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 >
Well we did it again…we survived another fun filled weekend at the Nautique Masters at Callaway Garden with industry friends, Athletes, and family! We were pretty sure the rain would keep us down, but thankfully we only got hit with rain once or twice for a short amount of time. Robin Lake went off with the best crowd cheering on the most elite athletes in the world!
Cheers to all that competed this year and we can’t wait to be back next year! Congrats to Reed, Meagan, and Harley on their wins! Stars on the water, warriors in the sun! Big thanks go out to all the Nautique crew who put on this event and our Hyperlite support from Ebev and Mike!
Sports dynasties are nothing new. The New York Yankees ruled baseball from for over 4 decades. In the 44 seasons from 1921 to 1964, the Yankees appeared in 29 World Series and won 20 of them. The Boston Celtics won 8 consecutive NBA Championships from 1959-1966 and added 3 more championships in 1957, 1968, and 1969 respectively. The Montreal Canadiens owned the NHL from the 1950s through the 1970s. And, the NFL had the Steelers of the 1970’s, the 49ers of the 1980s, and the Patriots of the new millennium. Oh, and how could you forget Kelly Slater surfing his way to an unprecedented 11 world titles from 1994-2011 (even with a faux retirement thrown in the middle). How does this relate to wakeboarding?
Given all that dominance in each of the major sports, something somewhat unprecedented is happening in Pro Wakeboarding. Just like the last few NBA Finals, the podium spots at all the major pro contests are almost a forgone conclusion. Check out the podium for the last 7 wake contests. Notice a pattern?
2018 Pro Tour Stop #1
2018 Wake Open
2018 Moomba Masters
2017 Pro Tour Stop #4
2017 Pro Tour Stop #3
2017 Pro Tour Stop #2
2017 Pro Tour Stop #1
1st Place: Harley Clifford
1st Place: Cory Teunissen
1st Place: Harley Clifford
1st Place: Harley Clifford
1st Place: Nic Rapa
1st Place: Mike Dowdy
1st Place: Harley Clifford
2nd Place: Nic Rapa
2nd Place: Mike Dowdy
2nd Place: Cory Teunissen
2nd Place: Nic Rapa
2nd Place: Harley Clifford
2nd Place: Nic Rapa
2nd Place: Mike Dowdy
3rd Place: Mike Dowdy
3rd Place: Nic Rapa
3rd Place: Mike Dowdy
3rd Place: Mike Dowdy
3rd Place: Mike Dowdy
3rd Place: Harley Clifford
3rd Place: Cory Teunissen
Harley Clifford, Mike Dowdy, Nic Rapa Always Win
Are Harley, Dowdy, Rapa, and crew that much better than the rest of the pro ranks? The short answer is, well, yes. The above podium patrol all have runs with multiple double flips, all regularly spin 1080s, and Harley Clifford is the sole owner of a perfect score when he accomplished that feat at the 2015 Nautique Masters. The real question is, is this good for pro wakeboarding?
Pro wakeboarding is in a really fascinating spot right now. There are so many elements and ideas as to what constitutes a good pro. To some, it’s Harley Clifford throwing double flips behind a $150,000 boat. To others it’s Quinn Silvernale winching a DIY spot. And yet, to some it’s the multiple water sport mastery of Noah Flegel and Daniel Grant. Still somehow, we all know solid tricks, clean style, and warp speed progression when we see it.
Quinn Silvernale from The Coalition
To all of us die-hard wake fans, the riders at the top of the podium are more a topic of social media banter than an expose on the state of wakeboarding. We put just as much stock into pro contests as we do a new video part or photo in Alliance. We dig the pro contest scene, but we understand that its just one component of an incredibly innovative and multi-faceted sport. In my humble opinion, pro wakeboarding is in a much better place today, even with the same few riders winning everything, as it was just a few years ago. Wakeboarding has gained nuance and subtlety. Wakeboarding has earned street cred and reverence. And, wakeboarding can appeal to so many more fans now that it has these new elements. Looking back to a previous era when all you could do to prove your mettle was huck robotic and premeditated contest runs in front of tetchy judges, that vibe seems almost counter to what wakeboard has become.
Wakeboarding Has Never Been More Innovative and Diverse | Photo: Jeff Mathis
Wakeboarding doesn’t need a new podium at each event. Its been proven that fans love the elite, established set of wake stars. Wakeophiles don’t want to cheer on a final with no one they’ve ever heard of. They hunger for the wake celebrities that throw down and give them something to root for. They crave the hero and the villain. They want riders to look forward to, riders to love and hate, and a reason to be emotionally invested.
Fans Love Mike Dowdy
So, now it’s on the next generation to dethrone these podium kings. Who is going to emerge as the next great contest rider? Harley, Dowdy, and the rest of pro contest scene are definitely holding court. But, if there is one thing in this world that is certain, it’s that nothing lasts forever.
What a wild four days of wakeboarding competition we had here in Acworth, Georgia! The worlds best Wakeboarders descended upon Lake Allatoona for the 2017 Nautique Wakeboard Nationals and it was nothing short of action packed. BuyWake Team Riders Harley Clifford, Mike Dowdy, and Noah Flegel topped the Podium for a full BuyWake sweep and each took home arguably one of the coolest trophies. The Wakeskating was a little touch and go due to the conditions on the water, but Reed Hansen came out on top and proved once again he knows how to compete no matter the conditions. On the women’s podium BuyWake Team Rider Nicola Butler came in second place just behind Nautique Athelete Meagan Ethell who charged it all day to take the win.
Checkout some of the highlights of the #WakeboardNationals
What a weekend! In case you missed it, the first stop of the 2017 Pro Wake Tour was in Birmingham, Alabama and competitive wakeboarding is at an all-time high right now. BuyWake.com team riders Harley Clifford and Mike Dowdy are total warriors battling against each other on the water this year. One of the heaviest and hardest things to do after injury in get back to riding shape, and both Mike and Harley took no days off in the off-season rebuilding their bodies to peak performance. If you follow them on Instagram you can see the insane tricks they have in their respective arsenals, and they’re bringing these tricks to the tour. Congrats to Harley for winning the 1st stop of PWT, but with the way Mike is riding he is sure to take a win very soon (only 1.17 points separated them…so you know it’s coming).
