Alliance Superlative Awards 2013 – Most Improved

Alliance Superlative Awards – Most Improved (wakeboard)
Derek Cook

Cook mixing it up in the Port of Stockton…    Photo: Cortese

Derek Cook’s riding is constantly evolving; as a result, he has always been successful in differentiating his wakeboarding from everybody else. Even more impressive is that this is all happening for Cook past his 30th birthday – including his first ever cover of a magazine on our April issue.

Derek’s first cover was a dandy.    Photo: Rodrigo

We’re not necessarily ones for fine wines, but we’d kill to have some of what Derek has been cooking the past couple years because it looks delicious. Whether he’s getting creative with wrapped tricks or finding new ways to do rewinds, Cook’s approach is always fresh. We had a chance to see this firsthand at our Less Than Five event this year in Orlando. While each of the invited riders seemed to have a signature less than five trick that set them apart, Cook had about four such signature tricks. Our favorite was his indy wrapped 3 to backside 180. Big-ups to D for continuing to find ways to motivate the rest of us to try new things, whether it is through his riding or the insightful “Matters” articles he has written in past issues of Alliance.

Properly poked in Orlando.    Photo: Cortese