This series takes a look into learning to wakeboard at WMSki on their System 2.0 cable. If you have any questions or would like us to cover anything specific then please drop us a message in the comments below. If you missed the first session in this series then you can jump to it here.
Just over a week after my first lession at WMSki I was ready to hit the water again. Fortunately the weather was a lot better this time which meant I could wear boardies & rash vest; much more comfortable than I rental wetsuit!
Before getting into the water, the staff gave me a brief on what I’d be learning/practicing on this session. The first item on the agenda was starting from the dock. Whereas the first time I went I had to start off from in the water (which wasn’t the most pleasant of experiences), this time I would be sitting on the edge of dock to start. This proved to be a lot nicer way to get going & much easier too! Starting from the dock follows the same method as starting from in the water, keep your board on the heel edge allowing the power to build up before letting it naturally pull around with your best foot forward.
After a successful dock launch & a little warm up, I was ready to try turning again. I’d only tried two or three times on my first lesson but hadn’t quiet got the hang of it so I was eager to get them under my belt today. The instructors at WMSki are very helpful when it comes to learning to turn as they guide you through the entire turn using hand signals.
The image above shows a the rough path in which I’d be taking to turn at the end of the cable. I ride left foot forward, if you ride right foot forward then you’d do the opposite of the image above.
To begin setting up for the turn, first of all you ride on your toe edge in the opposite direction of the corner (edging away from the buoy you want to turn on), this begins when your about two thirds of the way across the the lake; as you begin getting closer to the corner on your toe edge, its time to switch to your heel edge. Now on your heel edge going toward the corner you want to turn on, aiming for the left side of the buoy you will begin to feel the power build up. Keep your weight back and stay firmly on your heel edge & allow the power to build up, your going to need it! The power will continue to build until you get right up close to the buoy.
As you arrive at the buoy the power will drop off as the System 2.0 operator switches the cable back in the other direction. At this point it is crucial you keep your weight over the board & knees bent; this isn’t perhaps as easy as it sounds & it took me several attempts to get everything linked smoothly together, so just keep at it! You will also naturally pull your arms in T-Rex style. Within a few seconds the cable will begin moving again & it will swiftly pull you around 180 degrees ready to head back across the lake. As cable begins to pull you around extend yours with the build up in power & assume your natural riding position. Its a great feeling when you make your first turn & once you’ve got one nailed, you shouldn’t have any issues making them every time!
After just two session’s I now have the basics down; standing up, changing direction (heel & toe edge) and turning corners. I felt a lot more confident on this session & the WMSki instructor told me I was starting to look a lot more natural on the board! Much like all extreme sports, I now have the wakeboarding bug & can’t wait to get down to WMSki for Session #3.
Again thanks to the staff at WMSki & keep an eye out for Session #3 coming soon. In the mean time you can find out more about WMSki here.
Photography by Marcus Woodbridge.
