Endless Wave – Noah Flegel
1. You compete in both wakeboarding and wakesurfing, does one have a priority for you right now?
I love being able to compete in both sports, although I focus a large majority of my time and effort into wakeboarding. I have found that Wakeboarding is a lot more demanding of a sport when it comes to training and keeping my body in shape. If I want to be at the top of my wakeboard game it takes a lot more time than it would to be on top of my wakesurf game.
2. Do you prefer skim or surf style, and why?
I’ve historically done better on my skimboard in contests, although I have more fun on my surf style board when I’m just riding for fun. It’s more like surfing in the ocean and that’s the ultimate, in my opinion.
3. How does your wakeboarding influence your wakesurfing, and vise versa?
I wouldn’t say that my wakesurfing and wakeboarding influence each other at all. They are too different of sports. Of course just being on a board on the water helps with board control and such, but when it comes to doing tricks I don’t find much of a crossover in the two sports. A lot of the stuff I do on a wakesurf board is inspired by ocean surfing and skateboarding.
4. What was it like growing up in and around the water with your brother? How did he push you then and how does he push you now?
Growing up with my brother on the water has made me who I am today; 100%. If it weren’t for Keenan, and the location I grew up in, who knows what I would be doing right now. I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood and I have water sports to thank for a majority of the fun I’ve had. Keenan and I always loved to push each other and learn new stuff together and it’s never really gotten too agressive. We will push each other to learn new stuff still, but we never get too salty with each other.
5. What was the biggest wakesurf related beef you ever had with your brother growing up? How often do you guys ride together these days?
Nothing too bad, we recently did a video of us playing P-I-G while wakesurfing. I was trying all the hard tricks, and he was doing simpler yet strategic tricks he knew I couldn’t do (laughs). Smart guy. We used to ride together almost every day, but since he moved to Orlando I only get to ride with him once in a while. I’m moving up to Orlando in a few weeks though so things will be back to normal with our riding schedule.
6. Do you think having a surfing background has helped you gain respect in wakesurfing?
Yeah, I think having a surfing background gains you respect in almost any water sport (laughs). It seems that surfing is what almost all water sport enthusiasts gravitate towards or can relate too. Surfing has given me a different style than I would have had on a wakesurf board for sure. Surfing has also taught me many tricks to bring behind the boat – preferably my Nautique G23.
7. What’s your favorite trick to do utilizing the transfer capabilities of your G23?
That would have to be either a superman or a 3-shuv. I love feeling of the transition on those tricks.
8. Do you see wakesurfing growing bigger with more contests and events?
Wakesurfing has been exploding in the last 5-10 years and I think it’s only going to continue to grow with more and more people doing it. There will definitely be more contest and events every year, unless there is some crazy crash in the economy of course.
9. What do you think wakesurfing contests can do to be more spectator friendly?
The live feed definitely helps, but the only way to really make it in your face is to have the boat drive extremely close to the spectators. I went to the FISE Wakesurf contest in France and the boat was 15-20 feet from the bank of the inlet and people were lined up like crazy. It was awesome.
10. Five years from now will you be doing more wakeboarding or wakesurfing events?
As long as I am healthy I will always be pursuing wakeboarding to my full potential and focusing most of my energy on that. I plan to always compete in wakesurfing as well, but who knows what my future may hold!