World Championships in Norway

I have been really enjoying the past couple of months with all my homies from Mackay riding really hard preparing for the World Titles in Norway. 

We are so spoilt with the GoWake Cable Park in Mackay.  The cable is so good as are the obstacles.  It makes you really appreciate when you travel and come back home to your local.

 

Shredding my Jobe at Thai Wake Park

I just spent a week at Thai Wake Park on my way to Norway.   I have had the time of my life in Thailand hanging out with all the locals and shredding with my homie Samon Victor who is killing it! TWP is awesome and I can't wait to get back there again.

After TWP I travelled to Amsterdam (the home of Jobe) and then to Oslo Norway on my way to the IWWF World Titles.  I am staying with the Australian Team getting ready to compete this week.  

It's really awesome to hang out with a few mates that I haven't seen in forever!

Australian Nationals and Wakeboard World Cup

Still on a high after winning back to back Moomba Masters, it was straight to the airport for a flight to Perth for the Australian Wakeboard Nationals.

Aussie Nats at Bonneys

The Venue was the famous Bonney's Ski Park at Baldivis south of Perth where they have 5 lakes which are mainly used for waterskiing.  The location was great and so was the weather.

I took my Moomba form into the comp and qualified straight through to the final.  I pulled up with a slightly sore wrist which is something that I just can't seem to get right.  Last year at Nationals I damaged it in the Semi and had an emergency MRI before the final.  I was scheduled to fly to the US the next week to start my first full Pro Tour and that meant more to me than a Nationals Title.  I rode with a heavily strapped wrist and managed to pull of the win then.

12 months later I ripped it again riding in the final.  It caused me to fall on a Whirly 5 which is a basic trick for me but one that has a lot of wrist rotation.  Adrenaline took over and I got up and landed it straight away, bit just couldn't ride my best and two falls saw me out.  My goal of winning back to back Nationals as well was now over and I have to settle for 2nd place.

Dylan Prideaux in Action

The next thing that happened was a bitter sweet victory when I was finally given a spot on the Wakeboard World Cup which is the Holy Grail of wakeboarding.  Fully funded air and travel costs and guaranteed prize money for every rider.   I was torn between my dream of riding the event and the risk of further injury that would impact on my US Tour. 

I sought some advice from Dad, and a couple of people who I really respect and then I spoke to John Wickcliffe the President of Wakeboard Australia to advise him that I would not be taking up the invitation and would travel home for emergency treatment.  John called me to the stage at Nationals presentations to tell the audience.  I thought I was doing the right thing, but for many more people it seemed much bigger.

The end result of that decision was that Mitch Daniel got my place.  I was so happy for Mitch and his family.  He has always been a great competitor and I know how much time, effort and money a family invests to allow their kids to compete in this sport.

Once my wrist feels secure my next goal is to win Junior Men's at the Australian Cable Nationals in Penrith, and then it is off to Orlando at the start of May to kick off my US Tour.