Favorite Possession: My boat Before You Were Sponsored: I was in high school, I played basketball, and you could find me on the boat everyday after class got out. Top Three Places to Wakeboard: Orlando, the Sacramento delta, and Shuswap in BC
Best Trip: Priest River, Idaho
Worst Trip: I’ve never had a bad trip
Who Has Influenced Your Wakeboarding? Shaun Murray, Danny Harf, and my friends
Fast Food or Healthy: Healthy
Blonde or Brunette: Blonde
Top Three CDs: Sublime - 40ozs. to Freedom, Incubus - Make Yourself, Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle Other Sponsors: O’Brien Wakeboards, Centurion Boats, Arnette, Execute, Straight Line, orlandowake.com
Jennifer Love Hewitt or Jennifer Lopez: Jennifer Love Hewitt
If You Didn’t Wake What Would You Do?: I’d be in med school
Favorite Cereal: Frosted Mini Wheats
Ping Pong or Golf: Ping Pong
Favorite Movie: Dumb and Dumber Most Embarrassing Moment: I don’t have any notable ones, but one of my good friends crapped in his pants while he was on a date
Animal that Describes You: A monkey
If I Didn’t Wakeboard, I Would: Probably be a doctor Words of Wisdom: If you want to be rich, don’t wakeboard.
How Many Years on the Tour: 2 or 3 My Car Is: ’01 Volkswagen Jetta Kept This from My Parents: I’m not going to fall into this trap
The Best and Worst Thing about the World Is: Our willingness to trust others.
All-time Dream Party, Where, Who and What Band? I’d fly all of my friends out to Lake Powell, rent several luxury houseboats and we would wakeboard and hang out for a week
If You Were Going Bald, What Would You Do? Shave it all off Your Favorite Sports Team or Sports Person: Michael Jordan
10 Years from Now: I’ll still be running my wakeboard school and hopefully still riding professionally
25 Years from Now: I’ll probably be in a wheelchair because of all the abuse my knees took when I was younger
Special Thanks: My parents, my sponsors, and all of my friends that have supported me
O’Brien WaterSports hosted the first stop of the South African Pro Wakeboard Tour at Germiston Aquatic Club on Victoria Lake in the East Rand on the 22 and 23 January 2011. This first stop of the Pro Tour brought many excited riders to the banks of Victoria Lake, marking the beginning of an exciting season of wakeboarding. South Africa’s top riders ascended in full force exhibiting their talent and passion for the sport, giving the crowd a wakeboarding exhibition to remember. Joining SA’s top riders in the competition were international riders Sean O’Brien and Josh Palma. Sean is currently in South Africa hosted by O’Brien WaterSports SA to conduct training clinics nationwide and was more than happy to display his talent on the water.
The Pro Men’s division had everyone on their feet with Sean O’Brien and Josh Palma showcasing their abilities. They were pitted against some of SA’s top riders. Saturday’s qualifying round ruffled a few feathers with junior new-comers Ryan Durham and Dylan Mitchell both qualifying for the finals on Sunday. Dylan Mitchell managed to top the Pro Men Qualifying on Saturday with a toe 720 followed by a heel backside 540 to end his run.
Sunday’s finals would see some changes. Two times Junior World Champion-South African, Morgan Krause finished in 3rd place, setting the bar very high for the rest of the Men’s division with his explosive array of tricks. Josh Palma took 2nd place stepping up to the challenge with a good composition of switch tricks and a switch toe side 720. Sean O’Brien took top honours in the Pro Men’s division matching Josh’s pace but bringing his own style and intensity to the wake with a grab heel side 720 and a massive heel side Indy roll to blind landing far in the flats.
Pro Men Final Results:
1. Sean O’Brien USA 90
2. Josh Palma USA 89.5
3. Morgan Krause RSA 69
4. Dylan Mitchell RSA 67.5
5. Shaun Faccio RSA 66.5
6. Clayton Krause RSA 63.5
7. Jono Joseph RSA 61.6
8. Ryan Durham RSA 60
Team Rusty went out to Canyon Lake to meet up with two of their top riders Stu Shinn (Wakeskate Phenomenon) and Sean O'Brien (Wakeboard Master). In the event the 1st Annual Wakeskate & Bake was underway. Along to document the extravaganzas was Alliance Wakeboard Magazine and Rusty's very own photo crew. The photography equipment on board was worth as much as the chase-boat itself and looked like the paparazzi following Britney Spears down Sunset Blvd. With this very talented media staff we were able to accomplish what we came for: get some killer footage for editorial content, ads, web content and a possible cover with the help of Josh Sleigh's Winch! After the shoot we headed back to the Rusty team house and fired up the grill for an after sesh RBQ. At this time the DJ rolled in fired up the tunes and the party was underway! Stay tuned for video action!
