Is Winching on Wakeboards Legit?
It’s not often wakeboarding has a hot button topic of debate. But lately, winching on wakeboards has certainly caused some ripples in the water. Is it legit? Is it just …
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Maybe you enjoyed it. Maybe you questioned why it was here. Maybe you shut it off after the first butt check. Being honest, there was some debate about posting this video at all, after all, even the guys from Teleprompted Anthems admitted the riding “wasn’t the best.” So rather than just leave it at that, we decided perhaps this winch debate needs to go down. We’ll play the cons role, and Telepromted Anthems’ Brad Holland will handle the pros…
Pro: Shredtown – These guys are the single greatest argument in favor of wakeboarding on winch gaps. There is no way you can deny what these guys have done for wakeboarding; when was the last time that a group of riders came out of nowhere and legitimately changed the sport for the better? Everyone loves those guys, except that kid on WakeWorld who’s bitter because he thinks he’s a way better wakeboarder than they are and yet no one knows who the hell he is except for people who check their computer every ten minutes. Hi Kyle! –Brad
Con: Shredtown– Some people are definitely jealous of the coverage these have gotten, but their success has been less about actual riding, and more about using the Internet well and knowing the right people. And changing our sport for the better!? What’s better than cruising around on a boat with your friends? Certainly not swimming around muddy ditches and getting busted by the cops. And how did one group of dudes become the poster boys for a whole movement? Doesn’t that make it lame right there? — Brooke
Pro- It’s fun – The riding in our video might not have been anything amazing, but the riders were doing it because it was fun. And here’s the thing about fun: it’s totally subjective. One man’s fun is another man’s boring. If you like doing something enough, you’re going to do it whether or not that 15 year old wakeskater in his parents’ basement thinks you’re the man because of it. Regardless of whether or not you personally like something, it’s a pretty dick move to tell someone that this thing they enjoy so much is stupid, and they should probably not do it for the sake of being cool. –Brad
Con: Just because it’s fun— Doesn’t mean you have to make videos of it. What are you trying to do, be the next Shredtown? (BEEN DONE!) What happened to just going riding for fun and not making a video of it? It seems like the winch and the video camera must come in a package, because it certainly seems like no winch session has ever gone undocumented. –Brooke
Pro: It’s Kind of Dumb to Make Up Rules About What’s Cool – This might not be so much an argument as a statement. Going around trying to convince people that this is cool and that’s not cool is a completely asinine practice and unless you’ve actually done something to give yourself any credibility in the real world (not the internet), the only people who will agree with you are the people that feel that way anyway. I could go around and spend my entire life telling people that creamy peanut butter is totally lame and if you want to be legit, you need to get a jar of crunchy. There are probably some crunchy fans who would agree with me, but for the most part, I would just sound like a dumbass and the vast majority of people could care less. – Brad
Con– Creamy peanut butter is totally lame. With crunchy you get multiple textures! How can you not enjoy MORE of something. But anyway, the point is some people obviously do care, otherwise, why would we be talking about it (particularly the people who are still reading this rant!) Wakeboarding might really matter in the grand scheme of oil spills and world hunger, but it’s something we all enjoy, so it’s ok to have opinions and be passionate about something, even if sometimes that means being a little bit negative because you see the sport going in a direction you don’t like. –Brooke
Pro– We’re Not Trying to Change Anybody’s Mind – If you’re not into wakeboarding at winch gaps, that’s cool. It’s okay to not be into something. I’m a very opinionated and critical person, so I know where you’re coming from. I personally think that 90% of cable wakeboarding is dumb. I don’t think it looks that cool and I feel like it’s absurd to claim that doing tricks off a kicker is anywhere near comparable to doing them off a wake. That doesn’t mean I think any less of people who ride on a cable or that they shouldn’t do it because I don’t think it’s cool. By all means, if you’re into riding on a cable, go for it. I’m not a fan, but I’m glad you enjoy yourself and I’m not going to try and talk you out of it. By the same token though, we’re not going to stop doing what we enjoy because somebody told us it wasn’t cool enough. The fact of the matter is that wakeboarding and wakeskating are both still the redheaded stepchildren of board sports, so we’re all basically starting with a deficit anyway. Just go do what you enjoy and don’t concern yourself with the people who don’t agree with you. Is that so much to ask? –Brad
Con– This is the INTERNET (and you’re attached)!— On the Internet, everyone has an opinion, so you’re going to hear about it. The argument though, isn’t so much about if it will ever be legit, it’s more about the quality of riding that’s going down now compared to the amount of coverage it’s getting. Remember, wakeskaters are not attached, so a 3-foot gap is challenging to ride. On a wakeboard, it’s not. At the very least, can we see more flips, please. You’re still attached to that thing, but aside from Vinny Knapp and a few other people, the most awesome thing going on is 360s. Everyone knows flips are AWESOME! –Brooke
It’s not often wakeboarding has a hot button topic of debate. But lately, winching on wakeboards has certainly caused some ripples in the water. Is it legit? Is it just …
Read More
July 20, 2010
Winching is a fun way to spend an afternoon jibbing, but there was issue of alliance a few back were a third of the pictures and the cover were people jumping off waterfalls.
Not to say falling 15-20 to flat water dosen't have gnar factor, but I just don't think it requires a tremendous amout of skill or creativity.
It does make for some pretty backgrounds.
July 20, 2010
WOW THAT VIDEO WAS HORRIBLE!!!!! WHO WANTS TO SEE WAKEBOARDERS DO WEAK SHIT LIKE THAT DOWN GAPS??
July 20, 2010
Just to clarify, we don't make videos to be the next Shredtown. We make videos to show off our fantastic taste in music and typography.
July 20, 2010
I was winching in 97.
July 20, 2010
I AM LOOKING TO INSTALL A WINCH TO THE BACK OF MY TRUCK. CAN SOMEONE PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS? I AM INCLUDING A PICTURE OF MY TRUCK FOR REFERENCE. THANK YOU.
|^^^^^^^^^^^^|
|SEXY TRUCK | '|""";.., ___.
|_…_…______===|= _|__|…, ] |
"(@ )'(@ )""""*|(@ )(@ )*****(@
July 20, 2010
Gaps on a wakeboard are cool because they are different. If you are totally burned out on riding just one element of wakeboarding mixing it up can bring back the fun.
July 20, 2010
Winching is awesome cause if you suck at the wake you can learn to do rails in your back yard pond cause your jet ski won't fit or if the water sucks cause of the wind it gives you something else to do! Don't hate if it bothers you that bad grab your tube and give your wakeboard to charity. Thanks. Teleprompted anthems is legit just like winching!
July 20, 2010
its not wakeboarding down "gaps" its waterboarding using different terrain.
July 20, 2010
My humble opinion is that winching must be legit.Think about it for a moment,putting aside the factor of the quality or standard of riding(some of us will never reach anything but an intermediate standard if that,myself included) however each time we're privileged to have the opportunity to ride,what an experience that proves to be.With this in mind just think of what the winch has opened up.It has made wakeboarding and wakeskating accessible to those ones that may never ever have had the opportunity to participate in these wonderful activities on a regular basis due to not being able to own a boat or jetski.Thus winching has opened the door for the not so well off to be able to participate in on a regular basis and for this reason alone who has the right to question the legitimacy of the humble winch,the common man or womans best friend.
July 20, 2010
Golf clap for this guy ^^^
July 20, 2010
WaterBoarding everyone needs to just have fun in the water. Keep it fun going. Ride the water the way u wanna ride the water. WATERBOARDING
July 20, 2010
finnally someone else realizes that filming nature is soooo dumb
July 20, 2010
Winching is legit, but not all winchers are. Personally I feel that a true wakeboarder and a true wakeskater as well should enjoy every aspect of the sport. Boat, cable, winch, jet ski, even just riding stationary on moving water. It's all shredding!!! If you truly love to ride then it shouldn't matter how you do it. As for no one winches without cameras rolling that's bull! My friends and I do it all the time, and I'm sure there's others that do the same.
I'd say the greatest thing to hit wakeboarding is winching because even if your mommy and daddy won't, or can't buy u a $100,000 boat you can still push the limits. That's what it's all about. Pushing it!
July 20, 2010
Winching allows you to hit spots otherwise unridable. Not every winch spot is a drop. Check out the cover of alliance a few issues back with the skater boardsliding the handrail. You will see more of that come from the winch. I am pretty sure of that!
I think the winch and really gnarly spots will help us gain some respect from other board sports that don't want to see a bunch of flippy spinnys behind the boat
July 20, 2010
Good Luck Adventurer!
You approach the manmade waterfall anxiously, gear in tow. Your friend Jake speeds up the path in his pick up truck, honking his car horn, modified to play the theme song to Dixie, frantically! He slams on the brakes and starts yelling so fast you can't understand him! He's pointing towards the path and just keeps repeating "It found us.It found us.It found us." You glance up the path, wary of Jake and his practical jokes, feet still sore from the fish hooks he hid in your shoes last summer, and realize what he is stammering on about. THE INTERNET is barreling down the path way, kicking up dust and spewing out some sort of disgusting bile. It's gaining fast. You'll have no choice but to confront THE INTERNET.
What is your action?
July 20, 2010
BTW The kid at the beginning of that video is awesome!
It's hard not to comment on something like this, especially when I follow alliance on twitter. Being a rider who has seen winching for a long long time, way before "Shredtown" I think this article has a good premise but a bad reference if it is about "winching on wakeboards". If it is about wakeboards we should include all of the winching that has gone down over the past 10 years. If it is about drops than the title should be Is Wakeboarding off spillways cool?
In my opinion for the record Hell yea winching is cool! Drops are for kayakers and wakeskaters (which actually make it look sick!) If you are on a wakeboard you better be jibbing something on your way down!
As far as the statement about Cable riding if you doing something off the kicker legit it is for sure just as legit as boat. Why do I say that, because I can do both and each has it's own technique. I see the debate but I would compare it more to snowboarding park vs. powder…we now have park jockeys and pow riders. (sorry snowboarding, don't know the lingo)
At the end of the day he is right in the respect "to each his own"! If you are having fun f@*# everyone else! It is about your friends, family, etc. and having a blast. ( you just might not get coverage if certain heads don't think it's cool, so don't do it for exposure first, do it for fun first! )
My two cents…Keith Lidberg
ps sorry about all the quotes more for visual purposes hahaha
July 20, 2010
just for clarification, everything i say occurs ten seconds after i've said it.
yes. same here. so what we have to do is anticipate what the next person's gonna say, and then start talking ten seconds EARLY.
alright, we need some hints! before you talk, give us a hint.
okay, what's the code word gonna be?
…
DELAWARE
delaware. i'm about to speak.
…
marco?
POLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
July 20, 2010
I know i am no Keith Lidberg, but I do agree with everything he is saying, you have to take it from someone who not only rides winch, boat, and cable (which he kills it on also) but also from somone within the industry; who can see where winch and wake riding came from.
To me riding is more than just a boardsport. The reason people like Keith are pros is because they have changed it from just riding a wakeboard "well" into something diffrent from everyone esle, what i would call an art style, like Ben Greenwood said in the July issue of alliance mag. Wakeboarding is about doing something diffrent; that is for the majority of us, how you get noticed in the wake scene and that is how people remember you, so if "Shredtown" is getting all the attention there must be a reason for it? To me riding is either amazing which to me is an art, or it is just mediocre (which means not very good for people who dont read much)
a nobodys two cents…
July 20, 2010
im with keith..
July 20, 2010
BANGDOR CASTLE: confront the internet using sword of shred slayage.
July 20, 2010
SHREDTOWN RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A GROUP OF WAKESKATERS CAME OUT AND SCREWED BINDINGS ON THEIR SKATES TO LAUNCH DOWN GAPS?! INNOVATORS!
July 20, 2010
I think the point is that jumping off gaps is kinda lame, unless your spinning. Wall rides, ledges, jibs to gaps etc looks pretty cool to me and certainly make wakeboarding look more legit to our fellow boardriding peers who consider us rollerbladings gay cousin. Aside from this as a person who works in the industry, winches make wakeboarding accessible to more than just rich kids – and we like that.
July 20, 2010
its like urban snowboarding. but in wakeboard form
July 20, 2010
Flips down gaps are the lamest thing ever in wakeboarding. EVER! non grabbed 180s and airs are right up there too.
July 20, 2010
It's not what you do… Its how you do it. Ride for fun and keep style your focus. – Trevor Glenn Behler
July 20, 2010
winching is the urban wakeboard scene. its fucking rad. getting busted by the cops, glass water, drops, sliders, doobies, and ur amigos. it gives the clams behind the boat jumpin wake to wake all day long some variety and an edge. so take ur tight v necks and white sunglasses and insert straight up the ass.
July 20, 2010
winching is the urban wakeboard scene. its fucking rad. getting busted by the cops, glass water, drops, sliders, doobies, and ur amigos. it gives the clams behind the boat jumpin wake to wake all day long some variety and an edge. so take ur tight v necks and white sunglasses and insert straight up the ass. winch or cry
July 20, 2010
yeah if there is gonna be any argument on legit or not, its not gonna be in winching cuz thats some of the scariest stuff ever some of the jib that are hit in ankle deep water. i would say the legit or not argument would have to be air tricks on the cable when is that fad gonna stop. winching is the most legit thing our sport has seen in a long time.
July 20, 2010
this whole wakeskateing wakeboarding hate needs to stop. wakeskating came from WAKEBOARDING and skateboarding. so your welcome. cant we all just get along.
July 20, 2010
Winching is fun. I like winching. I sometimes pretend im snowboarding when im winching. It allows endless amounts of creativity. Sometimes i get sick from bad water. But i still enjoy it. 🙂
July 20, 2010
^^^Thank you Nate, seriously everyone is taking this way too seriously. People expresses themselves differently wheather it be winching, rails, cable, or boat. Its still wakeboarding, people are still inovating the industry, and most importantly having fun, isn't that what the sport is about?
July 20, 2010
all you hardcore riders that think winching is stupid can eff off. its pushing the sport you love. who cares if someone is riding differently than you. if you dont like it than stop bitching about it and do your own thing.
July 20, 2010
i love waterboarding!
July 20, 2010
Alliance I am almost done with a winching video of my own, but winching on a wakeboard and a wakeskate is so played out. Since I am so core I busted out my old Joker kneeboard and I am dropping some huge gaps and totally jibbing backwards concrete ledges. It is so legit, you have to post my video on your site and get some kneeboard winching coverage it is the next big thing to hit the water.
On a serious note claiming that wakeboarding shouldn't winch? Come on people have been gapping stuff for years. Who cares what it is on. You don't hear street skaters hating on wakeskating claiming they did gaps first. It is like saying wakeskaters since you have winching gaps and we don't you can't ride behind the boat because we did that first. WIth Love Sincerely Wakeboarders. The reason why Shredtown blew up like they did is because people watched their videos. Here are some guys doing stuff on wakeboards that no one has every seen and fans, sponsors, and media got behind it. If people didn't watch their videos then they would not have gotten sponsors or media coverage. Who is to say what is legit and what is not legit? When did wakeboarding turn into snowboarding? This sport is all about having fun expressing yourself on the water, we don't need a hierarchy deeming stuff legit or lame public opinion will do that all on its own by not viewing the lame.
July 20, 2010
Drops are for kayakers and wakeskaters (which actually make it look sick!) coming from a professional waker!
waking should stick to the boat where they do their flippy dos and donts the best!
July 20, 2010
first off the video does suck, the lil butter pad you guys filmed was about as stupid as those kids who video 2 foot long boxes and mt high, and for anyone who bases winching, it takes more skill then riding a wake, and for the guy who said 15 to 20 foot drops doesnt take much skill, try it tell me how it turns out when you blow your knee out.
July 20, 2010
Alright, I had to give some input on this discussion. Ill start off by saying that I enjoy every aspect of wakeboarding whether it be boat (which I do the most, and I am best at) winching, cable…I love riding on a wakeboard, I dont really care how… so in that case, im going to defend both winching AND boat riding.
I dont really get to winch very often, although I really want to change that! The winching I have done has been so fun!! I know its been said plenty of times, but i think there are way more possibilities on things you can ride behind a winch. Its exactly like how skateboarders go find a new stair-set or sick spot in their city. Now when I am driving on the road and see a pond or a small body of water of some sort, I say, "lets go winch that!"…instead of thinking, "yeah too bad we cant fit a boat in there". You catch my drift? When Keith Lidberg mentioned that its kind of like how snowboarders have pow riders and park riders…. I was thinking the same EXACT thing before I even read his post. Winching is so fun and definetly way more chill than boat riding. Winching is legit no doubt, and it is only going to get bigger…
Now, for boat riding… The main reason I would choose riding behind the boat over winching is because you can go huge. Theres nothing like cutting in as hard as possible and launching off a big wake into the flats. It doesnt even matter if you have a small wake, just get as much air as possible out of it. I want to see more people pushing taking tricks huge, out into the flats, as high as possible instead of limiting themselves to just wake to wake. Doing a technical trick with a grab is cool, but when you take it huge, then it makes it even more legit.
Sorry If I got off topic and for the long post. I kinda started ranting. But all in all, Im going to have to say that winching is just as legit as boat riding for now. Wakeboarding is wakeboarding…
July 20, 2010
wow that post was long
July 20, 2010
i heart winching. and yesturday was the last time i will ever bust a raley down a 4 ft gap i promise. cross my heart. hope to die
July 20, 2010
Shred the way you love to shred and let's get an open mind to allow the sport to push the limits further like it had always done in the past. Love what you do but don't hate what other people do. Everyone do shred because they love it so the way that you do it just doesn't matter as long as you're having fun and living your passion.
July 20, 2010
I think this article is incorrectly titled and people are missing the point.
Doing stunts down gaps is fun for those doing it, but the point is there has to be more consideration on what makes it into the media outlets.
It must be hard to keep a website like this updated regularly with good content, and in a dry-spell it can be easy to throw up a video of some dudes just jumping off something (why didn't they jib that wall!?)
The stuff Andrew and those guys do has been more progressive, but some of their videos stay on their blog and don't make it to the likes of Alliance, and for good reason.
Winching is cool, but we don't need to see videos like this for the same reason we don't see videos of wakeskaters doing ollies and 180's down 3ft gaps. It's already been done, so step up.
July 21, 2010
Everyone should get there time to shine no matter if you are Pro or not. There are kids all around the world pushing this sport and winching is definitely progressing it. If you are practicing for the Pro Tour than Hell Yea get behind the boat and kill it. If not and you're just riding for fun like me and have another career lined up to where you will make a lot more money than any wakeboarder ever has, like me, and can still enjoy it, than of course. Don't hate if you have never tried it and don't hate if you have tried it and don't like it cuz your lying. Have a good time, represent your city or country, and progress the sport. That's all there is to it. There should be no debate.
July 21, 2010
I love winching because it is FUN. Here is another video that sucks, def riding sucks, I can ride better than what's in this video but it's just home video and the only shots that got captured, so I can remember and laugh at myself today, tomorrow, and forever. No matter what I'm doing in my life, when I want to have some fun, it will be on my wakeboard. Promise!
http://www.vimeo.com/13357944
July 21, 2010
winching for wakeboarding is like skating "street" for skateboarders- its fun and looks cooler/more legit than that same old mini pipe that people have rode forever and done almost every trick on before (the wake)
July 21, 2010
I agree with keith and so many others…winching is legit. It's the guys that are going and hitting all the same spots over and over…hitting a drop on a wakeboard after some wakeskaters have been through makes it look bad! The idea of winching is finding new spots, exploring new ideas…not the same spots over and over! If a wakeskater has hit it, I don't want to see some wakeboard come through and do the same thing….jib something, find a new twist on the spot!
Winching is about pushing the sport into new areas and exploring what can be done, that's what made Shredtown who they are!! They didn't just go hit some drops and get famous, they found new areas to ride, they found new objects to jib and they made it look f@*%ing sweet!!!!!
July 21, 2010
"winching for wakeboarding is like skating “street” for skateboarders- its fun and looks cooler/more legit than that same old mini pipe that people have rode forever and done almost every trick on before (the wake)"
Best comment ever! hahahahahaha… nah bro, that's called wakeSKATING.
You must be thinking of cable, the ultimate wakeboard street course!
July 21, 2010
JEFFREY!!!!!!!!
July 21, 2010
I just don't see the point of winching on a wakeboard. "It's crazy! It's like wakeskating, but easy and you can't do as many tricks!" This quote is so true. Wakeboarders do 180s and 360s down gaps while wakeskaters do those and tons of other tricks. It doesnt make sense, you're limiting yoruself by wakeboarding while winching.
July 21, 2010
I build and ride winches in Phoenix, AZ- yes in the desert. Check out http://www.phoenixwinch.com and reach out to me!
July 21, 2010
" Everyone loves those guys, except that kid on WakeWorld who’s bitter because he thinks he’s a way better wakeboarder than they are and yet no one knows who the hell he is except for people who check their computer every ten minutes. Hi Kyle! –Brad"
its about time someone got on the WW Kyle kid. talks a lot but has nothin to show. we gotta keep the winching alive!
July 21, 2010
Winching on a wakebored can be very Kookish but so is wakeboreding. So get out there and Roll 2 Revert ur little hearts out. Just dont forget ur tie dye tees and shoe laces head bands. U dont what people thinking ur gay.
July 21, 2010
Are some drops too big for skaters?
July 21, 2010
Shredtown – "These guys are the single greatest argument in favor of wakeboarding on winch gaps." This is the WORST thing i have ever heard. Shredtown is the "single greatest argument in favor of gayness". Guys have been winching legit wakeboard size spots (and doing it right) long before those poachers ever tie dyed there tees and whored it out on the web. Shredtown giving winching, Texas and tie dyes a bad name since last week when they got cool.
July 21, 2010
^^^ So let me get this straight…you DON'T like Shredtown, right?
July 21, 2010
Hey guys, I've never winched before but I wakeskate and wakeboard. How do I get started? Do I need to put my bindings on a wakeskate? Or can I just do spins on the wakeskate without my bindings? Can you do kickflips and stuff down gaps or should I just put the straps on and try grabs? I can't do flips on my wakeboard yet but I've been practicing on the tramp.. is the tramp good cross training for wakeboard winching? Because I can do raley's but I think I'd be scared to try one down a waterfall.
July 21, 2010
This entire discussion has lead me to one question:
Does Brooke ever say anything positive about wakeboarding?
"Everyone knows flips are AWESOME!"
This does not count she was being factitious.
July 21, 2010
What about kyle Murphy and Jfish in homeless…?
The Alliance Cover with Melissa droppin bombs…?
The vandalls method down the season "beginner"?
Its not what your doing, its how your doing it.
July 21, 2010
I think this video is cool because everyone in it seems to be having a good time doing it. They may all be fags, but props to them for going out and making a video of what looks like a fun afternoon. Keep on winching
July 21, 2010
Winching is fun, but this video wasn't too exciting. The 3 at the end was cool though.
July 22, 2010
Don't let anyone tell you what to do or how to do it. Do it your own way. Break stereotypes. Push forward. Have fun. Be positive.
July 22, 2010
I think winching opens up the sport alot just like cable did. Why can't we just ride everything? All the time. I just bought a Humanoid wakeboard (so I could ride everything) And two or three years ago, if you would have told me I would be on a board without molded in fins and that flexed. I would have called you a liar, sir. But now not only am I riding it at cable and winching… But also behind boat.
Thats the beauty of our sport there are no limits…. you never run out of things to try or learn.
And lets all be real compared to anyother sport… Wakeboarding is young and has alot of growing to do.
As long as there are tubes left on the water (people doing power turns) and kids at home on the couch…. We as wakeboarders are not doing a good enough job getting the word out on how much fun wakeboarding is and that if you live near water (everyone does) then you could be wakeboarding.
I thank you.
July 22, 2010
I think winching opens up the sport alot just like cable did. Why can’t we just ride everything? All the time. I just bought a Humanoid wakeboard (so I could ride everything) And two or three years ago, if you would have told me I would be on a board without molded in fins and that flexed. I would have called you a liar, sir. But now not only am I riding it at cable and winching… But also behind boat.
Thats the beauty of our sport there are no limits…. you never run out of things to try or learn.
And lets all be real compared to anyother sport… Wakeboarding is young and has alot of growing to do.
As long as there are tubes left on the water (people doing power turns) and kids at home on the couch…. We as wakeboarders are not doing a good enough job getting the word out on how much fun wakeboarding is and that if you live near water (everyone does) then you could be wakeboarding.
I thank you.
p.s. sorry about the double post I wanted this on facebook.
July 22, 2010
lets all just have some jeffray's and shred. boom.
July 22, 2010
Ok, bare with me for 2 or 3 sentances. (oops)
I used to be a wakeboarder until i stopped 7-8 years ago. We rode at a waterski-club at the coast, since we didnt have money for our own boat. There was a lot of shitty wake/ski politics, plus that the ocean doesn't really offer glass surfaces more than 2-3 weeks a year. But the reason we quit was because of the politics.
What I'm surprised about is that nobody is really addressing that suddenly, wakeboarding is accessible to just about anyone. Small spots of water, a cheap winch and a friend, just opens up the sport to any one who has the slightest interest. It's no longer a huge monetary commitment to get a boat, or live close to a cable park. If you want riding on water to grow and excell, this is exactly the energy boost needed.
To be honest, its amazing that wakeboard was actually possible to survive, and better yet grow, with the circumstances that it required.. I can imagine the boat companies are more than a little concerned with the recent winching trend.
Regarding shredtown/media.exposure.
My theory of its success, is that they have been offering the complete opposite of what has been the norm in wakeboarding. It came as sort of a counter-action to the "polished, wealthy, house&boat by the lake"-image that has been portrayed by a majority of pro's.
Instead they go shred at grimey spots, with relatively small means, and have a blast. It's no longer a question of money if you can do it, its more about if you have balls to try.
Yeah, so what if every winch session has been recorded. Have you noticed that this is how the internet works now a days? Theres so much videos of people videoblogging and just venting their personal opinions that i start to wonder if youtube was such a good idea after all.. But it doesnt matter. Look at what it has created. Ideas spread like wildfire. 10 Years ago we across the pond (im in sweden) had to wait for movies to be released, or the new wakeboardmag to hit the stands, before we were up to speed.. except that the movies were usually from the last season, and the mags had stuff that were 3-4 months old.
I have been giving this a lot of thought, since im working on a design thesis with winchboarding in focus. Hope most of it made some sense.
To be honest. Every time i read this article, it sounds like the old waterskiiers vs wakeboards, but guess whos the waterskiier now?
July 23, 2010
Well to tell brad something there imma just throw one or 2 examples about cables riders Tom Fooshe he kills it on the cable ya and then I garuntee put him on a boat with some guys that ride just boat and he will be placed in top 3 and I'd like to see half the boat riders come and ride cable with us its not all about one section of the industry you gotta be able to rip in all aspects winch cable and boat………….
July 23, 2010
Man, I don't think that it's physically possible for you to miss the point any more than you have.
July 23, 2010
I think this whole argument is completely rediculous! Its just as gay as snowboarders that will only ride park or powder and hate on the other aspect of the sport for whatever reason. They are both fun and both part of snowboarding for a reason, and the legends in snowboarding can shred both.
As wakeboarders i think that we should all be greatful that we have so many different ways that we can ride our boards. You can ride behind a boat, pwc, winch, cable, system 2.0, car, 4-wheeler, etc. What other boardsport do you have that many options of ways to shred. Hell even snowboarders are starting to use system 2.0's and winches now, and skateboarders have started towing into things. All boardsports feed off each other, and whether you like it or not, the things guys like the shred town crew, gabe lucas, clay fletcher, and other free-riders are doing behind winches has brought a great deal of respect to our sport from other board sports that have never really respected doing flips behind an eighty thousand dollar boat and falling into water. However, they do respect doing anything over rocks and metal obstacles and landing in a foot of water; who in there right mind wouldn't.
I have a buddy that has a sick rail pond in Mississippi, (5 well built rails), but they ride behind a 4-wheeler because that is what they have. Does that make the things they are doing not as cool for some reason because the 4-wheeler makes it seem to red-neck!!
I think people should focus more on what is taking place on the board verses what is pulling the rider. . .
Yes, maybe a few kids have gotten videos posted somewhere, even though the riding wasn't good, just because they were winching a gap. But that is just because it is such a new part of our sport and people are still intrigued by it. But instead of bitching about it, go make a better video, or do something more sick on their spot. . . That is how skateboarding works, even at a pro level in Cali.
And for guys like me who have been wakeboarding for 14 or 15 years and have always rode behind a boat, the winch and cable parks are something new and fresh to keep wakeboarding exciting. Over the past 15 years i have literally spent over 1,000 days on the lake and riding behind a boat, but have only been lucky enough to go winch a fun spot maybe 15 or 20 times, and every one of those days i consider to be some of the most fun days i have had on a wakeboard.
The bottom line is quit worrying about what someone is riding behind and be thankful that we now have so many options of ways to ride a wakeboard. and have some respect for anyone that does something sick no matter what they are behind.
Anyone that thinks winching is lame or too easy needs to spend a day and go slide some CONCRETE with gabe lucas and his boys. . . Maybe a couple front edges to a concrete slab will knock some sense into their thick skulls!!!
And anyone that thinks flips down drops would be cool, needs to be banished to WAKE SKIS and WAKE KITES from now on!!
Peace out, and have fun shredding no matter how you decide to do it!
Aaron – G
July 24, 2010
board under feet….COOL!!!!!
July 26, 2010
This is short boarding vs. long boarding. This is street skating vs. park skating vs. pool skating. This is park shredding vs. back country riding.
If you think one is better than another then, "yeah, well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion man."
It's like saying that beer is better than wine, or fish is better than steak.
I personally think that progression is progression and whatever those guys were doing was not ground breaking progression, but it was a part of the overall progression has occurred in wakeboarding over the last few years. It did look fun, for them. I personally don't like jumping down anything without a transition at the bottom, but I'm pussy or I value my knees. It all depends on your perspective.
There's a massive issue with the, "I want content now media generation" that exists today. Hard tricks and progression take time to achieve. Something new can't be done everyday, but that's how often we want new content. We want that s**t now.
It's not a media sites fault that they can't get ground breaking content everyday. Ground breaking things don't happen everyday. What has happened is a massive amount of progression, everyone is so good, and that's going to continue to speed up.
If you want to get better at wakeboarding, wakeskating, or waterboarding in general, then do as many things as you can to improve. Ride cable. Ride winches. Ride behind 4 wheelers or helicopters or whatever you can get your hands on. Me personally. I ride behind yachts and that's way more bad ass than any winch, boat, cable system or ferrari you ride behind.
July 28, 2010
bottom line is that winch-wakeboarding is BORING to watch. you can only do so many weak grabs and 180's. Wakeskating has MANY more variable when winching
July 30, 2010
It looks like a lot of FUN!!!
I think thats what its about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 6, 2010
Well i finally was able to see what all of the hype was about about being "called out" on Alliance and I think this video pretty much just proved my point. Ok, winching that gap looks fun, yes, but it surely isn't progressing the sport. The only thing hard in that video is the kid 3ing the gap. Otherwise it was nothing more than hopping off a little 8 foot ledge to flat. Sure there is some impact but not any to cry about or blow a knee over. The only thing I find impressive about it is that you are able to find these spots. If you want a new one check out the highway from wellington to belle glade/lake okachobee, i think its highway 84. It should keep you guys entertained for a while.
September 27, 2010
Got a winch in the garage and a rail gap down the street.. got a boat in the creek too……
August 16, 2011
that would be cool if they did tricks.
July 25, 2013
Winching is legit when done right! , Shredtown, Gabe Lucas, and Mikey Ennen, are really the guys that make winching look good and go out of their way to find new stuff and progress that side of the sport.
July 25, 2013
You know what i think, Who REALLY GIVES A SH1T?!
Yes wakeskating is better and you are only limiting youself by strapping in but who is anyone to tell someone else that.
Do what you enjoy and if someone doesnt want to watch your crappy video, you never forced them to do so. They can easily switch their computer to worldstarhiphop and watch some other crazy stuff.
Go out behind the boat do some switch slayshes and remind yourself why you love these watersports
August 29, 2013
Okay, so that video may not have been up to par, so it didn't show winching in the best light…
If i was to make a wake vid about me riding behind a ski boat, are you gonna go and say boat riding isn't legit, because my video and riding aren't legit? So why would you say that winching isn't cool when you have guys who kill it? I hope drop the gun has some good winching spots… Its almost like moto or mtb freeriding… find your own spot, set up, and find what is cool about it, then move to the next
September 18, 2013
Do I think Alliance needs to stop labeling things legit and not legit? YES. What the heck does that even mean? If you are shredding a mud puddle on the top to a cooler and having fun doing it, you're winning the game.
December 13, 2013
winchng is legit you guys are not though
January 4, 2014
winching is cool, even on a wakeboard, i mean its out of the ordinary and it makes you more individual as a rider. and yes its super fun, and i think that its cool people film it, even if its not the best thing in the world, because its cool for people to watch your different winch trips and adventures. its not like people are trying to copy shred town, there seeing how much fun there having and wanting to replicate it 😉
January 6, 2014
Winching is rad! You cant always get the boat in the water, cable park is closed, etc… The other cool thing is that you can hit some really unique spots the you wouldn't otherwise be able to hit and you can throw together some obstacles to shred, it really lets the creativity flow. I dont think its the future of the sport but it is another great way to strap in and get that feeling we all love so much!
January 22, 2014
"Is winching on a wakeboard legit" is a very vague question. What a rider does when their winching determines legitimacy. Winching anything that a wake skater can hit is proablably not legit on a wakeboard. Maybe if they used the ledge to grind in this video, it would be legit. Winching is difficult, takes a good crew, and a lot of work to get a good shot so I have a lot of respect for great winching photo's and video's. Winching is rad because it is unique and allows riders to use their imagination from other board sports to be creative and ride different terrain. I hope this article inspires more wake boarders to go winching and be more creative. Thanks to Thomas Horrell for being a badass and introducing winching to our sport.
April 19, 2014
Just funny that strappers care about shit like this… go out and ride. Stop bitching and stop caring about what is "cool"
June 2, 2014
Winching on anything that slides is AWESOME!
June 12, 2018
Winching Simply rules???? #letfunrule ⚡#letsgotow