It’s been a while since we’ve had any major pro events thanks to the pandemic, and even longer for Mike Dowdy due to his knee injuries over the last few seasons. We thought it was a good time to catch up with Mike and ask him about his new venture, The Wake University (WakeU), and pick his brain about the current state of wake. I hope you enjoy our interview!
JL: Yo, Mike! How has the year been treating you so far?
MD: Justin! Great catching up with you. Our year has been great. Me and my wife, Darriane, are expecting our first baby boy in August! So were extremely excited for him to join us.
JL: Congratulations on the incoming little one! Has your focus towards your future changed with your family in mind? Read More >
JL: What’s up, Anna?! I hope you are staying warm during this crazy Texas winter storm. Have you lost power?
AN: Hey, Justin! Thanks, I currently have like 4 layers of clothes on. I lost power at 2:00 AM about 3 days ago and have been curled up in a ball ever since. Texas doesn’t understand how to snow.
JL: Well, I hope that you’re able to get your power back soon. I understand that it’s a pretty serious situation for everyone in Texas. As far as wakeboarding goes, you’ve been on fire over the last couple of years! You’re on your second year pro model board and boots with Liquid Force, a signature Follow vest, and Sandbox helmet. What does it feel like to look back on all your accomplishments and to be in the place you are now? Read More >
Backside rip in Gainesville, FL fully hungover – 2015
If you ask most boat riders, they will tell you that a 144 is a big board, but if you ask one of the shredders at your local cable park, they might say that it’s kinda small. Boat riders typically have a wider stance with a smaller board, whereas most cable riders nowadays have a shoulder width stance and a 150+. Board size and stance are subjective to the rider and what they’re used to. I like to encourage people to adjust their stance every now and then to see how it feels. Everyone has their own shape and geometry, so it’s important that you find out what works best for you.
Indy T2B behind the BuyWake G21…I probably fell – 2016
I grew up riding behind the boat for the most part so I used to just slam my bindings all the way out, because that’s what you did. And, being a smaller guy, I never had much reason to ride a big board. I’m 5’5″ tall and have never weighed more than 140 Lbs. so my typical board size was always between 134 to 139. I eventually started spending more time on cable systems and redirected my focus to rails, kickers, and air tricks. The riding environment at a cable park is similar to a skatepark. You get to ride with your friends, meet new ones, and push each other. The social aspect of riding at cable parks is just really cool to me and I think it plays a crucial part in the growth of our sport. The skinny stance trend is an example of new influence in wake that started at cable parks. Thanks to the homie Alex Graydon, I was convinced to try it out in 2014 at McCormick’s Cable Park. Read More >
