Chase Heavener (Pic: Josh Letchworth)

It's hard to believe that Chase Heavener hasn't even reached legal drinking age in most states. It seems like he's been a part of wakeboarding forever. He's never dominated the podium or won a World Championship, but he's made an indelible mark on the face of wakeboarding in countless other ways. From his unique style of riding to his establishment of the New Crew to his "kick ass" speeches at the awards ceremonies, Chase has influenced the sport more than many of the top pros could ever hope to.

While readying himself for an uncertain year 2000, Chase took time out of his schedule to talk to WakeWorld about what makes him tick, where he's headed and what he hopes for.

WW: Let's start with the generic interview opening. Who are you, how old are you and where are you from?
CH: My name is Judson Chase Heavener, I am 20 years old and I live in Winter Park, Florida.

WW: How did you get into wakeboarding?
CH: Well, (laughs) my friend had a Hyperlite skiboard and I started riding it behind an old fishing boat.

WW: What would you be doing if you weren't wakeboarding?
CH: I would probably be in the NBA and I would be playing for the Chicago Bulls wearing number 23.

WW: Who do you usually ride with?
CH: Well, usually Matt (Staker) and Jim (Leatherman) will wake me up and I will ride with them until my girlfriend Jaime (Necrason) gets home and then I will ride with her.

WW: Tell us about your wakeboarding set up.
CH: I ride a Trip 43, Pro Sucs, Chase Heavener Signature fin and Matt's rope and handle. I don't really know how fast I go. It depends on what trick I am doing.

WW: You're riding with Liquid Force now. How did that come about?
CH: Well, I have pretty much been riding for them all along because I would always go to dinner with them on tour and I was hanging out with all their riders so it just seemed to make sense.

WW: How do you like it so far?
CH: I'm loving it. Liquid is rad. They treat me right and they flow me what ever I need.

WW: You could probably be making more money riding for someone else, why the decision to go with Liquid Force?
CH: Well, there are a couple of reasons. I had a couple of offers, but it's really not about money for me. I mean, I need to make a living and all, but it was also to prove a point to Neptune as well.

Neptune offered me nothing and for some reason they say that they thought I was gonna sign the contract, but I didn't. The point I was trying to make was that it's not about how much money you pay me or what you tell me to do. I am not going to promote something that I don't believe in and something that I know isn't a quality product. For years I have tried to tell them the way to go and to help them but they never listen and they always want to do their own thing. Lord knows what that thing is. It changes every year. But its just not where I wanted to be.

Click the image to see the entire sequence of Chase on the slider (Pics: Josh Letchworth).

WW: Up until this year, you'd been with Neptune. How long has it been?
CH: I have pretty much been with them since the beginning, about 4 years, and I really tried to support them no matter how many mistakes they made.

WW: Your divorce from Neptune was a little messy. What happened there?
CH: Ok, now that is a good question. Well, most people probably think that it was because they hired Dean, but it's not Dean. He's a nice guy. I don't always agree with his views, but he's a nice guy. I had a real problem with the management. They brought Dean in and signed Mike Mclin, who is probably going to be the next Dean Lavelle anyway, and I guess they took my salary to pay those guys and that left me with nothing. So I called to see what the deal was and I just got some pre-fabricated bull honky that I had heard for the millionth time.

Don't think this is the first time that they have tried to get rid of me. About two years ago they offered me the same bull dooky contract so I went and got my boy, Butch (Scott Bouchard), and he went in there and made them look like fools. They were like, Yes sir, Mr. Butch, sir. We will give Chase whatever he wants." But then they pulled it again and it kind of aggravated me a little 'cause I have been with them through everything and then they pull this.

It kind of makes you wonder who is running these wakeboarding companies and if they really know what they are doing or if they are just a bunch of middle aged, mid-life crisis guys who don't know what they are doing. No hard feelings (laughs). Yea right.

What really aggravates me is that we could have been awesome if they would have stuck with it from the beginning. It was me, Billy McCaffray, Matt Staker and C.C. Roberts. So first they fired Billy for what reason I don't know. Then C.C. got in an accident. Then they fired Matt, again I do not know why. Then me. I guess they just have something against being cool and getting in the magazines and being in videos.

WW: What do you think are a sponsor's responsibilities to their riders?
CH: I think that a sponsor should support their rider even if they mess up. I mean, if I was a sponsor and my rider screwed up I would have his back. I wouldn't disown him. I can remember when I was getting into trouble with the tour and throwing pine cones at the boats and stuff and the second Neptune got wind of this they basically turned there backs to me. I think that's when everything went down hill.

WW: Tell us about the infamous pine cone incident.
CH: Well, the pine cone incident was actually kind of funny. Me and Randy Harris were at the South Carolina stop and we were watching everyone qualify. Well, being the bored little teenage punks that we are, we decided to take this baseball bat we found and we proceeded to hit pine cones at all of the people that were qualifying that day. So for the first half hour we had no luck. Then, after lots of practice, I hit the sweet spot and nailed someone in the boat.

But that wasn't the bad part. For the first time ever, there was a Sports Illustarted photographer in the boat and the pine cone came about a centimeter from nailing him in the face. Dean Turcol came and regulated and I was disqualified for the weekend.

WW: What do you think are a rider's responsibilities to their sponsors?
CH: I think that the rider has the responsibility to ride their equipment, and do everything they can to promote the company.

WW: Did you always do that with Neptune?
CH: Umm, Yeah.

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