Rathy... damn...!

Originally Posted by behindtheboat

This is where wakeboarding, if/when accepted as an Olympic sport (cable) is headed, and is an example of similarity to what has happened and will continue to happen under IWWF and USA-WB rule. Riders should not attend IWWF and USA-WB events, before they don't have a choice, which is where elite snowboarders are at now...

http://espn.go.com/action/snowboardi...ation-decision

Adub, your remarks are disrespectful and unsportsmanlike. I agree, you should boycott. Your attitude is not becoming of Team USA and is not needed. There are plenty athletes that are younger, more hungry, can pass a drug test, and have the ability to win the Gold Metal for our country.

my opinions and observations of how what's going on in snowboarding relates to wakeboarding is disrespectful and unsportsmanlike? The way things are going, wakeboarding has and will continue to follow this similar path that snowboarding has encountered. Hopefully those younger, hungrier riders continue to support what has supported wakeboarding all along, and has it's best interest in mind.

Originally Posted by redsupralaunch

Adub, your remarks are disrespectful and unsportsmanlike. I agree, you should boycott. Your attitude is not becoming of Team USA and is not needed. There are plenty athletes that are younger, more hungry, can pass a drug test, and have the ability to win the Gold Metal for our country.

Damn dude, that's a pretty ****ty attitude. Do you work for IWWF or USAWB?

Originally Posted by TheHebrewHammer

Damn dude, that's a pretty ****ty attitude. Do you work for IWWF or USAWB?

Yes, I serve as the President of USA Wakeboard as a non paid volunteer with a very caring board of directors. We will have 2 directors spots open in Jan 2012, if a responsible person wants to try to make a difference.

Why the negativity then? I can't imagine your superiors at USA Wakeboard would be very happy with you if they saw the way you were treating members of the wake community that they're trying so desperately to appeal to. It sounds like you're really dedicated and passionate about what you do, but if you want to say things like this and hate on people, you should do so from a separate account and not put USAWB's name on it. That's publicly embarrassing to your whole organization.

Originally Posted by thehebrewhammer

why the negativity then? I can't imagine your superiors at usa wakeboard would be very happy with you if they saw the way you were treating members of the wake community that they're trying so desperately to appeal to. It sounds like you're really dedicated and passionate about what you do, but if you want to say things like this and hate on people, you should do so from a separate account and not put usawb's name on it. That's publicly embarrassing to your whole organization.

boom! +1

i was just wondering how much behindtheboat really knows about the IWWF, has he been part of the organisation. So behindtheboat who is looking after their own personal needs and desires in the IWWF!!!!! It would be good to know,
So the IWWF put on cash prize events for Wakeboarders and you say they are not looking after the riders. Seems a bit far fetched to me. The IWWF offer good prize money at the World Cup Stops, they have 20 riders from around the World that compete at these events and they pay down to 20th place.
As you may know my son Harley rides at the IWWF events around the World as well as the WWA events, he supports both Wakeboarding bodies.
He does not discriminate against either one, why would you want riders to do that, they earn money from riding at both IWWF and the WWA events.
I myself drive at some of the IWWF events, and support the WWA as well, I believe the world needs at least 2 organisations, one to keep the other honest and vice a versa.
I think to say that one has the interest of the rider more than the other shows that you might be a little misinformed about the both Organisations.
I know the IWWF caters for the rest of the World for events and as far as I am aware are not trying to infringe on the WWA and what they do. The IWWF are happy that the WWA exists as i believe they understand how important it is to have both organisations.
Cable Wakeboarding is on the short list to be accepted into the olympics, whether this is a good thing or a bad thing we wont know till it happens, lets hope it does get accepted it can only be a benefit for the industry the riders and the sport as a whole. I also believe that if cable wakeboarding is accepted then it will be overseen by people who are involved in Cable/Wakeboarding, lets hope that the people who do handle it do so with the best interest of the sport and the competitors.
Drug testing is part and parcel of being involved in a sport at a world level.

"he's a freaking moron. no sympathy for him. i've met him a few times and have nothing bad to say about the guy "

Except to call him a moron?? Maybe next time you meet him you can tell him to his face.

And Cisco, he wasn't popinting a gun at you when he asked for the screwdriver was he?? If you didn't want to do it you should have said no. Don't do it then come on here whining about it.

Talk about morons. You two epitomise the word.

Hahahah pretty sure rathy would knock his teeth out if he called I'm a moron to his face... Rathy in my opinion is a class act guy!

In response to the Snowboard article posted...

Terje Haakonsen in 1998 said he would boycott the slopestyle event at the olympics when it debuted in 2014... these are the words of Sebastian Toutant...

"If all the riders stand and say, 'No, we're not happy about this. We're not dogs on a leash you can just tell what to do,' I'll stand with them," Toutant said. "But I don't want to be like Terje -- be the only one saying 'no' while everyone else goes. And what if only a few of us stand, and the people who aren't the best riders go to the Olympics? The Olympics are so important. People outside of snowboarding -- this might be the only time they watch snowboarding. We want our sport to look good..."

Here especially is a good example of the two main responses a competitive rider can have in regards to 'conflicting' governing bodies ...
1.) If we ALL boycott the event then they will have to listen to us since they NEED us more than we need them.
2.) If we compete in their event, (it may be frustrating but) we are the ambassadors to our sport, and owe it to the community to showcase it.

The first response is naive since to convince all the riders to boycott since there may be riders who support the "opposing" organization. In this case, IWWF. While some may view the event as poorly run others may view it as well run, or strictly as an opportunity to expand on the sport.


The second response, to some may be a teeth gritting experience because they may have been forced there by their sponsors or other motives. However with great power (skill lending itself to become an ambassador to the sport) comes great responsibility. Others
In the case of snowboarding it is the matter that one could say they were an Olympic Athlete, an honor to most people regardless of how the event was run, VS competing for the "best intention" organization and their series of events (in terms of how most people were discussion here, World Pub (WWA)).


While no one is forcing people to attend either of these events (aside from sponsors potentially) the less looked at response for most people is...

3.)We could work together to make a better event, that may not be ideal.

In the case of the IWWF, they have expanded their opportunity for wakeboarding to become more of a player in their game. Two years ago they changed their name from the International WaterSki Federation, which umbrellaed wakeboarding, to the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation. Which even if that's all it did, the process alone shows hope. In the stateside situation, USA Waterski is the umbrella which USA-WB falls under, and here is where those decisions are made and events are run. If people are truly frustrated with the situation of how the events are run or are managed, as There is no reason as to why they cannot give back to the community or sport and attempt something better through this organization.


You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mohandas Gandhi



To anyone who wonders what my connection is to this situation is, this is my transparent description.
I am John Zdeblick
(aka to some people in wakeboarding as JohnnyZ)
I am the Executive Director of Collegiate Wakeboarding, through USA-WB.

I am a full time Electrical Engineering student at the University of Wisconsin- Madison who wakeboards for the enjoyment of the sport, teaches people for the enjoyment of seeing others learn and competes to see personal progress. I have tried to give back as much to wakeboarding as wakeboarding has given me. This is why I run the wakeboard side of our university's Waterski and Wakeboard club where starting out, wakeboarders were only 2 of the 50 members (myself being one).

I compete in as many WWA events as I can attend, which this last year was Nationals and Worlds. I have been involved with the sport since 2003 and have been involved with the WWA events since 2006. In 2008 I was asked to judge for the Collegiate Wakeboard Nationals (the ALT Games (run by USA-WB)), and have helped organize the collegiate scene since 2010. During my time have worked closely with Chris Walker, the President at USA-WB.

A-Dub, or anyone else is entitled to believe that not attending USA-WB events may be worth it to them. If people believe that these events are not run properly then by all means provide suggestions rather than criticisms. But to encourage others not to attend when many riders do have a vested interest in the opportunity to compete for their county, is not necessary. Clearly if those events did not have the sports best interests in them then competitors like Bill's son Harley, Andrew Adkison, Aaron Rathy, and others would not choose to attend these events. By simply attending either organization's events does not eliminate your ability to ride in the other.

Originally Posted by WisconsinWakeboard

Clearly if those events did not have the sports best interests in them then competitors like Bill's son Harley, Andrew Adkison, Aaron Rathy, and others would not choose to attend these events.

You were doing well up until this point. You just outlined many of the reasons why some pros in both sports might choose to attend events even if they don't feel that those events are in the best interest of the sport. Just because top-notch competitors attend your event DOES NOT mean your event is in the best interest of the sport.

Originally Posted by Cisco

I would however call him lazy. One time at OWC he asked me to throw him a screwdriver cuz he was too lazy to take off his board and walk 15 feet to get it himself.

I don't really no what to say other than I feel sorry for you. I hope the counselling works out and you get over the screw driver incident with time.

I'm sure that olimpic movement now is war between chemical companies. And if wakeboarding will going in this side so we will get more people who will use drugs for the best result. Last years of olimpic history pretty good reflect this. Nobody can't stop this process. Too big money pushing athletes do it. Will we to be involved in this? Yes. Do you think that it's needed for bringing the sport on the new level? Not sure. Wakeboarding is stylish sport. Who now constantly watch a video from world competition or main spectators prefer freeride videos ?