The Riders
Christine Bickley
Ambassador
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: I'm an ex-wakeboarder, now full-time wakesurfer
- Background: I started wakeboarding in 2017 and loved it, however when I tried wakesurfing I loved it even more. I love encouraging other people to give it a go or to compete, and love to coach.
- Home riding spot: LDB Wakeschool, Chertsey.
- Favourite place to ride: Love riding everywhere but Dubai has a special place in my heart (It's warm for starters!)
- Favourite trick: Ollie 180. Once you've learned it on a wakeboard it can be carried over into wakesurfing. Who needs boots to keep you in contact with the board?!
- Favourite Malibu: Love them all! What's not to like?!
- Favourite Axis: Same as Malibu - they're all very special.
- Favourite boat feature on Malibu or Axis - the fold down step for getting in and out of the boat. Of course I just LOVE the wave and it's very easily adjusted for different riders.
- Advice for someone just starting out: Get some good coaching - it makes it a much better experience and you'll start doing tricks a lot quicker.
- Best moment of your career so far: That's so hard to answer as there are so many great moments. I have to say I was chuffed to pull off my very first drifter 180 ever in competition in 2021.
- Goals for 2024: Improve my competition runs!
Mitch Wise
Team Rider
Specialities
- Discipline: Wakeboard
- Introduction:
- I'm Mitch Wise, a 23-year-old wakeboarder with an 18-year journey in the sport. Having travelled internationally for wakeboarding, I've formed lasting friendships within the community and cherished every moment of being part of this beautiful culture.
- Background: I discovered wakeboarding at Tallington Lakes, inspired by older kids, who became mentors. When I first started competing, there were 6 or 7 of us at a similar level. This rivalry motivated me to dedicate countless hours to honing my skills on the water. Today, I continue riding at Tallington, inspiring the next generation to embrace the sport and guiding them in their progression.
- Favourite Riding Spots: Lake Jessamine in Orlando holds a special place in my heart. It's where my friends resided, and the memories of lake life, paired with the meaty wake from Luca and Massi's M235s, remain etched in my mind. The camaraderie of a solid crew provided inspiration and guidance that shaped my journey.
- Favourite Trick: An Indy tantrum to blind because it feels soooo good.
- Favourite Boats: In the UK, the Malibu 22MXZ holds the top spot for me, closely followed by the Axis A22. The standout feature that sets Malibu apart is the wedge, unmatched by any other boat brand.
- Advice for Beginners: Dive in headfirst! Watch wakeboarding movies from pro riders on YouTube to absorb inspiration and shape your future style. Surround yourself with riders better than you, hit the trampoline early on.
- Career Highlight: The pinnacle of my career was in 2018, at the European Championships in Italy. Sharing the podium with childhood friends from the AOD stops and Riders League events made it extra special. The after party, set against the backdrop of water fireworks in a remote location, was a magical experience, resonating with my love for nature.
- Goals for 2024: Returning to international competitions after recovering from injuries and integrating my passion for wakeboarding with exciting projects to help the sport grow which has always been my goal. Started with my passion for filming when I picked up a camera to try to attempt wakeboarding in an exciting/ creative way that captivates people’s minds.
- Recognising the need for innovation in the UK wakeboarding scene, I aim to spearhead new, inspiring events that inject fresh energy into the community.
- Closing Statement: Wakeboarding in the UK is primed for a shakeup. The current landscape feels stagnant with repetitive contests. It's time for a new, cool event that not only fuels enthusiasm among riders but captivates the audience, injecting a new sense of inspiration into the sport. Let's usher in a new era of excitement and growth for wakeboarding in the UK and use Malibu as a driving force in this movement.
Max Jones
Ambassador
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboard & Foiling
- A bit about me: I bought a 18ft sea ray leisure boat with 2 friends when I was 27. It had a monster tower
- and we started to wakeboard in the estuary (Exmouth, devon).
- When I was activley DJing someone got me to perform at the Quays wake open comp.
- Now I’m living my dream out on the water with so many people that have the same
- passion and love for the sport as me.
- Home riding spot: LDB WAKESCHOOL
- Favourite place to ride: LDB WAKESCHOOL
- Favourite trick: Chicken salad bk 1, melon toe 3
- Favourite Malibu: M220
- Favourite Axis: A225
- Favourite boat feature on Malibu or Axis:
- Has to be the signature wedge. When you hit that button and the boat does a wheelie!!
- Mad feels seeing the shape of the wave change so much.
- Advice for someone just starting out:
- >Try not to overthink what your doing, keep it simple.
- >Listen & be confident in your ability.
- >Give it 110%
- Best moment of your career so far: Winning nationals in 2019, stomped a bk 3, toe 3 then backroll with Lee Debuse driving
- was a insane intro to competing at the nationals.
- Goals for 2024: To finally compete again in the wakeboard nationals! It’s been a long road since Acl op in
- 2020 and then blowing out my other knee then day before 2023. Hopefully 2024 is the
- year
Jake Williams
Team Rider
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboard
- A bit about me: I started wakeboarding at the age of 10 when i joined the ISIS Waterski and Wakeboard Club, where i met some friends that wakeboard as well. We’ve pushed and challenged each other to land new tricks which has got me to where i am now.
- Home riding spot: ISIS Waterski and Wakeboard Club
- Favourite place to ride: ISIS Waterski and Wakeboard Club
- Favourite trick: Dum dum
- Favourite Malibu: Malibu 23 LSV
- Favourite Axis: Axis T220
- Favourite boat feature on Malibu or Axis: Amazing wake
- Advice for someone just starting out: Don’t be a pussy and send it
- Best moment of your career so far: Winning the 2023 UK Nationals
- Goals for 2024: Mobe 5 and a raley
Travis Beaton
Team Rider
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboard
- Background: I've been wakeboarding for a decade, all started seeing it on holiday thinking “I could do that”. I eventually found somewhere to try it once I got back to the UK and fell in love with the endless process of learning, always a new trick to work on or finding ways to improve my current bag of tricks. Recently I spend a lot of my time now passing on this passion for learning new tricks onto the next generation of riders by coaching
- Home riding spot: LDB Wakeschool
- Favourite riding spot: Sproat lake, Canada
- Favourite trick: Pete Rose
- Favourite Malibu: M220
- Favourite feature: The Power wedge as this allows me to quickly adapt the wake with a press of a button depend on the level of rider I’m coaching.
- Advice for new people starting: Dial in the basics. The longer you spend perfecting the basics the much easier the process of learning new tricks will be.
- Goals for 2024: To land Double Backroll
Emilia Whitehouse
Team Rider
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakesurf
- How did you get into Wakesurfing? I started wakesurfing when I was 13 and instantly fell in love with it. Ever since my family and myself have pushed my skills in wakesurfing to the limit by training every weekend once the season starts. At the moment I currently hold two UK national titles and I have been selected for the UK wakesurf team! My aim with wakesurfing is to push others outside their comfort zones and try new sports such as wakesurfing so by me promoting it hopefully it encourages others to try the sport as well.
- Home Riding Sport: Tallington Lakes
- Favourite Trick: Air with a grab
- Favourite Malibu: Malibu 21 MLX
- Favourite Axis: Axis T220
- Favourite Malibu/Axis Feature:The malibu wrist band that controls the speed and wedge when surfing...and the music too :)
- Advice to someone starting out: Persevere and don't give up as wakesurfing can be frustrating to try and learn and to learn new tricks but perseverance is key and it will definitely pay off.
- Career Highlight: Winning nationals in 2021 and 2022
- Goals for 2024: My goal for 2024 is to land new tricks and get my national title back. I also want to convince more people to try wakesurfing that I know or through my Instagram page. Lastly I want to enter more competitions than last year.
Matthew McCreadie
Ambassador
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboard
- A bit about me: I've been around the water all my life, I grew up water skiing with my family from a young age and started wakeboarding in my early teens but didn't start competing until I was in my late 20s. I love watching and being involved with the young kids coming up in the sport, I take my inspiration from them because they're pushing themselves and the tricks as hard as they can and seeing their progression is contagious, it makes me want it too!
- Home riding spot: Isis Waterski and Wakeboard Club
- Favourite place to ride: Xtreme Wake
- Favourite trick: Anything with a blind landing
- Favourite Malibu: 23LSV
- Favourite Axis: T220 but I'd buy the A245 if I had the money (plus the yellow colour is beautiful)
- Favourite boat feature on Malibu or Axis: Power Wedge III
- Advice for someone just starting out: Don't neglect the foundations of your riding - when you progress up to that next trick, your foundations will always, always help to make it that bit easier to land that first one.
- Best moment of your career so far: Placing 2nd in the 2023 UK Boat Nationals
- Goals for 2024: Increase my fitness and trick repertoire
Ava Sherfield
Team Rider
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboard and wakesurf
- A bit about me: When I was younger I used to ride cable a little bit until we found a lake nearer us which provided boat wakeboarding. I started riding seriously about 3 years ago and competed in the 2021 nationals.
- Home riding spot: Isis waterski and wakeboard club
- Favourite riding spot: My home lake isis is my favourite place to ride
- My favourite trick: is a fashionair because it is fun and stylish
- My favourite Malibu: is the 23lsv because the lip on the wake makes it super poppy and sends you flying
- My favourite axis: is the t220
- My favourite boat feature: is the wedge because you can change the shape of the wake super easily depending on how you like it or if you need more of a lip or less of a lip for learning new tricks
- My advice for someone just starting: is to make sure you nail the basics with the correct technique because good technique makes learning new tricks much easier
- The best moment of my career: was winning nationals 2023 in junior women
- My goals for 2024: are to take my riding to another level and hopefully compete abroad
Kate Waldron
Ambassador
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboarder
- A bit about me: Pushed my feet ( with great difficulty)into some wakeboarding bindings back in 2007! Rode very little but found Xtreme Gene years later. Thought my wakeboard days were over after having 2 Children! But the water was calling! Now 5 years later, I'm utterly grateful to represent the GB Squad +40 Women Category ☺️
- Home spot riding: LDB + Tallington Lakes
- Favourite place to ride: LBD
- Favourite Trick: Massive Stale Fish
- Favourite Malibu: 22MXZ
- Favourite Axis: T220
- Favourite boat feature on Malibu or Axis: Has to be 'The WEDGE'!!!
- Advice for someone just starting out: Find a coach!! You'll progress quicker with techniques in a fun, safe environment.
- Best moment of your career so far: Being Selected for the GB Squad '22 and placing 2nd at Europeans in 2022
Joe Humphries
Team Rider
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboard
- About me: got involved when parents wanted a sport to get the whole family involved. Started boarding at 4 years old and loved it ever since. Currently training a lot and over the last few years have finished well in international comps and had a fair few national podiums and wins.
- Home riding spot: Xtreme Wake
- Favourite place to ride: Xtreme Wake
- Favourite Malibu: M220
- Favourite axis: T220
- Favourite Feature: The steepness and size of the wake you can get out of a 20-22 ft boat which is perfect for shallow uk lakes.
- Advice for someone starting out: get your self involved in unserious competitions (grass routes level) or even intermediate categories in nationals because the best and most fun way to progress is by making friends in the sport and riding together.
- Best moment of career: winning open men in nationals in 2022.
- Goals for 2024: Learn some more mobe 5's so I can hold my own a bit better in international comps.
Melissa Lock
Team Rider
Specialities
- Wakeboard or Wakesurf: Wakeboard
- A bit about me: I grew up around water skiing and wakeboarding at my local club, which I am now the chairperson of. I started out competing in the Cutting Edge Competitions (formerly Kids Koaching Kompetition), which got me involved in all disciplines, until I was selected for the GB squad in 2013. Since then I have competed at several international events and come away with a few European Championship medals and European Pro Tour podium spots. In more Recent years, as well as riding, I have become a qualified wakeboard judge and joined the Wakeboard UK Committee.
- Home riding spot: Charnwood Waterski and Wakeboard Club
- Favourite place to ride: LDB Wakeschool
- Favourite trick: Halfcab Roll
- Favourite Malibu: 23LSV
- Favourite Axis: T220
- Favourite boat feature on Malibu or Axis: Power Wedge III
- Advice for someone just starting out: make sure you get a good grasp of the basics, to give you good foundations for the harder tricks as you progress!
- Best moment of your career so far: Placing 2nd at Europeans in Junior Women 2017 & 2018
- Goals for 2024: after a year of ill health and injuries, my main goals for 2024 are to get back out on the water, enjoy being able to wakeboard again, and learn some new tricks!