Drew Danielo

Drew has been a presence in wake surfing since the beginning of modern-day competitive wakesurfing. Before Drew began Wakesurfing, he was one of the World’s best Skimboarders and traveled around the country competing in contests. He transitioned seamlessly to wakesurfing where he went on to win 7 World Championship titles.

In the late 1990’s, Drew was introduced to wakesurfing through Bob Smetts, owner of Zap Skimboards. Initially, Drew was a professional skimboarder for Zap. He recalls seeing wakeboard guys buying skimboards to surf behind their boats and was intrigued. Drew spent a day with watersports industry ledgends Cobe Mikacich and Keith Lyman in Orlando learning how to wakesurf. He learned how the boat wake works and how similar the wake and ocean waves are. It was a natural fit, and Drew took to wakesurfing quickly.

In early 2003, sponsors brought Drew to the World Wakesurf Championships in Merced, California. In his first ever wakesurfing competition, Drew slipped into the finals in last qualifying place. During his finals run at World’s, something “clicked” and Drew recalls wakesuring feeling as familiar and natural as skimboarding. After a few shuvs and 3 shuvs, Drew won his first World Championship.

Drew went on to win World Championships in subsequent years: 2005/2006/2007/2008/2011 and 2013. He also holds multiple State and National Championship titles.

Over the course of the next 20 years, Drew’s unique skate/skim riding style and amplitude have influenced wakesurfing tricks, progression, and evolution. Drew has been a pro wakesurfer for Phase 5, Centurion Boats, Nautique Boats and Board Co.

He has now retired from competition and is focused on his family, son Ty and wife Nicole. He stays connected to wakesurfing though his role with Phase 5 wakesurfers as International and Southwest Regional Sales Rep and is heavily involved with product design.