Amber Wing

March 1st, 2009 | Interviews

ab: So Amber, you’ve been competing on both the U.S. and  the Australian pro tour of wakeboarding for a few years now, how many consecutive summers have you been through?

aw: I am coming into my 14th, you would think I should look like a leathered old women!

ab: It’s an exciting time of the year as the Aussie pro tour is just kicking off, how many years have the women been apart of the tour?

aw: This is the 4th year women have been on the Tour.

ab: Let us know how you managed to get a women’s division included?

aw: I rode against the Men on the Australian Pro Tour and was pushing hard to have a women’s division. The organizers told me I needed sponsors. I sent out proposals to a bunch of companies and had no luck. Then at the Sydney Boat Show one year I was speaking to Mick Neville from Liquid Force Australia. He said to me “Amber, Women need to be on the Australian Pro Tour” I said “I know, we just need sponsors” he said “I will sponsor it” this got the ball rolling and Women on tour.

ab: That’s awesome. So, do you prefer contest or free riding?

aw: Free riding for sure.

ab: Haha, of course. You’ve been wakeboarding as your profession for a long time now, who were your female mentors and icons when you first started competing in wakeboarding?

aw: Cathy Williams for sure helped me along the way with her words of wisdom. Hayley Smith kept me grounded and kept pushing me.

ab: When you were young, what did you always want to be when you grew up?

aw: Haha that is an interesting question. I wanted to be and Olympic Gymnast.

ab: What were you feeling when you first found out that you were going to have a Pro Model board, The LF Cadence, in 2005?

aw: I could not believe it. I was testing out boards of what I wanted to ride and told LF the shape I liked the best. Next thing they had Women’s graphics on the board and it was mine!

ab: Now, tell us about your 2009 pro model board the Jett and Wing bindings…

aw: Its awesome! I love riding it. The board is the same shape, which is an amazing shape. The boots are super supportive and flexible at the same time. Great for poking out your grabs!

ab: I LOVE that board…Did you play any other sports or were you involved in any other activities before you started your career as a pro Wakeboarder? You mentioned gymnastics, word on the street is that you’re a pretty talented gymnast…

aw: yeah I trained gymnastics for 15 years, it was my life. I grew up waterskiing with my family. Dancing eisteddfods with my best friend, tennis lessons. There were a lot of other sports I wanted to do but did not have time as I was training 20hours of gym a week since I was about 10.

ab: So, what are some of your favorite dry-training workouts that you find have been the most beneficial to the progress of your riding?

aw: Astanga Yoga keep me mobile and out of pain. My personal trainer working core, low impact stability training has been amazing. The trampoline for sure teaches you what’s going to happen in the air.

ab: YES!  Yoga is seriously the best thing ever. Ok, you have been featured is several wakeboard movies over the past little while, what are your thoughts on filming, is it more fun or challenging?

aw: It is great fun. It is a challenge, I set myself trick goals for the movie and have an idea of what part of my riding I really want to show. It is fun to travel with your different teams, lots of adventures. I love it!

ab: What is your favorite wakeboard movie other then; Push process, the Truth, Uniquely or the Chick Flick?

aw: Hahaaha that’s a tough one. Probably All or Nothing.

ab: Good call. It must be a real honor to be featured in so many amazing wakeboard videos, which was your favorite to film?

aw: Push Process for sure. We went on so many fun trips to amazing places.

ab: What was it like to tour around the world and experience new cultures when you filmed Push Process?

aw: Very educational. Experiencing the different cultures in all the countries.

ab: I am sure the experience was full of unforgettable memories, is there one in specific that you would like to share?

aw: Going to New York and brazil were highlights. Those 2 places demonstrated one extreme to the next for sure. Hustle bustle in new York and all the man made beauty and magic of that city to the natural wonders of the Amazon. Truly breath taking.

ab: Very lucky. So , being a ‘Pro’ Wakeboarder is sometimes a mystery to a lot of wakeboard enthusiasts outside of what we see in the competition circuit. What does a ‘typical day in the life of ‘Amber Wing: Pro Wakeboarder’ entail when your not competing or filming?

aw: Sleep! I tend to sleep a lot when I am not competing or filming as we travel for months on end and just keep on going, when I get home I just love to catch up on sleep that I have not noticed I missed. Also catching up with friends, I am not home every weekend or on a regular basis, so when I do get home I have to take that opportunity to catch up with my friends who I may not have seen in 6 months.

ab: Who are some female riders you currently look up to, and in what ways do you feel they stand out?

aw: Nicola Butler and Raimii Merritt I look up to for sure. They are training so hard, learning really hard tricks and love wakeboarding everyday. It is so great to see young girls so keen and learning hard tricks. I love it!

ab: These girls do have mad skills! Has there any special individuals that have really helped you progressalong the way?

aw: Hayley Smith for sure, on and off the water. Keith Lyman, Chad Lowe the list could go on forever of all the people who drive for me tell me to try new tricks. The wakeboard family is the best family to be in, everyone helps each other all the time.

ab: Congratulations on all your success as World Champion, the first female to land a 720, and in many, MANY, other areas of the sport. Do you find that your success has changed the way you look at wakeboarding from when you were just starting out on the tour?

aw: Some days yes and others no. I still love wakeboarding. I love being in the boat with a group of friends all riding and throwing down. What has changed is I have a little more wisdom than I first started.

ab: What are some of the main challenges you face being one of few female riders on the pro tour?

aw: Its not that bad. We get along with all the guys. It is not as bad as surifng. I have just been reading Layne Beachleys book and the male surfers really gave the females surfers a hard time.

ab: What tricks are you hoping to get in your bag next?

aw: That is a secret! Haha I don’t like to say because I try so many tricks and sometimes I just never learn them.

ab: Alright, I guess I’ll let you get away with that. haha… Which trick makes for the hardest crashes?

aw: Anything where you can catch a heel/back edge. They are the worst. My neck hates those ones.

ab: How do you deal with the fear of trying a new trick or crashing hard?

aw: You just don’t think about it. Think about the trick and landing it, not crashing it.

ab: Great Advice!!!  What are your goals for the 2009 year?

aw: To learn a bunch of new tricks!

ab: haha, top secret tricks… What wake event are you most looking forward to in 2009?

aw: Knoxville and Louisville. I have never been to Kentucky and I love Knoxville, it is very pretty!

ab: Alright, Getting back to the Australian Pro Tour, which big name females are competing this year?

aw: Melissa Marquardt, Hayley Smith and Shelby Kantar are the girls sharing the podium for sure

ab: Are there any wildcards to look out for?

aw: Rebecca Gange is an up and coming wake chick from Aus. Keep your eye out for her!

ab: What is the world of Professional Women’s wakeboarding missing?  How
can we improve it?

aw: It is going great, we have so many people doing so much for the sport. So many clinics and progression it is very healthy!

ab: Can you describe the female wake boarding scene in Australia:

aw: There are so many girls that ride in Australia, it is amazing, it is awesome! Not as many going pro but for sure we have depth.

ab: What kind of advice do you have for young riders, especially females, that are looking to follow in your footsteps?

aw: Keep on riding, be on the water as much as you can and keep on trying. Never give up!

ab: Thanks so much for putting up with all of my questions!  Who would you like to thank?

aw: Oakley, Liquid Force, Wing Wetsuits, Supra Boats, Pro-tec, In Motion
Lifestyle, The Wakeboard Camp

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