Here are 6 of our favorite and some of the most technical wakesurfing tricks yet. Year after year wakesurfers continue to push the progression of new tricks and bigger airs behind the boat. The progression will continue to top itself along with the increase in boat and board technology and the drive of athletes to do more and go beyond. Having both "skim" and "surf" style athletes, competitors and enthusiasts leads to an endless amount of opportunity with your friends or at your local wakesurfing event.
1. First up is Malibu/Axis boats team rider, Johnny Stieg, who takes wake transfers to another level with a huge superman transfer as featured in the 2015 Malibu Boats Surf Gate video. Wake transfers are a new and exciting part of boat technology and now there are even competitions that feature a transfer option like Wake Surf Nationals in Georgia put on by Nautique.
2. Next up is Ashley Kidd in her new video thanks to Ryan Light called “Ashley Kidd 2014 World Wake Surfing Champion,” featuring two moves that most professional male wakesurfers cannot perform. First up is a shuv to revert followed by a switch backside air grab shot on Lake Austin behind her beautiful purple Centurion FS 44. Ashley continues to push the level of competitive wake surf and following a dominant season in 2014, adding these two moves to her quiver just distanced herself even further from the rest of the competition.
3. Dominic Lagace's Pro Men's Skim trick of the year, his varial flip, is one of the most watched videos of 2014. Doum continues to push the limits of what can be done on a skim board all while being one of the oldest professional athletes on tour. Check out the full video- Dominic Lagace- Wakesurf Video of the Year- Pro Mens Skim.
4. We love this stylish reverse wave hand grab that Parker Payne has perfected on his Day 1 Wake pro model. He makes reverses look so easy in DFW Surf's tandem wake surf video called "Parker and Perry." In a year's time Parker has gone from Amateur World Champ to #2 National Champ, a member of the exclusive big spin club, and already one of the top pro competitors on tour at the age of 14. Parker continues to raise the competitive bar and push the limits of competitive wakesurfing.
5. And then one of the best trick combinations and trick recovery took place at the Texas Wake Surf Championships put on by Boardco at the Texas Ski Ranch and World Champ Keenan Flegel showing us all why he is number 1. Here, following a frontside shuv to switch backside out, Keenan recovers by paddling back into the wave, in a Boarders Mag exclusive video- "I Got This."
6. Last but not least and probably the best trick of the year, the long and awaited and sought after kick-flip, thanks to Zoltan Torkos who accepted the challenge of the first ever surf kick-flip on the ocean waves and now he is the first ever to also do so behind the boat. He is also a master of the superman like Johnny.
Exciting moments for the sport of wake surfing and more to come. We are excited for 2015: more people wakesurfing, bigger and better boat technologies and more competitions and local events- let the inland surf community thrive!