By Johnny Kerce

We all know wakeskating is a team sport. Good luck trying to ride and progress by yourself. But in Bradenton, where there are no shortage of amazing riders to shred with, the Doran’s have another one up. Brothers Travis and Tom have each other to ride with, push one another, and of course, give each other brotherly shit. And if that’s not enough encouragment for you to get your sibling out riding, well, maybe this interview will be. Enjoy. –BG

JK: First of all which one of you started wakeskating first and how did you start?

Tom: I definitely started first, pretty much started riding with Nick Taylor back in the day and loved it.  I would always chill with Nick, and I would do some lip tricks and watch him ride and Nick’s always been a sick rider so that was so sick watching him shred.

JK: Living in Bradenton, what do think this type of surrounding has brought to your wakeskating?

Travis: It’s nice to get to ride all the time.
Tom: I just love surfing all the time.

JKK: Better riding spot, PSP or Bayou?

Tom: Bayou for sure.  I love the Bayou: Sam’s house, Stu Shinn’s house, glassy water, mad chillin.
Travis: Yeah definitely the Bayou cause we have always rode out here but PSP is really chill.

JK: Travis, tell us a little bit about what’s going on with Oak Wakeskates these days in terms of riders and boards?

Travis: I mean we got  Hooker, Dave, Kirby, and some other trues.  As far as boards go the new 39″ came out, and I love my Pit Spitter.
Tom: Oh my god does he shred that Pit Spitter.

JK: Tom, how do you believe your influence as an older brother has helped Travis progress?

Tom: Haha….I don’t know, alright basically he helps me because I see him shred and it gets me stoked to ride.

JK: Each of you try to give us a little insight on a normal day of riding and habits?

Tom: Wake up…try to not black out again.
Travis: No for real try to not black out haha, maybe go try to take a set with Nick Taylor at his rail park and do noseblunts up his incline.
Tom: Yeah dude that place is so fun I love hitting that flatbar.
Travis: Maybe in the evening take a set with Stu behind his boat in the Bayou.

JK:  Travis, I have seen you shred rails by locking in with your udders, how do you think lock-in technology is going to become a major part of wakeskating?

Travis: It’s the future…..I mean if you can do a boardslide you can do a back nose.  It’s definitely going to turn into skateboarding and people are only going to be satisfied with back tails and front blunts and sick stuff like that.

JK: Travis, with the release of Fun Boots! how do you feel about your part?

Travis: Oh my god I don’t even remember most of the stuff I did now but I think it’s gonna be sick.

JK:  Also, if you had to pick one, which part are you most looking forward to?

Tom: Seeing Travis progress and being like “That’s my little brother and he is the man.”
Travis: What was the question again…..oh Andy Pastura for sure, it’s going to change wakeskating.

JK: Out of all the amazing eating establishments in Bradenton whats some of your favorites.

Tom: Howie’s is fire, Applebees is fire, but Howie’s is so chillin it’s probably my favorite.

JK: Tom, I have alot of conversations with people that believe you are the next big thing to come out of Bradenton, what is your response to that?

Tom: I don’t know about that dude, there is alot of people that can do more tricks than me but I just hope I can keep wakeskating and get better.

JK: Do either of you have plans on moving to Orlando in the future?

Travis: Yea I’m coming up like the week after I graduate. Hopefully I’ll be able to live on Lake Nan and shred every day.

Tom: I’m coming with you Trav for sure. We know who the homies are in Orlando maybe we can find a couple more and it should be sick.

JK: If so, what do you think the benefits of Orlando are compared to Bradenton?

Travis: In Orlando there is not near as many cops out on the water.

Tom: Tides suck too, if the tide is to low you can’t ride and sometimes with winching around here the tides really affect when a gap can be hit.

JK:  What are some of the tricks that each of you have been working on lately?

Tom: I’ve been trying frontside flips, getting my varial flips better and kickflips on lock, and just some other fliptrick stuff.

Travis: I’m really trying to just do lines and doing all my stuff solid like if I do a trick bad I always do it until it looks good. I’m really just trying to flow and make everythinig look the way I think it should.



JK: Tom, who do you believe has really influenced you with your wakeskating?

Tom: Stuart Shinn definetly.`  Stu has been a big part of wakeskating for me.  I have always enjoyed chillin with him and just watching him progress from the time he started.

JK: Tom, in your first year of college you went to UNF. Have you ever thought of what might have happened if you had stayed in Bradenton?

Tom: Oh dude…seriously that is a good question man. I have thought about that a lot because the whole time I was up there Travis would call me like every day and tell me he landed a new trick. So I think if I had stayed I probably would have stayed into wakeskating and probably been better than I am now but I chilled in Jacksonville real hard and I am glad for Travis where he is with wakeskating anyway.

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