What you may have missed in wake recently...

There is some crazy progression and innovation going on in wakeboarding/wakeskating/video editing right now...and it's only the very beginning of the season! In case you may have missed it, we put together a highlight reel in one post of the latest and greatest wake videos to hit the web. From handle pass double inverts wake to wake by Dowdy, to cable 1260s by the Breddas brothers, to cranberry bog wakeskating, to 240 frames-per-second video, these are all must-watch videos.







One Shot by Breddas.com from Breddas on Vimeo.



Kyle Alberts-The Pro that Never Was

Spring Winching: CRC Pond

Before this latest snowstorm arrived, VT Wake managed to get our first taste of riding in 2013. It was just a quick winch session but it was good to get back out there. It looks like we'll be stuck with snow for a few days, but the extended forecast is looking promising. Hopefully we'll have some boat footage to share within a couple of weeks. For now, enjoy this quick clip of Sean O'Toole and Eli Archer.

VT Wake CRC Winching 3/23/13 from Adam V on Vimeo.

Spring Break Updates

Hope all Hokies are enjoying their Spring Break. Lots of VT Wake riders are in Florida for break, including Sydney Hobart. Sydney made a stop through Orlando to do some cable riding and hang out with her cousin, LF rider Gordon Harrison, and some other friends. Great to see some Hokies getting back on the water.

Speaking of getting back on the water...looks like the weather is finally starting to cooperate. After a cold winter and some Spring Break snow a few days ago, the weather is starting to turn around. Just checked the 10 day and not one forecasted low is below freezing (although you should never trust the weathermen). Not the warmest or sunniest forecast, but we are used to it. Sounds like the Maroon Marauder is ready to be dewinterized any day now. Hopefully the 45 degree water will warm up fast!

Throwback Thursday-Gauntlet Trailer

As we await Nick Schrein's new VT Wake full length movie, Gnarcolepsy, we wanted to bring it back a few years for Throwback Thursday. Gauntlet was Nick's first full length effort, filmed back in 2008. It's fun to look back at some VT riders back in the day and see how they have progressed since then. Joel is the only rider still around from Gauntlet, but many of the featured riders still wakeboard regularly. It's also cool to see the progression in filming and editing quality by Nick. His skills and equipment have improved a lot over 4 or 5 years and Gnarcolepsy will be some of his best work yet. Another nugget: The band featured in this Gauntlet trailer is the Baker Family Band. That is the same Baker family as Sam Baker, a good friend of several VT Wake riders and current roommate of Gordon Harrison, whose cousin Sydney Hobart is one of VT's top girl riders. Small world.

Gauntlet Trailer 2 from Nick Schrein on Vimeo.

Riders to Watch for in 2013: Garrett Wootton

We are starting a new series of articles to highlight some of the up and comers in VT Wakeboarding, or riders who have been progressing fast that we expect to make some noise in 2013. The first rider on the list is Garrett Wootton from Virginia Beach, VA.
After transferring from Old Dominion University a year and a half ago, he began pursuing a degree in Business Management and joined VT Wake. Garrett embodies the 757 lifestyle. He is super laid back, loves boardsports, and rides with style. As for his wakeboarding, he came to Tech with a backroll and some solid heelside spins, including HS FS 540s.


Just in the last season, Garrett learned:
-TS FS 360s
-TS FS 540s (landed his first one behind an 18 foot center console with a wake "the size of my shoe")
-TS Frontrolls
-Scarecrows

Ya...so maybe he used to be a slight heelside hero...

Either way, he nixed that moniker pretty quickly and progressed well, especially for only being his fourth season of wakeboarding. Competitively, Garrett has been a big part of our Regional success, earning a podium spot in his division in both 2011 and 2012. For 2013, Garrett is hoping to get TS FS 360s down landing wrapped, tantrums, raleys, and maybe start experimenting with TS FS 720s.

Garrett brings a great sense of humor to the club in addition to his wakeboarding skills (and a whip straight out of dub magazine). We are happy to have him at VT and look forward to seeing his riding reach new heights during the rest of his time in Blacksburg.