Wrapping up the US Tour

Had a great end to the american summer, my knee was really touch and go this year which caused me to have to sit a few events out, but still really stoked with how I finished up and really happy with my progress by the end of the summer looking back on how I started out.

The Surf Expo was pretty cool as usual seeing the whole industry get together in one place.  It was really good to catch up with Bret from CTRL as well as Matty and Angie who have been doing the Cable Tour.

I stuck around for an extra week to try my luck in the Monster Energy Triple Crown at OWC and ended up making the semi finals in a cable contest, pretty happy with my efforts going against some of the best in the business, and has also inspired me to take on cable a little bit more seriously this summer.   I will be doing the cable tour as well as the boat tour and I'm really excited about it all.

Most importantly I'm excited to be going home and settling in with my family and be blessed with the birth of my God Daughter, Ayla Rose who is due about when I arrive home.

What a perfect way to end a perfect summer.

Billabong Free Ride Fridays

Billabong Free Ride Fridays with Dylan Prideaux

I am really pleased to be able to share with everyone a fantastic series of events that we have been working on for a while.  Billabong Free Ride Fridays, powered by Nautique.


This is a really cool program designed to take the best elements of Wakeboarding (the best boards, the best boat, the latest gear, quality photos, ice cold refreshments and loads of prizes).    Oh yeh, and it’s free!


Every week, I’ll take 5 lucky wakeboarders out in the new Billabong/Nautique 230 Team Edition Boat for a Friday morning before School or Work shred.  Liquid Force have filled the boat with different 2011 Wakeboard setups, Wakeskates and Wake Surfers.   Monster Energy have loaded the boat with ice cold cans and our friends at Sony have provided high quality camera gear that will be uploaded to our social networking site so you can brag to your mates about your action, style and your time on the water.  Oh, and each event will be filmed by Billabong to run on the Billabong IPTV Channel around the world!

Nautique Billabong 230 Coastal Edition 

They will be riding behind the Billabong Nautique 230 Edition which is a one off concept boat specifically built for me by Nautique in collaboration with Billabong.  The Nautique 230 Team Edition is the  boat chosen by an elite list of the worlds’ best wakeboarders including Shaun Murray, Shawn Watson, Danny Harf, Bob Soven, J.D. Webb, Jimmy LaRiche and Junior Pro Tour & World Champion Nick Galotifiore.  It’s the official Tow Boat of the US Masters, US Nationals, Wake Games and the Moomba Masters.  The Billabong Nautique Edition has a whopping 1,850kg (4,000lbs) of stock ballast and a huge 6.0 Litre 409 horsepower engine guaranteed to throw out a huge wake and get on a plain super fast.


Every rider gets a tour shirt and a show bag of goodies from Billabong, Nautique, Liquid Force, Monster Energy, Von Zipper and Sony.  And they go into a draw for a series of major prizes including a complete Wakeboard, Boots, Jacket, Rope and Handle from Liquid Force, Sony Video Camera, Von Zipper Sunglasses and more.


The tour runs through Northern NSW to the Sunshine Coast until end of April on Rivers like the Clarence, Tweed, Nerang, Coomera, Brisbane, Nudgee and Maroochy.  And will be joined by leading pro riders and sometimes by Billabong Pro Surfers trying their luck Wake Surfing behind the monster 230 wake.


We planned Free Ride Fridays to give back to the Wakeboard Community and give social wakeboarders the chance to sample the best, oh yes and to ride for free!


To learn more and to have a look at the locations, visit www.freeridefridays.com and to check out the best Wakeboard boats in Australia, get in and see Steve and the team at Nautique Central on the Gold Coast!


Dylan

It's good to be back home

I have really enjoyed being back home and having time off the water.   I grabbed my old Skateboard and have been hitting the streets letting off some steam and having fun with my old Skate Crew.  I'm amazed years later at how good I still am.  My coach John Henson from ProWake Academy has told me that Board Sports in general are great for my wakeboarding, so Skating and Surfing are doing me good - and I am hoping to hit the slopes for a Snow Board soon.

The latest issue of Wake Magazine came out with an awesome 7 page article on me in it.  I was really pumped and loved the ride shots taken by Jamie Brooks for the issue.


Today I got hooked up with Von Zipper Eyewear as a Sponsor.  They have an awesome roster of athletes in a wide range of extreme sports and some great wakeboarders in the USA.  Like Billabong, I become their only Australian Wakeboarder which opens up opportunities for me in marketing, branding and exposure.

Dad is working away on some other awesome deals that will support me over the Aussie summer and for my US Pro campaign in 2011.

I am in the process of setting and benchmarking my goals for 2011.   I pretty well ticked everything off my 2010 list long before the year ended, so hopefully I will have the same drive, passion and energy to make it all happen again.   I believe my goals are realistic, and as Mum always says "if it is to be, it is up to me".  I like that!

Early night tonight I am leaving at 3am with Mick Watkins for the Monster Energy Tige Tour.   We hit Clermont for a Mini Tige Owners Reunion and Mick 'Personal Touch' Watkins is delivering a new Z1 to some lucky family up there.   The tour heads West and then back towards the Coast in a couple of weeks where I will get few nights sleep in my own bed before heading to NSW, ACT, SA and VIC to finish off the tour.   Then back home in December where I believe we will welcome some US Junior Riders who will escape Orlando for some Summer Downunder!   I can't wait.

10 Days and counting

10 days until I get to Orlando - I can't wait.

My sponsor and mentor Daniel Watkins was hooked me up with a base at the Wakeboard Camp in Clermont. I will be working at the Wake School and riding every day in preparation for the Worlds on August 18-21. Amber Wing and Ben Greenwood are based at the Camp so I will get to spend some time with the Liquid Force Crew and of course I will get to spend time with the Billabong Team as well.

I have been studying so hard trying to finish my Cert 3 in Fitness at the Australian Sports Academy. I got my Senior First Aid quals this week, and go for my boat licence next week too. As soon as I get back from the US and I going to do the extra units needed for me to get My Cert 3 in Sports Coaching which will be a great addition to assist me in my career.

Mick Watkins at ProWake is hooking me up for some work for them on photoshop to help pull together catalogues and stuff for the website. This will be great for me to help Nathan out when we go on Tour in September.

And about the tour - the Monster Energy Prowake Tige Tour starts on my 16th Birthday at Hervey Bay. This year I will get from Townsville to Renmark and all stops along the way - it's a huge tour, but it's a lot of fun too. We will be stopping at the Super Cross Events along the way to showcase the Monster Energy Boat too!

Between now and Orlando I just need to get as much water time as I can. I'm taking Mitch Askew up to the Brisbane River on Saturday my my good mate Jordan Uren arrives on Tuesday from Melbourne to ride with me until I leave.

I can't wait!

A big week of wakeboarding..

Wrapped up a pretty solid week behind the boat this week with some nice consistent runs of my pass for Worlds. The Junior Pro Mens category has been super competitive in the US this year judging by the Pro Tour stops so I really need to focus on consistency.

I am out in the boat today with my Coach John Henson. We are taking out a group of Executives from Schweppes the Australian Distributors of Monster Energy Drink. They are going to see what Rubber Johnny and I will be doing on this years Prowake Monster Energy Tige Tour. It's a beautiful winter day on the coast with blue sky and very little breeze so I am looking forward to taking my Watson out for a shred.

2 weeks today I am off to Orlando. My main man Daniel Watkins is going to meet me at the airport in Orlando. Daniel and Chris Heffner from Billabong are hooking me up for my trip and I am so pumped to be doing the trip from Brisbane - Auckland - Los Angeles - Orlando with my good mate Corey Turnbull. It's going to be so much fun!

On the road with Johnny 'Rubber' Henson

I flew out of the Gold Coast Friday morning with Mick Watkins to meet Rubber in Emerald on the Monster Energy Tige Tour. Wr rode at Emerald, Clermont and Middlemount so far and  I will stay on the Tour now until Christmas and will also be riding in, Mackay, Rockhampton and Townsvile.    We have taken some awesome pictures including some great Night Riding shots last night in Middlemount. I am so pumped about being on the road and checking out some new talent and some new riding spots.  Yewww!

Monster Energy Tige Tour

I was so pleased when the Monster Energy Tige Tour hit South East Queensland this weekend. It was a windy day on the Tweed but it was good to catch up with Daniel Watkins fresh back from the US.    The new Monster Wrapped RZ2  throws off an awesome wake, and it gave me a chance to spend some time with my Coach Johnny ‘Rubber’ Henson who drives for the ProWake Academy.

I will be joining the tour from now until Christmas replacing Scotty Broome who has done his ankle (tough break Scotty). Keep an eye out on the prowake.com.au site for details of our stops along the way.