Where's Shapiro?

Is Darin still riding or mainly Coaching? I see his name is still on LF's website but haven't heard much news from him?

I read some where he owns a resort in Mexico.

Alliance had a photo of him awhile back that said it may be one of the last photos of Darin going big, I think he has been having back problems. I think that he has some good friends that are running a wakeboard camp in Mexico, seems like that was in the same Alliance.

I think he's part owner of that camp in Mexico. Looks like a sick place to go. I think Stephen is right though. He's been having back problems for a long time now. I have a feeling he's taken a step back now to enjoy life a bit.

I saw him this summer and he told me he was officaly retired. Injury related. Held the Crown for a long time, fun to watch ride.

I agree, he was very fun to watch ride, he rides with so much power and amplitude.

Darin did retire due to a back injury. I've talked with him several times this year. He said too many speed ball compressions and bad falls over the years.

I'm going to have to throw on Shapiros section in 12 honkeys after reading this thread.

Yeah, that guy was sick, stuck to his guns through years of being hated on, and scrapped for every bit of respect he ever was given.

Sad to see him retire. Darin was amazing to watch.

doc,
pardon my ignorance but why was shapiro hated on. i thought he is a legend. Please enlighten

Man he sure went out quietly. No big magazine write-up/interview with him to reflect on his past 15 years or whatever? He was a contest legend! Whether you liked his style or not, he has to be put up there in the top 5 alltime... "whatever" list covering the history of wakeboarding.

To help define the name of the list, I would also include in it Byerly, PB, Harf, and Horrell.

{ runs off to join jarrod to watch his 12 Honkeys part... }

Shaprio was hated on by some when the whole "New Crew" stuff started. Whether it was real or not, it created this impression of guys who came from ski backgrounds bickering with guys who didn't (or claimed they didn't), apparently because the guys who claimed they didn't come from ski backgrounds were ragging on the other group for not being core enough for the sport.

or something like that...

Yeah, his 12 honkeys set is insanely good. Also the switch/switch22 combo kicks arse as well.

I met him in Orlando last year and he was the coolest cat and really nice to my wife and I.

I think darin was harshed, or mildly criticized more so for training than anything...I just remember that being a topic of interest when he had an interview for the 1998 x games or something like that. Ultimately, none of those kids could hold a candle to darin's style of riding. He didn't have a "boardsmen" type style, but he was so aggressive...

Maybe I'm choosing to forget some of that crap, but I don't ever recall anyone out right harshing darin's riding. Jeremy kovak, yes...

I definitely got emotional seeing him become a "legend" at the wake awards. He was the most deserving candidate on that list, for sure.

You are in my heart, good sir...

whos jeremy kovak

Only the speaker of the greatest line wakeboarding has ever heard, "why would i want to grab the board if its already attached to my feet?".

Darin was hated on by those that did not like his style. Big & tech. Darin took it with a grain and went out and learned everything grabbed. It looked a little sketchy but dammit he was Darin and he killed it. Anyone have any info on this hotel?

"why should I grab my board when it is attached to my feet?"
he was quoted saying something like that. Jeremy was one of the contest riders from the mid to late 90's who was ragged on for not having enough style. (if I remember correctly)
he did have a huge stalled out front flip that looked pretty cool though.
Heavy beat me to it.

(Message edited by ttrigo on October 05, 2006)

I remember reading several posts years ago stating that Shapiro had no "style". I personally always thought he had style, just a different type of style. His style was powerful and aggressive with tons of blind landings. His section in 12 Honkeys is still in my top ten riding sections of all time. Darin is short and stocky. IMO, he can never make moves that look like Necrasson does. His body type is just different. (I just used Necrasson because he has always been known for being a stylish rider and he has the total opposite body type, but I still would rather see Darin ride.)

I think Darin also got a lot of flack for training and approaching the sport more from a business angle. Also when he was on top, it seemed like everybody wanted to bring him down.

He is definitly a legend in the sport.

Rammer, my top five legends would be Byerly, Shapiro, Murray, Parks, and Harris.

Now why doesn't some current pro get out there and bust out a slowball (Kovak's signature move) during a comp on their double up??? That would be cool to see! I loved that trick!

SLOWBALL! thats what it was called. classic.
oh, and to actually add to the thread about Shapiro. I did not like him at first. he always seemed so cocky, and completely not what I thought a wakeboarder should be like. however, now that I have grown up and matured , I definitely look at him differently. he really is a legend, and helped grow the sport. I hope he has fun and is successful in whatever else he does with his life.
Fuel - I agree with your top five.

i remember him in my '96 HL Boarding School video throwing huge raleys behind fishing boats with tiny wakes, and my '94 "X-treme" videos (i think they were french, lots of weird cinematography and neon wetsuits) "ski boarding" behind a performance boat just loading the line and going huge off of nothing but flat water. Darin Shapiro is the man.

electricsnow breaks out the kovak! haha!

darin shapiro will be missed. his riding definitely pushed others to trying different and bigger things just cause shapiro was so consistent.

the "wake legend" presentation was definitely cool.

btw, shapiro fully supports The Chick Flick. you'll soon see what i mean...

Huge stylie indy shifty in Switch22

TackleBerry, thats why I started doing that trick. You've seen it, where I bust as big as I can and float an Indy as far up and out as possible. His riding was perfect for that song...Tunnelvision...with the blaring guitars. Plus he did that wrapped whirly moby dick thing.

Someone needs to put together a "Scud Retirement Extravaganza" where we can all watch his sick sections and give Darin the kudos he deserves.

When spinning came back into vogue, the haters liked to criticize Darin for (among other things) not being much of a spinner, so he responded by going out and sticking the first 9 caught on film (on his second attempt ever, so the story goes), or was he the first ever to stick the 9 period? (doc frets "senior moment")

I went to his camp in orlando,stayed for 2 weeks and learnt a •••••••••••• is a good man real down to earth and a super coach.
They have a great set up there and I would think in mexico also.
The mans riding speaks for itself and so does all the silverwear that takes up so much space in his house.

one thing I remembered: he did spin, but he'd like try to land wrapped on a frontside spin. You'd have to see it to get it, but some editor out there totally called him out, saying it looked like he was trying to shuv the handle up his "rear".

as for him being the first to stick the 9, I'm pretty sure he's the first to get it on film. I'd SWEAR I read a shaun murray interview with jeff barton (online), and shaun said he landed a 9 on the mayday trip, but it wasn't filmed. Take that as an urban legend...I swear I read that...

i read that, too. murray said it wasn't a good trip. apparently, the "new crew" was making fun of murray during that whole trip, so murray busted out the 9 and told them to shove it up their asses!

ok, so i added the last part. we all know murray wouldn't say that.

Joe - I'm going to act like your story about Murray is real because it would be cooler that way, even though he's never say that...lol

good. you never hear anything about that 9, and after all these years, I really started to think that I got something wrong, or misunderstood something...I wish I would have printed that interview off.

But anyway....I felt mad crazy, yo!

But yeah, he was getting razzed and he had something to prove...very few people saw it and as I said, it wasn't filmed, so he never claimed it. It's a sweet success story, though.

He is pensioner now. His insurer have a deal with him - he is not riding, only coaching work. But regular he have a great money from insure agency.

Now he left to Mexico with K.Lyman & one guy from Russia.

...stay tuned for UPDOG- The Movie.

I think he got a bad wrap as he transitioned from skiier metality to a boarder mentality. Remember, back in the day the "wakeboard tour" was nothing but an exibition that occured on the Waterski Tour. The mindset was that wakeboarding needed to be respected by the waterskiing community. Shapiro was a part of that and tried to carry himself accordingly. Then these young wakeboarders show up to this civilized event acting crazy, and Shapiro called them out on it. He bagged on their baggy shorts, shaved heads, wide stances, and general behavior at the event site. The new guys couldnt touch his ability on the board, so they just bagged on it.

Funny how he eventually became just like em with the wide stance, baggy shorts and shaved head.

man, I thought it was kovak who said all of that. In fact, I know he said it at least once. (haha)

It is freaking weird because I don't remember any of that stuff coming from him...I should brush up or something...

HAHA! yeah, it was both of them. Remember Kovak calling out Horrell in the mags because Horrell hated raleys. However when Kovak and Horrell first met the first thing Thomas wanted Kovak to teach him was how to do a raley.

Snow -- I read the same thing about Murray's unfilmed 9 on the Mayday trip (why would you not film a double up on the off chance something like that happens? no film? bad light? WHY?). It was a heel 9 to boot, which took a long time for people to start doing and seem much harder than toe 9's...him getting teased is probably why Murray talks about loving attitudes and stuff in the intro.

I used to watch all the old Hot Summer Nights on ESPN. IMHO, Shapiro was cocky and had a "hyper-competitive" attitude in those days that fit the sport of a trick skier and not the growing sport of wakeboarding. Training, same pass every week, etc..."these other guys are going harder and harder, I've gotta beat him. I'm just going easier and easier. It's a breeze. There's not even a mobius in there, it's not needed." Fairly agro. It worked in contest wins and the respect of the guy buying the board at Big 5, not in the respect of "riders". From what I could tell, he mellowed out in his competitiveness over the years (while still pushing it on the water) and let his incredible talent follow the newer style, to lead to his own unique go-big style. Not my personal preference style-wise, but I respect it all the same.

Yes, I would agree on your assessment, regarding shaun's commentary.

You know, I don't remember everything about that article anymore, but I want to think that that 9 was basically for personal fulfillment and overcoming all of the bs that came along with that trip from the very beginning. I mean, even though he landed it (and I didn't remember the direction either), he never even went out of his way to claim that thing like...well, like it ain't no thang.

See, in retrospect when shaun was starting to tell his "mayday" story, i was really hoping he was going to tell his 9 story...silly me, then I remembered it was a byerly documentary, so obviously it had some byerly angle.

As for darin, yeah he was heavy into training and he was contest oriented early on, and he did start out as a skier but he quit that in his teens, and he was also heavily influenced by surfing as well...you'd think he'd understand the characters in that sort of field. I still don't remember him worrying about piercings, baggy shorts and hair styles. But whatever. Anyway, I didn't respond too well to darin early on, only because he came off as very cocky. I respected his riding, because you could totally see that there was something different about him. But comparing him to someone like greg nelson or gator...Those are the guys I really responded to in every aspect...randy harris and parks bonifay as well, because they were my age.

Once darin came back in 97, I was a fan, regardless of the training and whatever else (even though I didn't believe in that, but I've got attitude). Anyway, one regret is that I never got the chance to see him ride in person.

EDIT: Jason, I do remember that kovak interview! It was pretty interesting. Truthfully though, I think that "new crew" thing was fair about that raley crap. One thing they fought for was style- (NERD ALERT!) they had said that if you're going to do an s-bend, do one like parks or don't do it at all. You know, there were some funny styles out there...more like frontflip looking things...I won't mention any names...

and on top of it, the sport was kind of sidetracked with the crazy emphasis that was put on raley variations, especially in comps. There was a lot more to wakeboarding than that trick, and there were more difficult spins that weren't getting the credit and attention they deserved at that time...it all had a purpose.

and sorry for all of that, but I felt like adding the "side note" becuase when we mention these things...there's a whole lot of other crap that comes a long with it, and I guess I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression...

(Message edited by electricsnow on October 06, 2006)

(Message edited by electricsnow on October 06, 2006)

I did not know that about Murray on the Mayday trip getting bagged on by the others. I do clearly recall his GIANT HSFS3 with the poked out tail grab before the spin. I thought that was one of the sickest moves in the whole film.

Performance's first contest in 91 or 92 there was 5 riders,Rich Goforth and 2 of his buddies, me and my riding partner. After the "contest" Bill had a special guest rider. Darin had a prototype board he had worked on himself,cutting down a 'Perez' and grinding down the giant fins. He was in incredible shape and super intense. We all piled in the boat and watched wakeboarding like it had never been seen before. Every move was huge air and out into the flats. Rolls,flips raleys,even spins, it was.....amazing, off a ski pole. That day shaped and changed the way I looked at wakeboarding and the way I approached my own riding from then on. Darin was super cool, he invited us to hang out and come over to his house and ride. funny, me trying to drive his ski brendella for him while he cut so hard he pulled the boat speed way way down and pulled the back of the boat all over the place. I remember he had a crazy french video of him "Heli" wakeboarding in Tahiti(i think), he was going for double and triple flips way back then.....behind a helicopter...launching off the surf.....crazy....one of a kind....a true legend.

yeah man, cook's bay in tahiti. i own those videos. so many tight shots of his intense facial expressions...

OK- educate those of us who may be newer to the sport. Who is the "new crew"? Why would athletes rag some one for training or being intense. Never heard of Kovac but Shapiro is definitely a legend. Who has the rep to harass Shaun? Legends? Murray and Shapiro definitely. Parks too. Harf is too young to be a legend. Will be though.

Maybe there should be an article about the history of who did what, why it broke off from USAWaterski, etc. I know Shane got all bent out of shape about newer rider not respecting the older guys. But most kids don't even know U.S. History let alone wakeboarding history.

Where's Rich Goforth???

HERE!

One of the best coaches I ever had

bump. I kinda wanted to see this thread live on. I forgot all about Rich Goforth. I had that wakeboarding mag, with the top rider rankings. I think they were voted on by the readers. i wonder if I have any of those old ones lying around somewhere... probably beneath all of the old playboys....

Where's Ryan Siebring? I used to love to see such a tall guy ride when all the guys in the spotlight were so short. So why did you get away from the scene when you were ripping as much as anybody?

I was enjoying the retro shapiro, kovak thread, and then out of nowhere, i walked into a local boardshop, and sitting there was a "Jeremy Kovak" Icon Board....sweet.

Although I always wanted the purple flame shapiro directional. Ayone ever have that?

legend.

Kevin, had the purple Shaprio dirctional & the Kovak Icon, That Icon was the fastest board I ever had. Put that baby on edge and hold on. Wish I still had it

kovak did ridiculously huge back mobes way into the flats!!!

even in the old days, i never met ANYBODY who had actually seen darin ride in person and dare criticize his style.

i've got that 94 extreme video, darin also road behind an offshore cigarette boat, with sandals and a directional in tahiti...going big.

I know many of these "old timers" and can tell you that they can hold a torch to any of the new guys. Shaprio invented so many tricks and landed blind better than anyone in the business. Go back and watch movies and you'll see he grabs almost everything. Also he went as big as Randy and did it with a flip+spin+grab. Not to say he was the greatest or antyhing, but he was never given his due respect in the press. As far as Kovak - that guy did the hardest mobes (air mobe 5/switch mobe 5) and did them HUGE. He is a cool dude that got stuck in a changing industry and got singled out. Him and Parks had very similar runs at the time. I too head that the MAYDAY trip was bad for Murray. I am sure he did not do the 9 to call out the other riders, but instead saw it as his time to shine and progress the sport. Ryan Siebring showed up at Boardstock last year and is just hanging out on the island wind surfing. I know this makes me sound like and old fart.....and I am!

u had me at shrimpies

Jason, remember Darin used to coach the Vandal back when he was 12 or 13. He has storys

Did he really? That doesn't sound right. Darin living in Florida and on a quest to win everything and Randy living in Canyon Lake. The first time I saw Randy was in WBM and he was riding a Sound board, pretty sure there was a sequence of him doing a crow mobe. he was like 12.

I kinda remember something about him being coached by Darin as well. I thought he was riding the O'brien Double Ender at the time or something.

Buffalow: Dam that makes me an old timer........ I'm only 21 .........I dont want to be old yet.

Shapiro ripped, so did most of those guys. And the equipment they were using was less than ideal to say the least.

(Message edited by kristian on October 26, 2006)

Heavy, I think the parents brought Darin out to SoCal to coach him one on one if I remember right.

Darin has been coming to our place in Mexico and is partners with us. You can check out our site at www.acapulcogetaways.com or a link on his site will take you there. We are doing our best to keep this place looking as much of a paradise as it is and trying to share our slice of heaven check out our site and you'll see what I'm talking about

SOB Wakeboarding

sound came out in 1996, so randy would have been 15-16 years old.

And that coaching story is interesting--I never heard that and it would be cool to hear some memories from that. And thomas, you're right about that double ender. I loved that graphic and I was torn between that and the dually as my first board...

$250 per hour with no instruction. neato

Darin came out to canyon in early 95 for randy and his brother. I was 16 so Randy must have been around 13. He ripped

It's time to dig out the old HO promo vid that came with those uni-directionals and watch Darin bust those huge Raleys with only the bungee bindings holding the board on!

good catch Nacho. Sorry, I didnt catch that. Thank you for that post otherwise i might of never seen it and thats the last thing we want to do is have any miscommunication. It is being removed from the site and again my apologies.

SOB

Just to dispelly any myths or rumours....
Darin is doing great and has been super busy with the projects that he is working on, which include running his own super successful school Ridethespot.com and also has become Partners with the Wheatons down in Acaupluco running a new camp, check it out at Acapulcogetaways.com. This place is absoulutly insane! Ive been down there twice and both times have been crazy, with the beach on one side and the lake at the other end of the property and with every other activity imaginable its the most fun place ive been. Riding dirt bikes on the beach, horse riding, chilling in the pool at the beach with the bar right there... its got it all.

Watson, Lyman, Shapiro and myself just returned from a trip down there to film our sections for Ronnie Romeros new film. The footage is going to be crazy.

Nacho, thats $250 per day with up to three sets a day. Having been to wakeboard camps each set is close to an hour long. Plus that figure also included accomodations. Granted you aren't being coached by Darin (another $100). Chad do you guys need a guest instructor for two weeks in the summer? That place looks amazing!!

I live in S. Florida in the area that Darin and Kovak are from. I met Darin for the first time in 1993 when I was working at a deli in Delray Beach. Darin, Harwood, and Kovak were all just geting started then. (if you know of Harwood, you know your wakeboard history!) My understanding was that Darin got hated on b/c some thought he was a little arrogant. I never saw this in my experiences, and I would imagine it came more from his competitive nature then his actual personality. "Back in the day" he was all there was, the best. I rode with chad sharpe on Jeff Heer's boat once in like 1996? and even those guys were like "holy shizzle darin goes f'ing huge."

Scott Harwood? Ba-zing!!!

What was Chad in 96? like 12?

He was young, it was like his first winter riding in the US. It might have been 1998, don't recall exactly. Whatever.

iiinnnn da my a miiiind,,,,,,,i think yes,, no?