The 2008 Tige Pro-Am is just around the corner, and Tigé is upping the ante in an effort to draw some more attention to the inaugural event. With the number of riders that have landed a 1080 in practice closing in on a half a dozen, Tigé has put $10,080 on the line for the first rider to land three spins at the Tigé Pro-Am.

The potential for a five digit payday for an amateur rider that can pull of The Ten is huge. Sure, the likelihood that a local rider will land the elusive 1080 is small. It’s much more realistic to expect a Danny Harf or Rusty Malinoski to walk away with the big check, but even then, that’s quite a bonus for an afternoon of work.

If you’re in the Pacific Northwest, make plans to check out the Tigé Pro-Am at Blue Lake Park in Portland Oregon. It’s a great venue that was cut from the pro wakeboard tour this season for no apparent reason, and is a great place to watch a wakeboarding event.

Check out the full press release after the break.

There are many factors that determine how a wakeboard will perform, but without a doubt, rocker profile is one of the most prominent contributors to the overall feel of a wakeboard on the water. Understanding how different rocker shapes influence the way a wakeboard riders can be a huge advantage when it comes time to by your next wakeboard. So sit back and relax as we school you on wakeboard rocker.

Basic Rocker Profiles
Rocker is the amount of curvature in a board, from the center to the tip or tail (on modern symmetrical boards, the measurement is the same regardless of which end it’s taken at). If you lay a wakeboard flat on the floor, the amount of rocker is how far off the ground the tip and tail sit. When it comes to wakeboard rocker, there are two basic outlines for the shape of a board:

• Continuous Rocker: One smooth bend from tip to tail, as if the board were a section of a very large circle.
• 3-Stage Rocker: Appears as though it is constructed from 3 flat planks joined together which results in a large flat spot at the tip and tail, and one under the rider’s feet.

Below is a brief summary of each type of rocker design, along with the more general pros and cons for that given profile. Of course every board will be different, but here what you can expect from a wakeboard based on it’s rocker shape.

Continue reading for a detailed explanation of continuous and 3-stage rocker boards.

The wakeboard industry has seen a number of substantial changes in the last few years. From the purchase of nearly every major manufacturer by Bob Archer, to the emergence of new companies like Ronix Wake, it’s safe to say things have been in transition.

And now, although there has been relative stability through the last couple of seasons, there is another new player on the horizon, this time in the form of Company Wake. Although details are thin, and they’ve chosen to take a decidedly cryptic approach to marketing, some information is starting to leak out. What we know at this point is that the company is the brain-child of Justin Stephens, a veteran of the industry. With Surf Expo ‘08 set as their public unveiling, we can expect to see quite a bit more from this young company.

Until then, check out the viralish video they’ve released for more teasing and not much information after the jump.

We’re fast approaching the release of the 2009 model year boats from every major manufacture, which is an exciting time for anyone that gets excited for the newest wakeboarding toys. It will probably be a few weeks until manufactures start to release official pictures of their new product, but we’ve got the first shots of the 2009 Malibu Wakesetter VLX here, along with some additional information about Malibu’s new flagship wakeboarding boat.

Check out the information we’ve gathered, along with additional pictures after the break.

Update: Sorry everyone, Malibu is throwing their weight around and forcing people to remove any images that are posted ahead of the official unveiling. Hopefully we’ll have press quality images from Malibu soon.

Update #2: Pictures are back up. Official product pics will be releases shortly, and the pictures shown here do not represent the final product, so the production version of the 2009 Wakesetter VLX may be even better than what’s shown here.

After much anticipation, and a lot of hype, the day has finally come. Rusty Malinoski’s Hyperlite Marek wakeboard is finally available for the world’s wakeboarders to try. We’ve covered Rusty’s new pro-model in great detail already, so we’ll skip the basics.

What you need to know is that the long wait is finally over, and the Marek is now available for purchase. Whether you’re a heavy, aggressive rider, or just have ambitions of landing a 1080, the Hyperlite Marek is worth a look. And with weather warming up throughout the nation, what better way to mark the official beginning of summer than with a new wakeboard.

> Purchase the Hyperlite Marek Wakeboard at Wakeside.com <

Straight Line is recognizing Ben Greenwood’s success on the water with an all new pro model handle. The handle is unlike anything Straight Line has created in the past. It features an all new aluminum bar with a thicker and even softer EVA grip that fit Ben’s style. This handle is also thin and forgiving. It features an all new design for the anti-roll arms that is thin and slightly curved with rounded edges.

The Ben Greenwood signature handle will begin appearing in advertisements soon and will be available this Spring.

It’s no secret that Rusty Malinoski’s new Hyperlite MAREK pro-model is getting a lot of attention right now. It’s definitely the most anticipated wakeboard of 2008, and with the world release coming up on May 15th, wakeboarders won’t have long to wait until they can ride the MAREK themselves.

If you can’t wait for the official release, we’ve got your MAREK wakeboard fix after the jump. Hyperlite released a video showcasing the construction process of Rusty’s new pro-model, everything from designing the graphics to pressing boards is detailed, and backed up with an awesome soundtrack.

Hit the jump to check it out.

DRIVE The Video is set to premiere. Northwest native Sean Kilgus and BFY Productions have finished the NEW 16MM wakeboard film. Kilgus has teamed up once again with the top riders in the world and captured the riders throwing down some of the best tricks ever caught on film to date… ! ! !

DRIVE is the follow up film to a long list of amazing releases by Kilgus. Most notably “The Butter Effect” and “Bent Felix”.

Riders featured in DRIVE are : Rusty Malinoski, Randall harris, Danny Harf, Chad Sharpe, Jeff McKee, Ben Greenwood, Jimmy Lariche, Adam Errington, Trevor Hansen, Gabe Lucas, and JD Webb.

Come see the world premiere of “DRIVE” at the Showbox SODO in Seattle, WA. DRIVE Premiere details are posted after the jump……

MasterCraft wants to take you on the Ride of a Lifetime!

Just imagine waking up to go snowboarding with Oakley Pros on Mt. Hood every morning. And then coming down to hop behind an X-Star to ride with MasterCraft Pros Andrew Adkison, Zane Schwenk, and Jack Blodgett every afternoon. Now you know why this trip is called the Ride of a Lifetime.

Check out a video with details at:
WakeboardNorthwest.com

Here’s an entertaining video we found on YouTube that serves as a great reminder of how boring things would be if we didn’t have wakeboarding. You have to admit, the guy has some skills to be able to throw down on a piece of a wood and a folding chair, but it’s still lacking some of the appeal of putting your feet in the bindings and going for a ride.

It’s starting to warm up throughout the country, so hopefully people are getting out on the water. Have you started riding yet this year?