Wakeskate Judging.

After watching more and more wakeskate comps and listening to the guys competing in them it is becoming apparent that there needs attention spent on a new style of judging to cater for a style of wakeskating that emulates skateboarding in particular "street skating " using obstacles not unlike stairs, hand rails, drops, tables,ramps, etc.With more and more wakeboarders trying wakeskating and enjoying the change it seems to bring a style of riding that can look dynamic but sometimes lacks the technique or ability necessary to perform some of the more advanced tricks done by progressive Skaters .After discussing ideas with a few guys I would like to open a discussion as to help direct judging competitions that include obstacles to keep within a criteria and direction that most of the skaters I talk with, would like to see maintained.In saying this a few ideas I would like people to think about is, any obstacle that has been ollied onto receives double points as it is a similar move to that of street skating, and usually leads to tricks like , 270 back side press, or shoves, big spins etc,because when the judging is done it seems that things like 720 spins rate higher as they look more outlandish .This is only one suggestion to get ideas flowing .THIS IS NOT A STIR!!!!! This post is ment to push the sport forward, as the competitions that have been organised have had great intentions but is up to skaters to take the opportunity and drive forward positively not loose heart and not compete!

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Permalink Reply by steve nuttall on November 3, 2010 at 6:11pm

i reckon a tinny comp or jet ski....
most of us only ride flat water behind our tinnies....im staying away from the cable thing cause i cant ride rails...
but style as aposed to techincality....i dont no either cause my style is gay like stiff and wierd...
like matty sed but...
kickflips for instense... u can fall flat on ur back get back up and they would still score u on it....
same as bs big spins...u might slide the last bit of the spin around and people might think thats sick...
but to another wakeskater thats not like landing the trick at all...
thats all i got

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Permalink Reply by Steve Dipple on November 3, 2010 at 7:14pm

Looks like some real good ideas coming up here and everyone thinking towards the future of skating.just keep in mind what I was pushing forward too at the start was the judging of Wakeskating, keeping the tricks in the manor of skateboarding.My concern wasn't towards so much the format of the competition as a variety of these events makes for some interesting riding ,e.g. a rail jam should be just that, as not to via away too much from the theme of the day but ensuring attention is spent on the style of riding and what makes it particularly 'Wakeskating' as against 'Wakeboarding' fundamentaly this was to be the catalyst of the discussion. A suggestion was made as to double points rewarded to ollie ons was to try and draw attention to the fundamental differences between the two sports, e.g., the difference an ollie on to a device is huge between wakeskating and wakeboarding and is only achieved by top end riders but doesn't seem to rate as highly when judged by non wakeskater, where as a 720 looks far more dynamic and therefor seems to rate higher in points, but in reality give a reasonable wakeboarder a skate and in a session or two can spin the board relatively easily over a flat bar, but finds it very very difficult to ollie a board even off the water let alone onto an obstacle. In saying this wakeboarders do a great job judging a wakeskate comp and I for see will be needed and relied on to make a skate comp successful but perhaps a sub briefing at the start of each comp may help to realise some of these differences. Personally I would love too see lots more water tricks involved in the LF rail jams making it a very street style event but I think that at this stage would make it even harder to judge ,a crawl before you walk may be a smarter approach to getting this situation right.I love this sport and want to see it grow into the future so guys back all parts of the game! To change the subject just got back from Germany and saw the first park built soley for wakeskating "The Nike 6.0 skate park"in Duisberg ,the shape of things to come from around the world in the next few years I hope!