Some of my least favorite words.. “Summer is coming to an end.” The last month of summer is here, the water levels are a bit lower.. a few shallow spots look like nice land gaps to ollie over but school starts back, fewer people are on the lake during the week and lake life will slow down for some. The good part is, you’ve been working on your skills all summer and your riding your best, hitting tricks you hoped to learn. For some it’s time to really take the test. Some of Lake Martin’s own are getting out to compete the end of July in the The Monster Energy WWA Wake Park Triple Crown Presented by alliancewake.com, making its 2nd stop of the 2012 season at a new, state-of-the-art facility in Benson, North Carolina on July 20-21, 2012.
This professional and amateur contest. Local Jeff Mathis, SMG team rider competes in the Monster event and hope we are able to congratulate him for a podium spot at the Triple Crown. The Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink for the first time in its 23-year history, will be held in the state of Ohio. Event organizer World Sports & Marketing announced today that the four-day event will be held on August 2-5 at Voice of America MetroPark in the greater Cincinnati area of West Chester. Local riders Chad Reese and Ben Watts, both SMG team riders will be competing at WWA Wakeboard National Championships. 32 year old Chad Reese will be competing in Pro Veteran class and 13 year old Ben Watts will be competing in Boys.
Both riders have podiumed in previous years and we wish them luck and hope to see a repeat performance from these guys! Trick Tip – Wakesurfing 360. The 360 is one of the first trick most wakesurfers try and is a lot of fun to learn. There are two ways I like to do 360s. The first and most common way it seems people try is to coming out of a bottom turn (dropping to the lowest part of the wave or the “trough” and turning up), rotating in a large oval as the board rotates beyond 180, unweighting the toeside edge and completing the 270->360 and staying in the drive of the wave.. here’s what you need to remember if your going to do a 360 like this. Start from the back of the wave, pump your front foot and get the board to take off w/ the drive of the wave, execute your bottom turn, stick your back hand in the water reaching low at your hip, your speed out of the bottom turn is going to take you around and down beyond the outside drive of the wave; if you don’t get on your toes quickly from 270 to 360. When you make that turn, pull a hand full of water, like your paddling with your hand with your back hand to keep the tail from slipping out.
If your not in fast enough portion of the wave pump your front foot to catch up.. (extra tip) your head/eyes should be up and not looking straight down, make sure you keep your chest up, not over your knees.. it is very tough to get the weight off your toes fast enough to keep from catching the toeside edge.. which is the most common problem I see in riders learning the 360. Have fun, get out there and surf!
