2011 at 11:04

kiteloopy said:
I still havent tried this. Me and going upside down dont mix well. I'll hit massive sliders no problem, but backflips; even for a split second scare the **** out of me.

I can't do them

To be honest I taught myself and have a lot of bad habits (particularly in sucking up the wake and losing line tension as I hit it), so I've been having a couple of boat sessions at Jbski to get my wake jump better.

I have tried and failed some inverts but have decided to go back to basics and unlearn my bad habits.

Still haven't done cable but planning to next week.

kiteloopy · 28 Apr 2011 at 11:46

Skidder said:
I have tried and failed some inverts but have decided to go back to basics and unlearn my bad habits.

Still haven't done cable but planning to next week.

Ive only had 1 boat session and that was years ago. But boat is deffo a place where you dont want bad habits. Especially when your paying crazy money for 15mins.

You'll like cable, and JBski's pretty good.

Skidder · 28 Apr 2011 at 12:48

kiteloopy said:
Ive only had 1 boat session and that was years ago. But boat is deffo a place where you dont want bad habits. Especially when your paying crazy money for 15mins.

You'll like cable, and JBski's pretty good.

Cool, looking forward to it. I also need to go to Blackpool for work next week so was thinking of dropping in to the new cable 2.0 place up there.

How hard are sliders on a cable? How much technique in getting on them? Just olly? I snowboard (and used to skateboard) so do some rails but to be honest at 36 I tend to stick to the easier rails in the snowpark.

kiteloopy · 28 Apr 2011 at 13:13

Skidder said:
Cool, looking forward to it. I also need to go to Blackpool for work next week so was thinking of dropping in to the new cable 2.0 place up there.

Id ring them up before hand. I went to that 2.0 last year and loads of the guys were getting their boards mashed from the obstacles, they were really badly built. They should have fixed it by now. If your not going to hit anything...a 2.0 is a 2.0 :/. Great place to learn raliey's tho.

Its also in the middle of no-where.

Skidder said:
How hard are sliders on a cable? How much technique in getting on them? Just olly? I snowboard (and used to skateboard) so do some rails but to be honest at 36 I tend to stick to the easier rails in the snowpark.

Easy to ride....hard to get style. Pro's will olly but I just ride up it, I don’t have the coordination for that.

1)The slider has to be wet, so splash the slider while you practice your line ups.

2) You'll need a deceiving amount of speed; too slow and you'll get pulled off. Edge/cut hard 15m or so in front.

3)When you get <1m from the front of the slider, pull the handle in hard...you'll get a bit of slack which allows you to ride to the end of it.

4) It looks like a massive vertical wall when you approach. Only hit them when your ready.

Common mistakes are that people go too slowly, in which case you'll get pulled off...so ride away and hit it again! & most people lean back too much and fall on their bum. If it hits the fan just let go. simples. your experience will help you a lot.

You have to do some kind of 'saftey test' at JBski before they let you hit them...again, id ring to avoid disapointment.