Get to know Straight Line rider Amber Wing in her recent interview with WakeWorld!

Author: Kaesen Suyderhoud Photos: Randy Murray Video: Oakley

Amber Wing is one of the most progressive and innovative woman wakeboarders in our sport today. Amber Wing has made her mark in this sport by landing new tricks, winning major events and producing video parts that we have all known to enjoy and respect. She is one of the nicest girls you will ever meet off the water and is always a joy to be with on the water. She is still the only female to land a 900 behind a boat and I don’t think the progression will stop there. Read on to get to know Amber a little more than you did before.

WW: Amber, from where in Australia do you hail?
AW: 30 Minutes south of Sydney, Australia, a famous wakeboard community called ‘The Hacko.’ We ride on the Port Hacking River, which is the most southern river in the city of Sydney. Legends from the Hacko include Marshall Harrington, Reece Jordan, Kylie ‘Froggatt’ Jordan and Paul Boyd just to name a few.

WW: Now some may or may not know this, but you come from a very powerful water sports family. What was it like for you growing up in this environment?
AW: Growing up in my family was no ordinary upbringing. Well, I guess it was normal for me. I am from a family of five people, Mum and Dad, Joel, my older brother, and Dominique, my younger sister. My parents would wake us up around 5:00 AM and there would be our swimming costume, sweat pants and hoodie on the bed. We would get dressed and jump up on the nose of the boat where a pillow and sleeping bag would be.

The boat would be towed to the launch ramp. Mum, Dad and Joel would ski. Then Dominique and I would be woken up to have our turn. Most of the time I didn’t want to ski and Mum would make me ski. Dad would let me off the hook if I really begged. Mum would say “You will have fun. You really enjoy it when you get out there.” I would be in tears getting in the water and then be smiling once I was skiing trying to hide my face so Mum couldn’t see me smiling. Generally we would trick ski. Then the family would pull the boat out, flush (we were in salt water) and wash the boat, get ready for school. Dad would go to work at 8:15 AM and we would be at school by 9:00 AM.

Crazy now that I look back. These mornings happened a couple times a week since…well…I can’t even remember I was so young. On weekends we would head to a lake that had a three-event site as that was what my parents were into after they had kids. Before that, my mum was a world champion race skier and also into barefooting and my dad was into barefooting, holding the backwards speed record in the Guinness World Record book.

I have so many fun memories from growing up in the boat. It is amazing family time.

WW: How often do you thank your mum for making you get in that water these days?
AW: Haha, it’s a bit of a joke in my family. When I found wakeboarding, I was brainwashed and suddenly loved going out in the boat and the cold didn’t bother me as much when I would ride early in the morning. I see my mum as my mentor and hero. She is an inspirational woman.

WW: Did you do any other sports before wakeboarding took off for you?
AW: Mostly gymnastics. Well, 15 years of competitive gymnastics, trampolining and dancing.

WW: It seems like gymnastics runs in the wakeboarding background for a lot of riders. Do you feel it helped you become a better wakeboarder or was it just all the years on the water growing up?
AW: Growing up on the water gave me a grounding and understanding of load and reaction. Listening to my dad coach my brother in trick skiing helped a lot. Gymnastics gave me strength, agility and aerial sense, and also a knowledge of how to get the best performance out of my body while being aware of weaknesses and fixing them before they turn into an injury.

WW: All I hear about the rivers in Australia is that they are filled with bull sharks. Does that not bother you at all?
AW: It does not bother me. The river I grew up on does not have bull sharks like the rivers on the Gold Coast. In Sydney we ride in pure salt, where you can see 20 feet down crystal clear, or fresh water.

WW: Were there any riders that you wanted to become just like?
AW: Not really. As a gymnast, I idolized Nadia Comaneci. However, when I got into wakeboarding, I didn’t want to have a coach and wanted to do it my way. I guess I was rebelling from 15 years of gymnastics where you are always being told what to do and how to do it. When I had a full time job, the one wakeboard poster I had at my desk was Shane nose pressing on his LF Trip. It’s a sick shot.

WW: What was the first wakeboard video you owned?
AW: I can’t remember the first wakeboard movie I owned. I think it was a video of the Pro Tour my dad ordered from America so I could see what the best girls in the world did on a wakeboard.

WW: When was your first international trip for wakeboarding and where did you go?
AW: My first international trip for wakeboarding was a three-week trip to Japan for the Asian Australasian Championships, then on to Orlando for the WWA Worlds in 2002.

WW: Not only were you the first female to land a 720 behind the boat, but you are also the first to land a 900. How did that first ever women’s 900 behind the boat feel?
AW: When I was riding away I couldn’t believe I was still standing on my board. I was shocked. It was an amazing feeling. I remember during the set my mind frame changing about the way I thought about the trick. I always believed I could land it, but when I was so close on my first few attempts I remember thinking I know I can land this within the next two attempts. I did. When you work towards anything in life, achieving it is always a great feeling.

WW: Do you feel if the double up looks good or the kicker is big enough that we will see a 1080 from you or any other girls some day?
AW: Yes, definitely. I think over the next year it’s possible to see a 1080 and double flip from a female rider.

WW: You have been riding for Liquid Force wakeboards since I first saw you ride, as well as having a pro model with them for a few years. What’s it like being a part of the Liquid Force family for all this time?
AW: It’s great. Melissa and I get along like sisters and love traveling and working together and helping each other out. It’s nice to be friends with the people on your team as it makes traveling and staying at week-long photo shoots pretty fun. Liquid Force really supports Melissa and I in whatever path we choose to take our wakeboarding. They are a great company to work with.

WW: Now, like most Aussie wakeboarders, you live in Florida for your winter months and our summer, but where could we find you in Florida?
AW: From March until October you can find me hanging around The Wakeboard Camp in Clermont, Florida. I love how quiet and away from Orlando it is. Very peaceful.

WW: Can you tell us more about your role with The Wakeboard Camp?
AW: I would say I am an ambassador for The Wakeboard Camp. They have supported me for a long time, providing boats to ride behind and quality coaches. Whenever I would be out riding, the people in the boat would know what I would be doing wrong and help me correct it and to progress in wakeboarding. Kyle Schmidt, Ben Greenwood and Kurt Robinson are all great coaches. And around the camp, it’s a great learning environment.

WW: Who would we normally see you riding with out on the lake?
AW: Mostly I ride with Dean Smith, Hayley Smith, Ben Greenwood and Bob Sichel. I try and ride with other people when I can and it works out like Aaron Rathy, Trevor Hansen, Rusty, Danny Harf, Chad Sharpe, Chris O’Shea, Watson, and Nicola Butler. And I used to ride with Keith Lyman a lot as well.

WW: Do you enjoy the wake park side of the sport as well as boat?
AW: I enjoy going to cable parks with good rails. I just don’t like standing in line. I like to feel that my days are productive and I am not very good at standing or sitting around. I love going to The Projects and hitting the rails behind the ski. Henshaw builds crazy rails that he asks me if I want to have a try. So even though I am riding boat every day, I still have fun on rails and go to the cable park occasionally.

WW: What are your thoughts on the sport not just being about riding behind a boat anymore?
AW: Sports always branch off in different directions. Cable is fun and many people love it. They love going to the cable park for the day and it is a great family environment. More cable parks are opening and are much more accessible to the general public on a daily basis. In saying that I feel boat will never die, it is a close family environment as well where everyone has fun and the social interaction in the boat is hard replicate anywhere else. People enjoy the day on the lake wakeboarding, wakesurfing, skiing, barefooting, shoe skiing, kneeboarding, tubing, you name it. So many activities in your back yard or down the street or the family holiday at the lake cabin. It’s a lifestyle that many generations love and will continue to love. My grandparents had boats, my parents have had a boat my entire life and I will always have a boat!

WW: You have now won countless awards and events, taken women’s riding to new levels and devoted yourself to the lifestyle of the sport we call wakeboarding. What are you most proud of and is there anything else you still want to accomplish?
AW: This year is my tenth year on tour, which is a crazy thought to me. My first year on tour I thought would be my only year. Making a living out of wakeboarding was beyond my wildest dreams. I think that is my biggest accomplishment. Winning Queen of Wake last year was a huge accomplishment for me. Also, landing a 900 was very memorable for me.

I am in the process of making a women’s wakeboard movie. The girls are pushing the sport, riding hard and learning new tricks. I see them riding and know what they are doing, so I want to show the world. It is my project for this year and I am really excited about it all coming together.

WW: You are making a female wakeboard film? Can you tell us more about this project?
AW: It’s a progressive female wakeboard movie giving the girls a chance to show the world what they can do on their boards. About two weeks ago I got the confirmation of support from Oakley’s 1242 production company. This project has been on my mind for a year and half. I have had so much positive support from every company in the industry, making this project really exciting.

WW: Any words of advice to the young girls out there that look up to you?
AW: Haha, stay in school and finish your education and further your education. Keep your eyes and ears open to the world. There is so much you can learn every day. Do what you love and love what you do and dream big. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

WW: Would you like to thank anyone for the success of your career?
AW: There are way too many people on this list. Everyone who has ever helped me, thank you for taking me wakeboarding, putting a roof over my head and having faith in me that I would succeed and be a positive ambassador for your company.’

Amber is sponsored by Liquid Force, Malibu Boats, Oakley,
Rockstar, Wing Wetsuits, The Wakeboard Camp and Straight Line.

2011′s most decorated female rider has done everything a girl can do on a wakeboard, including the first and only 900 to date. And now, Amber Wing has chosen Malibu as her towboat to push the sport even farther.

David Thorpe, Marketing Manager of Malibu Boats in Australia said, “Amber is one of the most progressive and innovative riders of this generation. She is a hero to any girl who wakeboards Down Under and a great ambassador of the sport worldwide.”

This Australian ripper is the current Queen Of Wake, which is the highest honor in wakeboarding, awarded to the best rider of an eight-stop series. With residence in Australia and Orlando, Amber will be riding everyday behind her Wakesetter and also will be producing an all-girls feature film. “I want the world to see how amazing the girls are riding these days. We will be shooting in everyone’s most comfortable environment. For me, I wanted that to be behind a Malibu.”

Her reasoning was pretty simple. “The wake behind a Malibu is rampy, giving you plenty of kick and has a great transition for landing. It is a very consistent wake making it easy to learn new tricks and progress your riding. And the boat has a smooth look which complements the classy Malibu image.”

Amber comes from a family of legends on the water. Her uncle, Brett Wing was the best overall waterskier of his time. He is a three-time world overall barefoot champion and set 11 world records in slalom, trick, jump and barefoot. Both Amber and Brett were raised into a family of greatness. “My Grandparents and parents all waterski. My Mother Bronwyn was the 1979 World Race ski champion and my Father Robert hold the backwards barefoot speed record. My brother Joel is also the 2012 overall champion at Moomba Masters. I’m sure if wakeboarding was around earlier, then Brett would’ve been amazing at it. My family has tried everything behind a boat, and competed at a high level. ”

Outside of the Wakesetter’s performance, Amber feels like Malibu is a great fit. “The company has a super friendly vibe. Everyone who works for Malibu has a passion for the company and it shows.” Amber joins a stacked roster of girls on Team Malibu including the legendary Dallas Friday, who is ready to rip this season, as well as 7th ranked Tarah Mikacich, who is the 2011 “Coach of the Year.” Be sure to follow Amber throughout the summer on tour and also online:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amber-Wing/151891788157262
amberwing.com.au
twitter.com/AmberWingWake
wakegirls.com
http://liquidforcegirls.com/

Sponsors: Malibu Boats, Oakley, Liquid Force, Rockstar, Wing Wetsuits, The Wakeboard Camp, StraightLine
Titles: Queen of Wake, first female to land a 900 and 720, WWA Worlds, US Nationals, Pro Tour Season, Masters, Wake Games, TransWorld’s Best Female Wakeboarder, Alliance Female Rider of the Year
Residence: Sydney, Australia / Orlando, Florida
Speed and line length: 80-feet / 24.5 m.p.h.

This time of the year where Alliance like to ask the pro’s “what have been the top five highlights of your season?” It’s a fun and interesting way to cut to the chase and find out what really kept their stoke alive. In this first edition they catch up with SL’s Amber Wing to recap her all star season.

-Rome. I was in Italy for a Wakeboard contest in Milan for a full week. I love Italy and decided to go exploring on my days off, so I visited Venice, the leaning tower of Pisa and Milan. I stayed an extra 2 days after the contest to visit Rome as I was so close. A mellow 3 hour train ride went through Florence and some beautiful countryside. Italy is a beautiful country and the food is amazing!!!

-Getting my first brand new boat! Supra delivered a new 242 to me in March when I arrived in Orlando. I have never had a new boat so I was really excited. Choosing every feature like the white hull, black tower and all the optional extras made it so exciting when it arrived. My favorite feature is the height adjustable drivers seat, being so tall (a towering 5’2) this feature made my captaining experience a blast. It’s a beautiful view being able to see over the dash, and so comfortable not having to sit on life jackets

-Brostock. You all know what I am talking about! Haha. There was plenty of tanning oil going around as the LF office crew made the most of their week in sun. Bob Soven always claims that he get’s the tannest, but it is not true, I am the tannest ginger. *kids tanning is bad for you, skin cancer kills* It was a fun week of riding with the team, I always enjoy our team shoot!

-Queen of Wake !

-Making it through a full year with no speeding fines! I’ve been pretty good at clocking up speeding fines the last few years. I would probably have lost my license if I didn’t live part time in 2 different countries. I’m not a bad driver, I just like to stick to the faster side of the speed limit.

CONGRATS AMBER ON WINNING BEST WOMEN’S RIDER AT THE WAKE AWARDS

Check out the entire issue with all of the winners!

A couple of weeks ago Dean Smith, Tom Fooshee, and SL’s Amber Wing took a trip to the state-of-the-art, Al Forsan International Sports Resort for the 1st ever UAE Wake Park National Championships and to promote the 2011 WWA Wake Park Worlds hosted by Al Forsan. The crew were able to expierience the one-of-a-kind sports resort and were givin free range of karting, paintballing, wakeboarding, and exceptional dining. To highlight the trip, the riders and film crew stopped by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace, and Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi; some of the highest regarded landmarks in the Middle-east.

Amber Wing at Al Forsan from Wake Park Worlds on Vimeo.

About Wake Park Worlds:
The 2011 WWA Wake Park World Championships hosted by Al Forsan International Sports Resort (wakeparkworlds.com) is the final stop of the WWA Wake Park World Series 2011 season and the 1st “cable” wakeboard contest in the Middle-east. Taking place December 7-10, 2011; Wake Park Worlds is open to all ages and abilities; to register in one of the 17 divisions visit wakeparkworlds.com/registration. $50,000 USD cash paid onsite is up for grabs, with $30,000 USD allocated to this single contest and an additional $20,000 USD allocated to the World Series overall champions. Click Here to see the Prize Money Breakdown. All host hotel information can be found by Clicking Here. Make sure to stay up-to-date and interactive by following Wake Park Worlds on their Facebook and Twitter.

About the WWA:
The WWA is the world’s premier provider of amateur and professional wakeboard events, sanctioning and rules, developed by riders, for riders. www.thewwa.com or contact rob@thewwa.com

About Al Forsan:
The Al Forsan International Sports resort aspires to be an internationally-recognized and top-rated world-class resort by leisure professionals, as well as companies and families. By consistently providing first-rate service and state-of-the-art facilities, it will establish itself as the major sports hub for regional and global events, setting new standards for international sports and leisure experiences. www.alforsan.com