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Name: Thomas (Norway)
Occupation: Student
Main Sport Profile: Wakeboarding
Other Interest(s): Water-skiing, Softball, Soccer
How were you introduced to wakeboarding?
My friends told me about a wakeboarding outlet in East Coast Park (Singapore) - called ski 360. I wasn’t too sure what it was but I had heard about it many times. I randomly picked a day after school and went to check the place out. I later took up its membership. That weekend itself I went for a trial run, and my very first try of wakeboarding got me hooked. It was fun, even though I kept falling.
How old were you when you started wakeboarding?
I was fifteen years old back then when my friends told me about ski 360. That was when I eventually got to know about wakeboarding and hence taking it up as a sport. I must say after each session I’m too tired to do anything. When I get home, I'm off to sleep after dinner and shower.
Wakeboarding is a physically demanding sport, how do you keep up with its demands?
Wakeboarding is indeed demanding, half an hour into wakeboarding and my body feels heavy and the legs get tired. To overcome this, I jog frequently improve my stamina and fitness. It helps to strengthen the muscles in my legs too. Eating right is also another contributing factor as to how I keep up with the demands of the sport. If I’m doing wakeboarding in the morning, I’ll avoid heavy dinner the previous night, just as to keep my body light.
What is it about wakeboarding that makes it unique or special?
Firstly, it’s like skateboarding and kite boarding - all rolled into one - but only in water. On top of that, you get to hang in air longer and do more challenging stunts. Hence, I find that thrilling. Also, when you get suspended in air for that few seconds, you get to see things from a different perspective. In wakeboarding, nothing stays the same. Today you could be in air for two to three seconds and on other occasions, you can stay just a little bit longer. You should really try it.
Do you have anything to say for the readers or people keen on joining this line of sports?
I’ll have to say if you are already doing my line of sports, don’t give up and keep pushing for it because I believe that the sky is the limit. And for those keen on trying a new sport, I would say 'go for it' because we only live once; each day is like a new adventure and that is when you’ll feel that life is much more worth the living.
Other than wakeboarding, are there other sports that you do?
I do not know if it is the same, but after I’m done with wakeboarding I’ll do water-skiing too. It's similar to wakeboarding, except that you have a pair of skis which are attached to you’re your bindings (also known as boots). Other than that, I play softball and soccer as well.
How often do you practice?
It depends on my school schedules; I’m schooling on week days, and so I usually practise on weekends. But if it is the school holidays, I would practice more often, with each session lasting about three hours.
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