Apparently you can get a citation for eating a cop's donut (Pic: Josh Letchworth).
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WW: Do you feel a responsibility, as a pro rider, to promote the sport and be a role model?
CH: No, I don't think I have to be a role model. I never asked anyone to sponsor me. They just came to me. I didn't ask for this to happen. It did. If people want to be like me or whatever, that's fine but I am gonna live life how I feel is right, not because I have to think about what other people are going to think if I do something.
I do want to promote the sport to all the other sports in a good light. It's getting better because all of the guys who were in it to begin with are kind of fading away and the kids are coming in and taking over and the kids have a little better clue as to what is going on. But I still have to whip them into shape a little before I pass the torch.
WW: Why is it so important to impress all these other sports?
CH: I don't think it's important to impress them. I just think that, I mean, it's just so different from what everyone thinks it is. Like when you go to X Games or you go to like any tournament to where you're pretty much running through the lobbies with your wakeboard on your back so people don't see you. It's embarassing almost just because everyone thinks it's totally gay. I mean, it's getting a lot better. A lot of people are doing it and stuff because it's getting a lot more respect.
WW: Yeah, but if you're having a good time, what does it matter?
CH: It doesn't matter as long as you're having a good time, but I think once you start getting pictures taken of you, you need to think about what you're doing and how you're presenting yourself because everyone's going to see it. It's crazy the people that I hear about that are looking at the magazines.
Like, the head guy at Reef, the guy who runs everything, he looks at every single magazine. Like Cobe Mikacich had Addidas shoes on in Level 10 magazine and he got in trouble for that from Reef. It really surprises me. Like everyone looks at the magazines and I think the second you get a picture taken of you you have to think about that. I just don't want shitty shots of everybody and like stupid pictures of people doing stuff and everyone's going to see it and everyone's going to think it's the stupidest thing they've ever seen.
WW: So you're more worried about the sport being represented wrong?
CH: Right and the people representing it. I mean, it's getting better. A lot of the people are getting a clue but a lot of people don't have any clue really.
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Click the image to see the entire sequence of Chase on the slider (Pics: Josh Letchworth).
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WW: What is your opinion of the current state of the sport of wakeboarding?
CH: It is getting better. I think we have passed rollerblading and Soap Shoes in the coolness factor, but its still kind of gay. It's getting better, slowly but surely.
But, you know, wakeboarding is a trend thing. The funny thing is, we are always starting the trends. Look at wakeboarding now. It's all about sliders. And who started that up again? Matt Stacker, Thomas Horrel, guys like that. I can remember sitting in the car on the way to go eat with them one day and we were like, "We need to bring sliders back into wakeboarding," and all of the sudden, bang, its the next fad. And look at the new crew thing. Who started that? Me and Matt. I think we are kind of behind the scenes doing these things to help the sport out. Then all the top guys follow suit and get all the credit. Kind of sucks, but oh well.
It's like the same situation with Randy and the wrap handle. Him and Ryan Davis were sitting around one day and they came up with the wrap handle but nobody knows that just because they did it with Hardline. It's just something that people need to know, you know. They need to know who to give their props to, you know.
WW: Is there anything that is hurting wakeboarding and/or its continued
progress?
CH: Australia. Definitely Australia (laughs). Just messing around. I like the Aussies. Nothing is really hurting wakeboarding except some of the companies out there.
WW: What do you mean by that?
CH: I don't know. Advertising really. I don't think anything is hurting wakeboarding at all. I think some of the people in it are and some of the people that run it are because they're pretty much doing what they're told to do. They're not doing what they want to do. Like Liquid Force ads are just sick 'cause they're doing what the riders tell them to do. Some of the companies do their ads and don't have any rider input and they're just throwing all their boards in and they're not even creative or anything. They're just boring. I wanna see an ad where I look at if for like 30 minutes and I'm like, "Oh my gosh, what the heck it that!" You know? I don't know. I just want to see better advertising.
WW: What can be done about the companies?
CH: Blow all the factories up.
WW: What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?
CH: That's a tough one. All I know is that I want to be really rich and I want my own building in downtown Orlando, a sky rise. I am going to get Dr. Suess to design it for me. So if anyone ever comes to Orlando and sees my cool building you will know its mine and you can be like, "Hey, I remember chase talking about that in his interview!" I will have my building, you will see.
WW: Who are your sponsors?
CH: Liquid Force, Hurley, Arnette, Reef and Performance Ski and Surf.
WW: Who else would you like to thank?
CH: Most importantly, Jesus Christ 'cause he is really cool and if you don't know him you should 'cause Jesus kicks ass! Definately my parents for making me and for supporting me no matter how much I screw up. My girlfriend Jaime. She is great. And Matt and Thomas and Jim for being a bunch of queers. Cory Lake for being my brother and being cool.
WW: Anything else?
CH: Ok, well, peace out. Keep it real, don't let the man bring you down and don't wakeboard to become pro or because someone tells you to do it. Do it for the chicks. It's all about the chicks.
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