WHF: Do you think the current state of Wake is in a good place right now? DS: No. Wakeboard sales have gotten very soft. The contests, at least here in the U.S., don’t have the spectator crowds that they used to. The types of sponsors that...
WHF: You’ve credited Chet Raley and Mike Ferraro as being instrumental coaches in your career. What was it that made your relationship with them so special and why do you think you were able to be so successful together?...
Twenty-seven years. Yep, you read that right! It’s been twenty-seven years since Darin Shapiro first strapped on a wakeboard, and never looked back. It was fun watching his return to the competitive stage a few years ago, even if just for a brief moment. But...
I first met Rob Mapp at one of my South Florida wake events. I had heard he was one of the best Cable riders in Florida but was shy off the water and preferred to let his riding do the talking! On the water, Rob...
New Year’s Day - a symbol of renewal, hope, and rebirth; but for many people the yearly resolution to improve oneself wears off in a few days or weeks. Not so in the case of legendary waterman Shannon Best. New Year’s Day 1991 was the...
Very rarely do we get the chance to interview someone with such talent and legacy. It just so happens that, in this case, we didn't do the interview at all. C.C. Roberts took the time to put together an amazing story for everyone to read...
Having been around the Wakeboarding industry for most of my life has allowed me the opportunity to meet and become friends with many of the biggest names in our sport. Thus the first person in the sport I wanted to interview after becoming a board...
An interview with Herb O’Brien on the First Compression Molded Wakeboard [dropcap]I[/dropcap]n January 1991 Herb O’Brien unveiled the HO Hyperlite. It was the world’s first compression molded wakeboard, and the customer response was immediate and dramatic. The thin profile and near neutral buoyancy of the new...
Wakesurfing has exploded onto the scene in recent years. Today’s massive wakes and sport specific equipment have riders doing things nothing short of amazing. The jaw-dropping antics of today are deep rooted in experimentation with the items at hand - going back many decades. The...
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]onald take me back to the very first part of your life in wake. When did you get your first board and where were you riding at the time? (DS) I grew up in Deerfield Beach Florida right down the street from the well known...