Jen GilanFarr

December 1st, 2008 | Interviews

ab: Ok, firstly, lets start things off with your name, your age, and why do you wakeskate?

jg: Jen GilanFarr, 21 years old and I love to fall. haha, honestly.

ab: haha, falls are pretty awesome.

jg: 5 feet into the air on to my face, or landing on my board then shooting off into a frontroll.

ab: I like it. Ok, so where did you come from?

jg: Lake Tahoe, a small town, Incline Village, NV.

ab: What are your thoughts on living in Orlando?

jg: I miss the mountains and the crystal clear water, but Orlando is perfect. Wakeskating mecca. I live on the lake with three other girls that ride, and we have a boat in the backyard. I love being able to ride year round, or anytime of the day.

ab: Yeah, so lucky. How long have you been wakeskating?

jg: I believe I picked up my first flat deck cassette in 2001. It was really squirrelly. I mostly focused on wakeboarding but once in a while I would wakeskate for fun.
Two years ago I got frustrated with wakeboarding and started wakeskating more, I started progressing really fast and last year I put the wakeboard down for good.

ab: ahhhh, so you were a strapper back in the day?

jg: Indeed. I moved to Orlando to wakeboard (and go to school). I even trained with a coach for a while until I had a full mental breakdown and quit for wakeskating.

ab: Is it true that your nickname is “Jenny Danger”?

jg: Jenny Danger, yep. Thanks to James Balzer. He branded me with ‘Jenny Danger’ at Raging Pull last year.

ab: Nice! Why Jenny Danger, is it because you like to hit gaps?

jg: I’m not really sure, all credit goes to Balzer, perhaps he knows? I’m guessing since I was the only girl there hitting the gap.

ab: That looked like the funnest event ever, so being the only girl, do you sometimes feel like an outcast because you can’t grow a sweet mustache?

jg: I’m actually really pleased I can’t grow a mustache, haha. I’m not really into facial hair, and I don’t know who started that creepy ‘stache trend, it’s really unattractive. I just hate the ‘she’s a girl’ excuse. There’s no excuse.

ab: So you dont think that your non-mustache affects your street cred?

jg: Nope. Mustache’s are over-rated. I can still have a horrible shorts tan. I did for years.

ab: Awesome! So is wake to wake the future of the sport or do you think that its winching?

jg: It’s all the future, but there is a lot more potential for growth with wake to wake then there is with winching and jetski riding. There are plenty of crazy tricks to be taken wake to wake. However, winching will always be a cheap thrill!

ab: You mentioned you live in a house full of bad ass wakeskater girls, so is that who you usually ride with?

jg: I ride with my roommates almost everyday. I also have a crew of dudes I ride with. They used to live down the street though and now they don’t so it’s less frequent. I love riding with a boat full of girls, but I think it’s really important to ride with the guys too. That’s where I find most of my progression.

ab: Speaking of guys, who do you think is pushing the sport of wakeskating the most right now?

jg: Underground style….Andrew Pastura. He is insane. Every trick switch and regular and you wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference. So mellow too, that’s why I’m saying he is pushing it to the limits but it’s not as obvious because he is so chill and humble.

ab: What about for the ladies?

jg: Steph Whamsly, she is getting all skate technical, working on kickflip variations and big spin variations. Meanwhile my main focus is probably wake to wake. It’s cool that we are both pushing different areas of the sport.

ab: So do they have a women’s category at Toe Jam?

jg: Not yet. We are working on making that happen. We need quite a few more commited girls though first. Regardless, Whamsley, Renea and I rode in the stops we could afford.

ab: What are your thoughts on Toe Jam in general?

jg: I think the Toe Jam is an awesome event. It really shows the progression of the sport. Wakeskating needed to break off of the PWT and do their own thing and the Toe Jam is the perfect solution. I’m just anxious for the day we have a women’s division.

ab: For sure. What do you think its going to take for women’s wakeskating to grow? Do you think it’s going in the right direction?

jg: We are headed in the right direction. We just need the girls to keep pushing themselves an aim to ride at the same level as the guys. In order to grow, aside from pushing ourselves and each other, I think we need support back from the industry. We need a few big companies to step up and get their hands in on the progression. I don’t think it is something we can do on our own, at least not in a timely manner.

ab: So true. What’s more important in your opinion, style or tech?

jg: Hands down, style. Make it big, clean, tweak it or grab it as long as you can and it will look good no matter what it is.

ab: You’re so wise. Whats your position on the finless versus fins debate?

jg: I think its silly. Actually, you know what’s silly? One fin. What use is one fin? When I started wakeskating I didn’t use fins. Now I do. I love them. Can I ride without them? Sure. But it will take a few sets to get used to it. I think they are good for you though, forces you to pop your stuff!

ab: Whats your favourite trick to do right now??

jg: I just love to do big shuvs. See how big I can get them off the jetski start up roller, or take them wake to wake. I’m also a fool for backside 180s. I love landing wrapped. It’s kind of a tie between the two.

ab: What’s your advice to girls getting into wakeskating?

jg: Don’t be afraid to ride with the guys. Griptape burn is attractive. Learn to pop your tricks and whatever you do, have a blast with it. Never take it seriously.

ab: Great advice. Who are some chick up and comers that you know about? Who’s coming up and is a chick?

jg: Lacey Menkin, Liz Talinsky, Cassie Scott, Summer Hamadeh, Tori Chadsey. There are several girls out there pushing it.

ab: So you took the world title this year in the pro women’s category. How does it feel to be on top?

jg: It’s been a crazy good year for me, winning Nationals, Worlds, Alliance Wakeskate Female Rider of the Year, landing a wake to wake shuv.

ab: Your stoke levels must be off the charts!

jg: I can only hope for so much next year. I’m trying to focus on not being satisfied, aiming higher, keep pushing myself.

ab: Well congrats on all your accomplishments! For the record, do you do anything besides wakeskate? Word on the street is that you are pretty artistic!

jg: I just love being active whether its wakeskating, biking, rock climbing, snowboarding, I need to move constantly! I also do a bit of graphic design and love to throw paint.

ab: Im getting carried away with questions, ok lastly: who do you want to thank?

jg: Haha its all good. I want to thank Integrity, not only for helping me out, but for their progression in the sport and influence on the industry. Thanks to O’neill for sending me some goods. Also my friends and family! My riding crew from the last two years definitely deserves some credit in my progression.

Jen’s Website Jen’s Blog

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