What is wakeboarding? The definition of the term wakeboarding according to wiki.org is "a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water behind a boat or Cable System. It was developed through a combination of water skiing, snowboarding and surfing techniques". To some extent this is true, however to many of us the term wakeboarding is much, much more.

For some, wakeboarding is a good time out with mates, for others it is a way of expressing themselves just like an artist does through his canvas and paint, and for a few it is a job in which they get to travel around the world with the best riders in the world, riding behind the best boats and in some of the most beautiful places. All of these aspects of wakeboarding make it what it is today and form the backbone of the identity and culture of the sport.

Wakeboarding as a sport has come a long way from its primitive days and has largerly to do with the evolution of the wakeboard, boats and equipment, however the culture of the sport has not changed that significantly. It is true that there is a growing monetary value, but I bet my boat that 99 out of 100 pro wakeboarders would say that they would still do what they do without the endorsements and big pay checks. For them it is almost a novelty or gimic that they get paid to do something that they truly love doing. In todays world this is a rarity, that someone could feel this way about the how they make their bread and butter. So what makes all the early starts, endless interviews, sponsor commitments, hours of training and injuries all worth while? If you have ever strapped on a wakeboard you would know the answer to this question.

My answer to this question is passion, and is something that wikipedia have failed to mention in there definiton. Wakeboarding is a passion that makes you get out of bed early, makes you put on that wetsuit and jump into a freezing river, and drives you to land that trick that you have been trying so long to get down (disregarding the hard face plant you may take if you don’t quite get it right). Through this passion a lifestyle is moulded. Get a group of people with the same lifestyle together a community is formed. From a community derives a culture. As you see wakeboarding is much more than a sport or anything that can be expressed with pen and paper.

I leave you with this question now and it is one that may have a few answers. However once you ask yourself this, i am sure that wakeboarding will have a whole new meaning in your life. So here it is "why do you wakeboard"? Pretty philosophical i know, but it maybe easier to answer than "what is the meaning of life"?