You may have noticed that the site was down momentarily this morning due to some issues with the database. The problem actually stemmed from a spike in traffic that overloaded our server. While that’s a good problem to have, it’s always a pain when WakeORIGIN goes down.

The site is back up though, and we’ve got more of the latest in wakeboard news and information coming your way. We’re worry for the inconvenience, and thanks for your patience.

Sean Kilgus, BFY Productions, has delivered another masterpiece in DRIVE. This is his follow up film to such titles as Butter Effect, Bent Felix, and Running on Empty. Wake films we all have watched over and over.

The rider line up in this film is ridiculous and includes many of the worlds best. Randall Harris, Rusty Malinoski, Danny Harf, Chad Sharpe, Trevor Hansen, Jimmy Lariche, Ben Greenwood, Gabe Lucas, JD Webb, Jeff McKee, Erik Ruck, and Adam Errington all have sections.

Order your copy from Wakeside.com and check out a short trailer after the jump.

It’s that time of year, with the majority of the boat manufacturers making the change to the 2009 model year in the next the weeks, expect a lot of wakeboard boat related news. If boats don’t do it for you, just skip this post, otherwise read on.

With a new Wakesetter VLX on the way for 2009, Malibu chose to use the same plan that worked so well in 2005, recycling the previous generation VLX into the new vRide. The brand new 2009 21 vRide is the first ‘09 model Malibu has released shots of, and if the rest of the 2009 model news follows this lead, it should be an exciting year for Malibu enthusiasts. Based on the 2005-2008 Wakesetter VLX, the 2009 21 vRide represents an impressive upgrade from the original vRide. Measuring in at 21′ 6″ in length with a 98″ beam, the new 21 vRide gains 6″ in each dimension over it’s predecessor.

Check out the gallery below for the first official shots of the brand new 2009 Malibu 21 vRide.

Gallery: 2009 Malibu 21 vRide

At first glance you might think this is a new model Malibu is developing for 2009 or beyond, but you’d be wrong. it’s actually Tigé’s 2009 24Vé, featuring a new tower design that some might say is a dead ringer for Malibu’s Illusion X wakeboard tower. Everything, right down to the accessories, apes the tower Malibu first offered in 2004.

Sure, Malibu has introduced their new Illusion XS wakeboard tower, which will be available on all of their models for 2009, but we doubt they’re too excited about Tigé’s new tower design. The forward sweeping look has been a Malibu trademark up until now, so they definitely won’t be too excited about sharing that look on the water.

More than that, we’re just disappointed to see the lack of creativity and ingenuity on Tigé’s part. They’ve been struggling to corporate identity when it comes to tower design, introducing a new look seemingly every year. Rather than come up with something that is both functional and attractive on their own, they decided to take the easy way out.

As they say though, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, which means Malibu should probably be feeling pretty good right now. Something tells me they’re experiencing another emotion right now.

Check out a side-by-side comparison of Tigé’s 2009 24Vé and Malibu’s 2005 Wakesetter VLX after the break.

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.