Bob Soven – Alliance Wakeboard Magazine “2013 Rider of the Year”
Bob Soven has been named the 2013 Alliance Rider of the Year. Take a journey through Bob’s year to see why this award is well deserved.
Edit: Collin Harrington
Filmed: Collin Harrington and Spencer Norris
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November 21, 2013
Bob Soven is the man! Enough said.
November 21, 2013
Bob Soven makes Elvis Presley seem like he's got Autism.
If Chuck Norris wanted to be a real man, he'd change his name to Bob Soven Norris.
ROTY is small fries to Bob Soven, think bigger. Think walks on water awards. (be ready this time my Jewish friends)
November 21, 2013
Great choice Alliance and congrats to Bob Soven! Well deserved, Bob. Keep up the great work.
November 21, 2013
That Incline (Massive) to down ramp was pretty boss.
November 21, 2013
Bob is absolutely amazing, but as always, that's an american boat rider who receives a wake title …
November 21, 2013
yeah bob!!
November 21, 2013
Jojo,
I just got this list from the article on this site talking about the new issue. These are the past ROTY winners.
2001 – Brian Grubb
2002 – Parks Bonifay & Randall Harris
2003 – Aaron Reed
2004 – Chad Sharpe
2005 – Ben Greenwood
2006 – Danny Harf
2007 – Randall Harris
2008 – Danny Hampson
2009 – Chris O’Shea
2010 – Tom Fooshee
2011 – Reed Hansen
2012 – Raph Derome
You're right, there are a lot of boat riders in the group. And Americans, too. But Alliance is an American-based magazine and wakeboarding is still predominately an American-based sport. Over the years the riders having the most profound impact on the sports as a whole have been the Americans who are in the thick of things. I think we will start to see that change as the sport continues to grow, especially with cable parks. I think Alliance has actually been ahead of the curve on some things though – like giving ROTY to Fooshee in 2010. And if you look at the articles section on this site you'll see the Female ROTY award this year just went to Ange Schriber – who last time I checked lived in Oz and rode cable. Also, Bob has done a lot the last couple years to become much more than just a "boat rider."
Congrats Bob and Ange! Well deserved and I'm stoked to see what's in store for next year!
November 21, 2013
Jojo, you're kinda dumb…
2004 – Chad Sharpe – Canada
2007 – Randall Harris – Not of this earth
2009 – Chris O’Shea – Australia
2012 – Raph Derome – Canada
November 21, 2013
That video made me smile a lot.
Congrats Ange & Bob, great winners again this year
November 21, 2013
Who else is in that last clip at Hexagon?
November 21, 2013
well deserved Bob.
Not sure what jojo is talking about. The last American boat wakeboarder to be named Alliance's ROTY was Randall back in -07. Bob is an all around rider too…
November 21, 2013
Well deserved Bob. Great video Alliance.
November 21, 2013
HS 720 into the flats at 1:50 looks picture perfect, loved the super stoped landing!
November 21, 2013
The ending makes everything else in the video just that much better
November 21, 2013
Congrats Beer Bong BoB!!
November 21, 2013
I don't talk only about transworld's ROTY, but also wake awards for exemple. Just if you look at the Trick of the year nominees there are almost no europeans, and in other categories you don't see cable riders very often (even if it's changing more and more).
And all the ROTY riders that you've cited ride in USA almost all the year, so …
November 21, 2013
Jojo, Seeing as we are on alliance's ROTY….
all of the contests or awards that you are talking about are based on riders submitting clips. Also I am sure there are some people here on the internet that will shortly give you a break down of how many international tricks there were. I am sure the Hoppe brothers had like 5 tricks in there themselves.
And guess what, the United States has florida and texas, and they still are seeing days in the 80's coming up on december. might be a reason that guys from europe come here when its probably freezing over there.
and Thailand and the Phillipines are producing amazing talent. but hey those are just my 2 cents
November 21, 2013
Much respect Bob! Keep it up.
November 21, 2013
This Jojo dude is talking about the ROTY like it is the official title for a world champion or something. It's a magazines own judgement of who they thing is supergood, nothing else.
It's like when Silas Baxter Neal became Thrashers: Skater of the Year. He didn't even produce a part or won any competition that year, Thrasher just thought he was cool basically.
But don't get me wrong, Soven is a well deserved ROTY, but the title says pretty much nothing about the wakeworld outside US/Canada
November 22, 2013
Bob is the man. Sick up rail! Keep killing it no matter the pull! Hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Scooter
November 22, 2013
Sick edit. Nice year recap! Well deserved. Love the magazine shots!!!
November 22, 2013
Yes! Congratulations Bobby Tadpole! Way to put in work!
November 22, 2013
Jojo… sorry but the americans rule wakeboarding… If a foreigner deserved it, that foreigner would win it. Plain and simple.
November 22, 2013
JoJo. Your names is to close to mine. STFU!!!!
Well deserved Bob
November 22, 2013
It's probably about more than just being super good.. It's also about who is out there working and busting their butt all year to be at events and help grow/influence the sport of wakeboarding.
Bob shows he can do anything on the water, plus be a hard worker off the water, a kind superstar to fans, and a smart athlete for sponsors!
November 22, 2013
Absolutely deserves it. Dude kills it on and off the water.
November 23, 2013
Yea, he wins. So much danger in those last hits. So much danger.
November 23, 2013
mazel tov bob
November 23, 2013
Regardless as to whether or not he received anything at the wake awards, Bob has definitely stepped into his own. He has made an effort to go beyond the call of duty to transcend the token "wakeboarder" stigma and become a true ambassador of the sport. My pursuits in life have afforded me the ability to come in contact with many members of the professional wakeboarding community, unfortunately not Bob (yet). Regardless, seeing his works, there is no better example of what a wakeboarder leading the industry should be.
Keep up the great work Bob!
November 25, 2013
awesome vid! incline to landing ramp stuff was so sick. Love to see bob do street stuff
November 25, 2013
Yea Bob!! America!! Fuck yea!!
November 28, 2013
Well deserved bob!!!! you the man!!!!