As we mentioned in yesterday’s post Flyboy Wakesurf is a proud sponsor of the 2012 World Wake Surf Championship. We’ve been sponsoring the event since our inception and will continue to do so, as long as we are in the business! One of the reasons is the event and organization respect the sport and the riders. The WWSC pays out the biggest purse in wakesurfing, literally tens of thousands more than any other event. This is critical for development of the sport and shows, in our mind, that the WWSC is focused on the riders and their well-being, and not exploiting them for personal gain.
As a case in in point, our own James Walker is one of the best professional male surf style riders. He is sponsored by the likes of Flyboy Wakesurf Boards, Inland Surfer, Supreme Boats, Towanza.com, Wake Shredder clothing, Hydroturf Traction, Exile Audio, Liquid Trends Audio and Fly Hi. James is also pursuing his education in Criminal Justice and maintains a part-time job, as well as his own household. In other sports, professional athletes are able to pursue a career in said sport. The winnings and available resources surrounding the sport are adequate to provide an reasonable lifestyle, not outrageous, but you can make a living from it. Literally, outside of the WWSC, winning a contest wouldn’t pay for your travel costs TO the event. We understand that wakesurfing is in it’s infancy, but it’s exploitive for contests to just accept that pro level riders will subsidize their contest by netting a LOSS.
With the WWSC, first and foremost the riders are taken care of. Now, if you’re travelling from Russia, it’s probably not a positive sum game, but if you are within the USA, it will be, if you podium. That is one of the biggest reasons we support and sponsor the event. This $40,000 purse is going to support wakesurf pro riders. AND that is more than double what was paid last year. That’s not really the point. The point is that the World Wake Surf Championship demonstrtaes clearly that it’s most valuable resource is the rider. Those are the folks that will bring attention to the sport and cause folks to watch, generating interest, which eventually will translate into sales of boats and boards and traction and etc. Have you ever watched a “pro level” event and just felt embarrassment at the level of riding? Where the unititaed watch and sort of go, those are the pro’s? That doesn’t happen at the World Wake Surf Championship, in the pro level men and women are killing it! You’ll see the best of the best, doing their best.
We applaud the efforts of the WWSC to put the riders first and in so doing, create an atmosphere where the most talented folks can compete and NOT lose money doing so. No one will retire on their winnings, but as a pro level event, it’s should NOT require that the riders subsidize the event.
The WWSC, takes care of all of the riders first and foremost, they are part of the community and protect their greatest asset, insuring the return of the best and brightest.
This years WWSC is going to see some of the best riding, ever. In the pro men’s skim Keenan Flegle is determined to take back his title and defending Champion Drew Danielo is just as determined to retain it! Most likley 5 shuvs and bigger spins will be common! You’ve seen James working hard at taking back his 2010 WWSC title, also. Big spins, Front Shuvs, Bigger Blender combinations are just a few. Keenan Flegle, still in high school and with lots of time for practicing is wanting the surf syle title, Chase Hazen would love to launch his new Liquid Force signature board with back-to-back wins and we can’t count out Jimmi Sparling and young up-and-comers Chris Kinsey and Chris Wolters. That Pro Men’s Surf division promises to be hotly contested and will come down to the final pass!
The WWSC was the first wakesurf contest to equalize winnings for men and women pro level riders, setting the trend for others to follow and also, just a long history of putting the riders first and foremost. Women’s pro skim will see a showdown between Bri Chmel, Jaq Fort and Caro Villaneuva, it will be exciting to watch! The women’s pro surf featuring Rebecca ort, Ashley Kidd and Korina Smyerk will also bring some amazing riding for all of us. Airs, surface rotations and most likely an air reverse or two are on the agenda!
We proudly sponsor the WWSC for their efforts of supporting the wakesurfing community and more specifically the riders that make this sport GREAT!
For everyone competing, good luck and we hope you have your best run of the season and for everyone attending, thanks for supporting the riders and giving them an opportunity to develop their skills to be he best they can be.
We are not wealthy, we wish we were, but we are a tiny little division of Inland Surfer, but we like to support events and causes that are about the sport and the riders. We ante up and as part of that we will get a chance to air a small 10 second commercial at the WWSC. The bigger sponsors will get longer spots and more air time, but we are just happy to be part of the event! Here is our spot, developed by Nick Scott of Sixx Productions. A 10 second spot isn’t much to work with, but Nick did a GREAT JOB! Here is our ten second spot
James Walker wakesurfing is also featured in Inland Surfers WWSC ad and here is that spot!
…and a picture to wrap up today’s post a huge slob grabbed ollie indecision wakesurf trick.
Thanks so much for following along, we appreciate your time!
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