Top rider, top companies

I find it interesting that each board company's has a top rider competing at the top level. I would say Philip, Andrew, Rusty are all capable of winning and throw JD and Adam E in for competing for a podium spot. That is a rider from each board company except Obrien. I think Harf would have been up there with in top 3 if healthy. That is pretty cool though to see the talent spread out. Who does Derome ride for?

Oliver Derome is from Canada and he rides a Ronix Board but im not sure if he's really on the team. Sponsorship is a lot different for Canadian riders.

Well if you look at the last few years Josh Sanders and Daniel Watkins were owning the tour for a lot of years. To say O'brien is not represented is not quite true.

Yah heavy and obrien has SOB and hes killin it right now

Seems like last year someone kept track of which company had the best team over the course of the season by keeping track of podium finishes. That was pretty interesting, is anyone doing it this year.

i'm not sure i'd go as far as saying they "were owning the tour."

actually, in 2005 sanders and watkins ran away with it...i think soven was 3rd behind watkins and still about 70 points out..but that was just 2005...prior to and since then they have been a force but riddled w/ injuries...

I think that comps are just one aspect of each companies teams. It is an easy way to quantify their talent, but there are so many intangibles that other riders that rep their respective companies that you can't quantify. Benny G, Lyman, Gonzalez, Harris, Shane, SOB could probably all be very competitive if that was their focus, but they are focused on other things. They are all "top riders", and I don't think any of their teams would be the same without them. These are just a few names, there are so many others that do the same thing for their company by pushing the sport.
On the original topic, I think Obrien has been well represented over the years between Shapiro, Friday, Watkins and Sanders. Seems like every few years, a group of about 3-5 people come along and rule the contest circuit for a period of time and then each of them is either replaced by someone else, injured or they change their focus.

Daniel Watkins - 2007 (6th), 2006 (3rd), 2005 (2nd), 2004 (3rd), 2003 (3rd), 2001 (5th), 2000 (7th)

Josh Sanders - 2005 (1st), 2003 (5th), 2002 (8th)

I guess not domination, but Watkins has probably the highest win percentage of all riders over the last 10 years.

Lets not forget about Dallas Friday reppin O'Brien as well.

obrien defitely has the top kneeboards jk I wasn't ripping them. just noting the balance. obrien does seem to be the weakest team though in comps except for GB and J star. i know- this is wakeworld and everyone is gonna come out and say "it is not about comps, and so on". I agree. I was just making a note.

PS_ Why doesn't Obrien bring on any young upand comers?

O'brien NEEDS to push SOB in the spotlight a whole heck of a lot more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^^^^^ I couldn't agree more.

They are missing out on a huge oppoprtunity. His name should easily be as recognized as Keith Lyman, ben Greenwood, and pretty much any freerider out there save Randall Harris.

Unfortunately, it seems like most of the buzz around SOB was created by some of the videos and interviews here on wakeworld years back. I am glad that Dave and others brought his riding to my attention, but I would love to see some newer stuff and video sections from SOB.

with o'brien involved in so many markets eg. ski and kneeboard. wakeboarding may not be their main focus.

but yeah i think they def have been represented well by shapiro, sanders, watkins and friday.

it would have been good to see more of those riders in movies over the years though.

O'brien has Dallas- she counts as a top level rider in my book.

What An O'brien thread that I wasnt first to post on!

And I actualy have nothing to say becuase every one else already said it! This is truly a first.

I got a chance to ride with SOB just yesterday and all I can say is WOW. That kid just rips. It was just me and him and after I took my set I got to drive for him and he just tore it up. I saw some of the biggest backside 180's I have ever seen, and all the flippy spinny tricks he busted out were large and in charge. It was great, and I think O'Brien would be making a big mistake if they were to let a rider of his caliber get away. Maybe in the next year or 2 I will be riding an SOB O'Brien Pro model

Would it be called the O'Brien O'Brien?

O'Brien Squared lol

roger -> keep an eye out for jarrod askew, he's riding for obrien out here and killing it, after this season over there he should be riding top notch