Danny Harf, the wonder boy from team Ronix has added another industry first to his long list of accomplishments; this time becoming the first rider ever to land a 1260. Armed with a monster wake and his Ronix DHV1 Wakeboard, Harf added another 180 degrees of rotation, for a full 3 and half spins.

In what was perhaps the best kept wakeboarding secret of all-time, Harf swore everyone that witnessed his historic move to secrecy to ensure no one would spill the beans before the Best of Wake Awards Ceremony this past weekend. The result of the successful ninja mission was a mind blowing unveiling that had more than a few riders (especially Rusty Malinoski, who believed he had the award cinched) visibly upset. Of course once the shock wore off, they were just as excited as Danny, showing how close the riders at the top are, even when pushing each other to land new moves.

Congratulations Danny, enjoy being the first rider in history to land a 1260; although someone will inevitably land a 1340, no one can take that away from you!

Hit the jump to see the video playback of Danny Harf’s 1260 at the Best of Wake Awards.

Correct Craft has pulled the wraps off their new updated website for next year, which features their line of 2009 Nautique boats. The overall layout of the site is the same as last year’s version, with minor updates to accommodate new options for exploring each boat, and the technology and features that make them special.

The biggest changes to the 2009 model line include the brand new 216V crossover and the strangely styled Flight Control Tower 3. Designed for multi-sport performance, the 216V features plenty of space in it’s 21′ 6″ chassis, along with built-in ballast for wakeboarding performance. Unfortunately it also features the same disjointed, segmented and confusing interior that all of Nautique’s new models have showcased lately.

Check out the rest of the details regarding the new website and a brief overview of the changes for 2009 after the jump.

Just in case Facebook and MySpace didn’t offer enough social networking options, a new company by the name of LifeFitter, has announced their new social skill numbing site, WetRope. Details are sparse, but it appears the aim of the project is to allow a way for wakeboarders throughout the US (sorry everyone else) to find other riders in their area. Different from the giants that are Facebook and MySpace, this site appears to put a focus on actually interacting with people you connect with, and not just endlessly poking each other back-and-forth.

The site is getting ready for a private Beta right now, and if you give away some of your personal information, you can even score a free shirt for taking part in their trial period. Release is set for sometime towards the end of this year, so stay tuned for more on this wakeboarder-uniting site.

Imagine our surprise when we tried to check out the Malibu Boats website this morning and were greeted with the error page shown above. Sure, it could just be a configuration problem with Malibu’s server, but our bet is that they’re in the process of rolling out their new website for 2009.

The ‘09 version of their web marketing tool has been delayed some what, with 2009 model year boats already being delivered to customers. We’ve heard that the new website will be a complete overhaul, not only in terms of looks, but also in the “engine” that drives the website. A fix for the buggy iSpec boat configuration tool is part of the reason for the big change that has led to a delay in the launch.

Stay tuned for Malibu’s new 2009 website, coming soon.

Thomas Olson landed a toeside 900 in the finals to WIN his first BAKES NWI title against defending 2 time Champion Bret V. Everyone who showed up to watch the NWI witnessed a passing of the torch between these long time friends from Gig Harbor. Many folks know that Bret V has been a mentor and significant influence in Thomas Olson’s wake career to this point. The 4th Annual BAKES NWI had the teacher give way to the protege’ in the closest finals decision the event has ever seen…

The official recap and links to event photo galleries are posted after the jump

Media Courtesy of [ WakeboardNorthwest.com ]

Malibu sponsored athletes put on an impressive showing at the 2008 Malibu Open in Pontiac, MI last week. In a total of five events, Malibu skiers and wakeboarders amassed four first place finishes, leaving little room for anyone else to share the glory.

Malibu team riders Philip Soven and Dallas Friday proved too much to handle on the wakeboard side of things. While Soven’s win was impressive, given the season he’s had, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. Right now there’s no one else in the world that can compete with him when it comes to the shear number of tricks he throws, and the technical nature of his riding.

Friday’s win is even more spectacular, given that she is still on the comeback from what could have been a career ending injury. The fact that she has been able to return to the caliber of riding we’ve known her for so quickly makes it clear that she’s still the best female wakeboarder in the world.

It was another successful year for the Malibu Open, and with this year’s event wrapped up, all attention is turned to next year’s contest. We’ll let you know as soon as Malibu announces the location.

You remember LA Gear right? They made those shoes all the cool kids wore that had lights in the heel that flashed whenever you took a step? Now you can have your chance at revenge and prove to everyone you’re not the dork you were in grade school.

Ronix has released two new boards the DHV1 and CSV1 based on the familiar One and Covin series wakeboards, respectively. And while they didn’t actually work with LA Gear on these new wakeboards, Ronix has incorporated a piezo-electric diode that lights up when you hit the wake hard enough.

The new boards feature the same shape as the signature lines they’re based on, but make use of a high end “Italian Dark Core” for a lighter and stiffer board. If you currently ride a Ronix One or Covin wakeboard, but wish it weighed just a little less and had more pop, these may be just what you’ve been waiting for.

The Ronix DHV1 and Ronix CSV1 wakeboards retail for $599.99 and can purchased through Wakeside.com.

Gallery: Ronix V1 Series Limited Edition Wakeboards

Click Image to View Gallery

At the beginning of June we brought you the first unofficial pictures of 2009 Malibu Wakesetter VLX. Now Malibu has released a few shots of the completely new model on the water, and we have to say, it’s a hansom looking update.

Based on the brief preview we posted early, the 2009 Wakesetter VLX looks pretty much like we thought it would. This latest round of pictures of the boat in it’s natural setting do a much better job of showcasing the lines of the new boat.

Check out our summary of the major changes after the break.

Gallery: Official 2009 Malibu Wakesetter VLX Pictures

Drive the video is out (we’ll have a review up soon), and is on its way to being the most popular wakeboard video of the year. If you don’t have a copy yet, we want to hook you up with a free autographed copy of Drive, courtesy of Wakeside.com and BFY Productions.

All you have to do to win is post a comment on this post about why you deserve a free copy of Drive the movie. The winner will be chosen at random, so we aren’t judging the quality of your comment, but it needs to be on topic.

Here are the rules:

• Only one entry per person. That means you can only comment on this post one time, if you comment more than once you will be automatically disqualified.
• This contest is open to residents of the Continental United States (sorry, it’s not by choice).
• Contest ends 11:59PM PST on July 30th, 2008.

We’ll announce the winners within one week of the close of the contest. If you can’t wait until then to watch Drive, you can purchase a copy right now at Wakeside.com. Good luck!

Click Image to View Gallery

With comparisons between another major manufacturer, and reader opinions running rampant, we’ve finally got some information on Tigé’s line of boats for 2009. It looks like it’s been a pretty busy year for the R&D department and their OEM suppliers, as Tigé has made a number of substantial changes. Read on as we outline the 2009 Tigé model year changes.

Gallery: 2009 Tigé Boat Photos