What makes you ride?

Hey guys I'm currently researching my dissertation, which involves the study of the motivations of competitive and non-competitive wakeboarders. Comparing what motivates those taking part at a competitive level and those who take part for intrinsic reasons within extreme sports.

I’m investigating what makes them want to ride and the feeling's they get when doing it. I’m kinda trying to identify what drives people to wakeboard, looking at sensation seeking and flow.

I was hoping you guys could discuss it online and i could make a note of ur findings.

Thanks Gregg

Cause your out on the water, hopefully under the nice warm sun, hanging out with buddies, feeling the excitement and rush of the greatest sport on earth and driven by friends and family to not only be competitive, but to have the most fun you possibly can.

Nothing 'makes' me ride.

I've been boating for around 35 years and it's my chosen form of entertainment/relaxation. I also don't consider recreational boarding any more extreme than water skiing, foiling or tubing.

There's just something about carving liquid that is g double o d for the soul. That and the feel of hitting the wake, gliding through the air and landing smoothly on the other side is what drives me to ride.

You're writing a dissertation about wakeboarding?

It's progression; trying to improve your game like a golfer (but better)! Landing that new trick is like sinking the hole-in-one or landing a long drive on the green (the joy is similar anyway). Every rider has ups and downs, so it is always emotional. For me, it's the feeling I get in trying to better my riding. I think about it all week while I'm not riding. For most riders, it's a life style and a passion, not just a sport. Hangin’ with your friends, having a few beers, and chillin’ in the sun are all perks. Then you've got the awesome machines that pull us and create our ramps, the trucks, the stereos, the events, etc... The social aspect is also a big one. I love the wakeboarding community. Just a lot of good, honest people that share the same passion. It's crazy to think of how many new friends I have made in the last few years because of wakeboarding. You can pretty much go anywhere and find open doors to stay and ride. It’s not uncommon to end up on the same boat with a rider you idolize either!

Exactly what J-rod said.

I am already thinking about when I am going to ride again even though I just rode on Sunday.

I'm with J-Rod on this one. The camaraderie you feel on the boat for your fellow riders is different than any sport I've ever tried. Because it is considered an extreme sport the population of riders is still relatively small. Just being a wakeboarder makes you feel included in some sort of unspoken club, like jeep drivers, or Harley riders. Then in the boat you are competing against each other, always trying to one up your mates, but at the same time you are all rooting for each other like you would a team mate. This carries all the way up to the Pro-level. To me though, all this is just a bonus, as is the time spent outdoors, relaxing on the lake, time with friends etc. The real reason I board is to push myself to the next level. I can't think of a better feeling than landing a new trick and still knowing that no matter what you land there is always more to do.

well theres lots of things that get me motivated
showing up to the lake seeing glass and nobody on it
the feel of going upside down landing rightside up and riding away
seeing people face in the boat when you bust a big trick or bust a bad fall
taking the last set on a sunday afternoon at sunset just riding after a hard weekend
meeting new people who all ride a different way
teaching someone new to ride or a new trick
riding and sunset (i repeat it because there is nothing like it in the world its just you out there doing your own thing and nobody can mess it up)

my father beats me unless I land 12 raleys a set. Then he beats me if I stargaze any one of them, I hate raleys!! No just kidding, I do it all for the nookie...

I used to race motocross for 8 years everyweekend from ohio to florida. After moving into the 250b/intermediate class in 2000 and racing the florida winter olympics at gatorback, the next year i moved to the 250A/expert class and was doing great. All of a sudden one weekend a guy in front of me kicked up a rock hitting me in the left eye through the goggles and fracturing my eye socket and giving me a cateract. They didnt know how good if any my vision would be. After a lens implant my vision is 20/25. Had to take off so much time from racing and started working full time at 18 and couldnt find time to get back into it. My family had boats when i was little so i figured i would buy one. I always thought wakeboarding looked awesome so i bought a board and love it. There arent as many rocks out there either!

I enjoy wakeboarding because it combines so many aspects together. You have wakeboarding which is rooted to surfing and snowboarding. You have the man-made dimension (the boat) and the natural dimension (the water, shoreline). Normally you ride with a bunch of people in the hot sun surrounded by the cool water. The sport is driven by adrenaline with the potential of doing bigger and better tricks than the last week. Wakeboarding doesn't have to be wakeboarding...if you get burnt out on wakeboarding, you have the possibility of wakeskating, wakesurfing, or just chillin with your friends. Competition is also a driving force. Always wanting to land something your friends can't, or tweaking out a grab that no one else can do. Also, hitting the perfect double up is the best feeling ever. My main reason for starting wakeboarding is because I was a big kneeboarder around age 8. At age 10, my friend told me about wakeboarding on espn. I bought one, and now I am a huge part of the sport.

"I bought one, and now I am a huge part of the sport."

I'm not trying to be a djck, but:
In what way are you a HUGE PART of the SPORT?

sounds like it may have just come out wrong Shawn.

My bad; he probably meant huge FAN of the sport?

Shawn ~ when I read it the 1st time I thought the same thing, but Leo is a Hugh part of Wakeboarding. Remember the 1st dog to do a tanny... Well Leo is the master mind behind all that

Ant -

Many excellent posts above. I'll chime in that it's more about the whole experience for me than just the riding. Sure, there's nothing better than a great set but all of the elements (noted above) coming together in a family atmosphere makes the sport the ultimate for me. I surf, snow board, skim board, etc.... but nothing compares to the whole wakeboard and boating experience.

The sensation you get from carving the water and carving the wake is hard to describe, it just feels right and good and is so satisfying. Same thing with cutting out and just doing the biggest wake jump you can do.. just floating out there over the opposite wake, landing in the flats just hauling ass on your edge. The element of the speed and danger also draws me to it, as does the ability to express myself through my riding, however I'm feeling that day I'll apply to the water.

Obviously another major reason is just the good times shared with good friends. Regardless of the conditions, I always look forward to heading out to the lake to get more of that. Getting away from the frickin' computer, phone, traffic, all of it.

oh yeah! The Golden Retreiver Tantrum!

I ride because: I love the water. It is a great sport for the family to share. I can push myself or just chill. I can live vicariously thru my son because I have old bones that feel the several wipe outs I have had that day and he has young bones that bounce back. I love to watch my boys ride. I can spend fun times with friends. There is nothing like butter. I remember as a kid getting excited when there was smooth water. There where no wakeboards then, just skis. I was more interested in jumping the wake than slalom courses. Cool looking boards, nice boats, overall good demogrpahic of people. It's fun.

It's competetive fun that works your body to a good tired! You can just play, or you can push yourself, but the new guy just gettin' up gets the same cheers as the old pro....

And who doesn't like just riding on the boat with new and old friends?

ha ha - KJ, the "young bones" and the tendons and muscles like rubber bands! I remember those days...we'd go out and do lap after lap on every piece of equipment in the boat and never get sore.

"I also don't consider recreational boarding any more extreme than water skiing, foiling or tubing."

I guess the key word in that sentence is "recreational"

I ride for the pure fun of it. I used to skate and ride motocross all the time, but when it's a humid 90 degrees outside, the water just feels soooooo much nicer. Also, if you fall hard wakeboarding, it still doesn't hurt near as bad as skating or riding a motorcycle. I still like to do all sports from time to time, but on a hot summer day, chances are you'll find me on the river having good times with good friends.