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Wake Park Entrepreneurs Take Notice

February 21, 2008 by Leave a Comment

www.wakeboarder.com posts this report from Orlando, Florida – the former editor of WakeBoarding Magazine, Matt Hickman, and founder of The Projects Wake Camp, Pat Panakos, have partnered to launch “The Wake Park Project.” This enterprise is aimed at making it easier for wake park entrepreneurs to begin a project by offering vital information, services and cable systems.”

The Wake Park Project offers consulting + rails and kickers designed by Pat Panakos. Panakos’ years of experience as the wake-rider’s carpenter at the Projects Wake Camp has elevated Panakos to the peak of rail design in wake sports. Panakos’ skills combined with Hickman’s years of watersports experience and constant nurturing of the growth in cable riding makes The Wake Park Project an essential place to start.

So you want to launch your own Wake Park – go contact the staff at The Wake Park Project. Visit www.thewakeparkproject.com or www.sesitec.de for more information. Also click to www.camsurwatersportscomplex.com, which is set to host the 2008 WWA Wake Park World Championships.

Full details on the above article available at www.wakeboarder.com

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Emily Copeland-Durham: A Pre-eminent Athletic Female Wakeboarding Champion – Part One

February 21, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Emily Copeland-Durham of the USA is renowned as an athletic and committed wakeboarding competitor since 1999 who recently won the women’s wakeboarding event at the 2007 Gravity Games H2O in Perth, Australia. Copeland-Durham won her third Gravity Games title, edging out Amber Wing and Melissa Marquadt with a high score at 97.5.

There are three significant hallmarks of Emily’s strides in wakeboarding competition:

  1. There is a purposeful drive for ongoing progress coupled —
  2. with a rigorous workout ritual. It is this steadfastness that results in Emily’s tying for the lead inclusively with Dallas Friday on the 2004 Pro Wakeboard Tour and also —
  3. Her desire to be a good role model to others.

Emily talks about learning tricks, the wakeboard industry and the rider-owned Ronix wakeboard company in this relaxed shoot:

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Her ongoing dedication to the wakeboarding sport compelled her to move from Texas to Orlando to train with other professional wake boarders in 1995.

Marital Status: Married
Participant since: 1997
Resides In: Denver, CO
Birthday: 03/28/1984
Height: 5 ft 9”
Weight: 125 lbs
Occupation: Professional Wakeboarder
Sponsors:Nautiques, Ronix, Jetpilot

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Darin Shapiro: Wakeboarding’s Master Champion – Part Two

February 21, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Darin Shapiro is reknown as the first rider landing an Air Railey – but what is interesting is that the Air Railey wakeboard trick was actually named in honor of one of his coaches in Team Hyperlite. Actually, Darin was riding for Herb O’Brien who actually founded Hyperlite. The reknown “Hyperlite Pro” Wakeboard is widely deemed responsible for the tremendous growth of the sport. Due to his talented and proficient displays of first-rate riding and therefore high profile and influence on the sport, Darin is widely deemed as being responsible for promoting the Hyperlite Pro Wakeboard.

Today, Hyperlite team riders influence greatly the progressive design of Hyperlite boards. Pro Wakeboarders visit Hyperlite home office in Redmond, Washington and spend a week or two doing research, development, and graphic design. Hyperlite have on their team three CAD designers who operate two expensive C&C machines to get the right wakeboards shape as each shape can go through 20 prototypes. The commitment to improving cutting-edge innovation at Hyperlite has seen the company develop amazing products each year backed substantially by a lifetime warranty.

A showcase of 23 proficient 2007/8 Hyperlite wakeboard designs with various rocker types from 130 cms – 144cms lengths suitable for every all ability level including Beginner, Immediate, Advanced to Expert for child’s, men and women’s are presented at the popular Hyperlite-featured ‘Evogear’ website: www.evogear.com

Hyperlite wakeboard prices range at between $125 to $499.

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Darin Shapiro shows up in most major Wakeboard movies and tutorials. Check out this excerpt highlighting “Learn to Wakeboard” The Heelside BackRoll” where 11 pros show you the moves. “Narrated by X-Games champion, Gravity Games champion, and 3-time world champion Darin Shapiro and world famous pro-coach Mike Ferraro.”

Want to see more? See Trick tips and secrets you won’t find anywhere else! Tricks include: Board Control Cut Back Drill No Air Wake Cross Ollie Hop In, Hop Out Riding Switch Surface 180 Boardslide/Lipslide Ollie 180 Heelside Wake Jump Toeside Wake Jump Grabs TS/FS 180 HS/FS 180 TS/FS 360 HS/FS 360 Backside 180 Back Roll Roll to Revert TS Back Roll TS Back Roll to Revert Front Roll Scarecrow Tantrum Raley Riders include: Darin Shapiro, Dallas Friday, Danny Harf, Loren Levine, Cobe Mickacich, John Nadolski, Josh Sanders, Zane Schwenk, Chad Sharpe, Jeff Solei, and Daniel Watkins. Buy Waketrix the DVD here.

Watch Darin Shapiro in this excerpt “Wake In Paradise” from June 2007 here:

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As for Darin’s activities away from the water, Darin enjoys surfing and music. In fact, his in-home recording studio is where Darin spends most of his time when he’s not on the road. And of course, spending time with his girlfriend. Darin changed board companies after seven years and is now under contract to ride for O’Brien. Darin Shapiro has not competed in the pro tour since the 2004 season. He currently runs the Ride the Spot wakeboarding camp.

Darin’s website for Ride The Spot is www.ridethespot.net although the site at the time of writing the site is undergoing an upgrade to show off the new accomodation.

Filed Under: How To Wakeboard, Wakeboarding Locations, Wakeboarding Profiles, Wakeboarding Resources, Wakeboarding Reviews, Wakeboarding Tips, Wakeboarding Tricks, Wakeboarding Videos, Wakeboards Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Darin Shapiro: Wakeboarding’s Master Champion – Part One

February 1, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Darin Shapiro was born in October 25, 1973 is from Orlando, Florida USA and his profession is ‘professional wakeboarder.’ Darin is known as ‘wakeboarding’s top competitor’ and is known as the ‘most winning rider in wakeboarding history.’This might seem at first instance like an over-the-top accolade, but to help bring this truth home to the wakeboarding newbie — just cast your eye below over this accomplished list of supreme credits — that leaves no doubt that Darin Shapiro is a remarkable person and yes, the consummate wakeboarder.

6x Pro Tour champ
4x Masters champ
4x World champ
3x X Games Gold medal
2x X Games Silver medal
3x Big Air champ
3x Wakestock and current champ
1x Gold, Silver, Bronze Gravity Games champion

It has been said that Darin Shapiro was winning Pro Tour titles and World Championships before most of today’s contemporaries even worked out what a wakeboard did.

If we draw your attention to a wakeboarding competition in Russia: the “Shapiro Wake Cup” you just may guess the force of influence Darin has on the sport!

Darin began to compete in 1991 at age 17, when only one professional wakeboarding tour existed. Says Darin of his success: “I’m proud that I was able to stay on top for so long in a sport that has been constantly changing – with new styles, tricks and equipment — in the beginning I was one of the only guys really into the sport; it was the perfect crossover that blended my abilities on a trick water ski as well as a surfboard.”

Today all over the world wakeboarding is an action water sport that is family-friendly and growing increasingly in popularity. There are professional wakeboard tours and competitions all over the world. Major U.S. events include the Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament, the World Championships, the Pro Wakeboard Tour and the X Games. Darin has won every single one of these tournaments a number of times.

Waketrix - How to wakeboard instructional DVDSee Darin Shapiro doing his wakeboard tricks in Waketrix – How to wakeboard instructional DVD

If you liked this DVD then you should also check out one of the most famous instructional “How To Wakeboard” video series ever…its Detention starring another Wakeboarding Champ – Shaun Murray. This DVD is two full length videos all on one DVD!

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Wakeboarding Pro Profiles – 2007 WWA World Women’s Wakeboard Champion – Amber Wing

January 4, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Australian Amber Wing, born January 2 1983 and 5’2″ in height must have her sights set on world wakeboarding domination. Amber began at age 18 when a friend strapped her in to a wakeboard saying “you gotta try this!” By her own admission – she’s been hooked on wakeboarding ever since and been competing now for 4 years.

Last September Amber competed with the very best of the best: Dallas Friday, Emily Copeland Duran, Melissa Marquett and another Australian star Hayley Smith among other greats. Amber was the only female to hit the fun box then the high rail, executed a whirlie bird and included off axis 5’s, 3’s sliding the rail both ways in her combo. This took Amber to a first-time and extraordinary win over Dallas Friday at 2nd place and Nicola Butler at 3rd place.

It is generally known that Amber is one of the most versatile female riders on the water. With her right stance, she can perform rails, flips, spins and grabs shifting seamlessly from one to the other and seemingly, without effort.

Amber has achieved for the first time what no other female wakeboarder has ever done – accomplishing a 720 with two full spins. Note: a 720 is a spin where the rider does one 720 degree rotation while in the air. Her proud sponsors are Supra, Oakley, Liquid Force, Wing Wetsuits, Pro-tec, and the Wakeboard Camp.

At the Surf Expo in Amber was crowned “2007 Female Wakeboarder of the Year” by the wakeboarding industry. What a proud achievement! Her board: a Liquid Force Cadence 134. Her Rope/Handle Liquid Force Black Widow with 80ft line. Her vest: a Wing Ariel Side Entry.

If there ever was a female Wakeboarding Hall of Fame, Amber would certainly have a prominent place! You GO girl!

You can check out one of the many videos staring Amber Wing below called “Chick Flick”, is also stars – Hayley Smith, World and X-Games Champion Dallas Friday; World and X-Games Champion Emily Copeland-Durham; X-Games Champion Maeghan Major, and counless other Wakeboarding Super Stars!!

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