Wakesurfing with the StoreYourBoard Team

This past weekend the StoreYourBoard crew got out on Lake Anna for some wakesurfing.  We hit the lake early to beat the crowd (and the rain) for what turned out to be a really solid session.  Check it out!

Wakeboarding | A Beginner’s Guide

The butterflies in your stomach, the excitement running through your veins—pure adrenaline takes over at the thought of getting on a wakeboard for the first time.  Recently, I was lucky enough to have my first wakeboarding experience…it was awesome.  I haven’t felt a rush of nerves, excitement and happiness since my “rebellion” riding on the back of my friend’s motorcycle.  However, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I hadn't received a few tips on the wakeboarding basics.

What you’ll need:

-Wakeboard

-Wakeboarding boots

-Life jacket
-Sun block

-(Ladies, I recommend wearing some kind of shorts over your bathing suit bottoms if you wear a bikini)

Wakeboarding | The Top Five Best Wakeboard Brands

Looking for your first wakeboard?  Tired of your old wakeboard and need a new one?  We're here to help.  We put together our list of the top wakeboard brands on the market today. Making our list, in no particular order: (1) Hyperlite, (2) Ronix, (3) CWB, (4) Liquid Force and (5) Obrien.

Hyperlite produces tons of wakeboard gear (check out this Hyperlite wakeboard rack) and is at the top of the wakeboarding industry. With sleek, lightweight boards, Hyperlite provides a rider with a variety of boards with different shapes and strengths to really give a rider pop on the wake.

Ronix is a diversified manufacturer with customized boards made specially for girls and guys. Many of the ladies' boards are made for smoother ride and less impact. Their “Faith Hope Love” board, for example, is a quality board that allows for a lot of speed across the wake.  Guys' boards offer their own unique advantages.

Trying to go green? CWB is the brand you want to focus on then with a board that incorporates bamboo to “add strength and reduce weight.” Not only eco-friendly, CWB has great boards for beginners with their soft landing technology implemented into each board.

Liquid Force prides itself on designing boards to make each rider’s experience special, whether you’re a young grom or an experienced powerhouse. Their boards are lightweight and new hybrid models are always being released with new advancements to better your ride.

Similar to the other brands on this list, Obrien is a quality brand that offers boards for beginners to experienced pros. Each board is created differently to enhance a rider’s strength and to also help his or her weaknesses. With technology such as double barrel channels to expanded DELTA bases, these boards produce enough pop to help you land your next trick on the wake.

These brands produce top quality wakeboards but they aren't the only great wakeboard manufacturers out there. Check out boards produced by Slingshot and Humanoid to further your knowledge of equally good brands. Everyone's got their own opinion about what brand is best, but I hope this list helps point you in the direction of a wakeboard that feels like an extension of you.

Once you choose your favorite wakeboard brand and get a new board make sure you have a wakeboard rack to store it in!

Ride On,

      Colleen

Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

Wake Brothers | Phil and Bob Soven

What is one of the summer's hottest (and funniest) shows that is dominating MTV's airwaves right now?  That would be Wake Brothers, the hit comedy reality show featuring Phil and Bob Soven.  Phil is 23 years old and currently ranked as the number one wakeboarder in the world, and his brother Bob is 20 years old (he injured his knee and is out for the rest of the wakeboard season).

Although brothers that both wakeboard, the similarities between Phil and Bob end there.  Phil plays the role of the serious, professional wakeboarder; Bob does his best not to take anything too seriously, and does his best to be the life of the party.

The show premiered on July 25 and is set for a 12 episode run this summer.  The show airs Mondays at 11pm, and each episode is a half hour and combines wakeboarding and shenanigans.  Phil, or as he is known by his friends, "Ice Man" competes on the professional wakeboard tour, which is featured in the show.  Bob, as a long-haired red head, creates "ginger mayhem" wherever he goes.  For example, in the show's first episode, Bob scales the house, sneaks into Phil's room, and rips the blanket off Phil's bed, exposing him and his lady-friend for the cameras to see.

Interestingly enough, Wake Brothers is not the Soven's first shot at a TV show.  A pilot show by Pink Sneakers was used to pitch Wake Brothers, but the pilot was actually shot years ago.  In that pilot, Bob is living at home with his parents and Phil is in the process of building his own home.  Of course, Phil jokes with Bob that when the house is built he will let Bob move in there too.

We at StoreYourBoard really dig the show and also credit the Wake Bros for having all the episodes available online, along with the show's blog, additional pictures, and episode schedule here - http://www.mtv.com/shows/wakebrothers/series.jhtml.

Don't forget to send your tweets to @PhilSoven, @TheRealBobSoven, and @WakeBrothersMTV.  We have been following the Wake Brothers on twitter and since the show aired, their followers have increased from about 8,000 combined to now almost 70,000!  Yeah, the show is that popular.

For an interview with the Wake Brothers, check out the video below!  Ride on!



Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

StoreYourBoard Team Rider: Tyler Nelson

Take a minute to get to know StoreYourBoard's second addition to its team of riders, Tyler Nelson.  Tyler wakeboards on the Gravel Tour, which consists of 5 competitions at the Orlando Watersports Complex in Orlando, Florida.  The first stop was March 31 and the last stop is set for September 29.  Tyler is fighting for first place in his division!  Below are a few questions that Tyler answered so you can get to know a little bit more about him and his wakeboarding...

·         Name: Tyler Nelson   

·         Age: 18

·         Twitter Handle: @tcnwake2wake 

·         When did you start riding: 2008

·         Board: Ronix District with Cell Boots(as of now)

·         Home lake: Lake Santa Fe, FL

·         Favorite spot ever ridden: Lake Santa Fe

·         Favorite time of day/year to ride: Late in the day in summer

·         Best trick: Laid Out Half Cab Roll

·         Next trick to conquer: Pete Rose

·         Worst wipeout: Landing a 360 while tearing my meniscus(straight leg for 6 months after surgery).  

·         What competition circuit do you participate in: Gravel Tour

·         Results from this year’s competition: 2^nd overall for the year in 2011 intermediate

·         Big plans for next year: Get on top of the advanced division

·         Favorite pro rider: Parks Bonifay

·         Dream vacation: Anytime I wakeboard I am vacationing

·         Songs that get you pumped up: Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi, Riot Rhythm by Sleigh Bells, Paper Planes by MIA, Radioactive by Kings of Leon, Kyoto by Skrillex

Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

StoreYourBoard Team Rider: Jonathan Plotz

Introducing our first ever team rider, Jonathan Plotz.  Jonathan is a wakeboarder riding in the INT League this summer in North Carolina and absolutely tearing it up at age 16, stringing together a series of first place finishes and sitting in prime position to qualify for the regionals.  Check our interview with Jonathan to learn a little more about him.

·         Name: Jonathan Plotz

·         Nickname: JP and Johnny

·         Age: 16

·         When did you start riding: 7 years young. Got serious this year and have taken off!

·         Board: Humanoid Oracle 137cm

·         Home lake: Lake Anna, Virginia

·         Favorite spot ever ridden: Mayo Lake. It’s all glass!

·         Twitter handle: Plotz_J

·         Favorite time of day/year to ride: Early morning foggy session. Summer is the time of year for me. What school?

·         Best trick: Switch 540. (Half Cab 5)

·         Next trick to conquer: Raley. I’m scared too.

·         Worst wipeout: Fell in the handle on a toe side front 3 and was convinced my arm was fish food

·         What competition circuit do you participate in: INT League

·         Results from this year’s competition: 4 consecutive 1^st places in Men’s Advanced

 

·         Big plans for next year: Land any Mobe trick. That’d be sick.

·         Favorite pro rider: Innovator: Bob Soven … Veteran: Parks Bonifay

·         Dream vacation: Ride on Blue Lake in Florida behind the new Air Nautique G25 with pretty girls in the boat. This is a dream right?

·         Song that gets you pumped up: “IDGAFOS” by Dillon Francis

We here at StoreYourBoard are wishing Jonathan the best in the rest of his competitions this summer.  Welcome to the team!

Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com