18: A NEW DIRECTION
A trio of riders from North Carolina refused to roll over for the wakeboarding juggernaut. Jonathan Macdonald and his brother David were joined by Billy Rossini in an effort to resurrect kneeboarding., The triumvirate of tricksters pushed kneeboarding into a new direction that was based on big air. Not the big air […]
17: SWITCHED STANCE
In 1992 The Budweiser Water Ski Pro Tour added kneeboarding and wakeboarding competitions. For the first time in several years, the kneeboarding event was not a Hydroslide exclusive, and all the best riders had a chance to participate. But even that couldn’t lure me out of retirement from competitive kneeboarding. Sea-Doo was the […]
16: THIN IS IN
Kneeboarding was on the Pro Tour as an exhibition competition from 1986-1991. I was there, but was not invited to compete. That’s because Hydroslide was the exclusive kneeboard sponsor, and I worked for HO. I took my turn on the water performing my hot dog slalom routine, but the kneeboarding was left […]
15: SCARED STRAIGHT
One of my scariest moments in skiing came during a ski show in Guayacil, Ecuador. Fabrizio Malnati invited the HO/Hyperlite team south of the equator to help promote his ski shop. The team consisted of Darin Shapiro, Bebe Anderson, and myself.
During one part of the show Darin and I both rode behind one […]
13: ROAD WARRIOR
The 1980s were a whirlwind of shows, competitions, photo shoots, and all the craziness that comes with being single and on the road.
Rick Skinner, the Midwest rep for HO, took me on a 10-day tour of Michigan and Wisconsin, don’t you know.
We hit the road to call on Rick’s dealers over the region. […]
12: WIN SOME, LOSE SOME
If you compete long enough there will be times you should win, but lose. Conversely, there are also times that you deserve to lose, but somehow manage to a win. It’s all supposed to balance out. I’ve had a mixed bag.
My day to squeak out a win at a major event […]
11: AERIALIST
In 1986 Herb O’Brien decided it was time for HO Sports to make their first kneeboard. He asked me to design it, and I excitedly agreed.
The first step to develop a new design is to create a test board out of foam and fiberglass. I didn’t have any personal experience in hand shaping boards, […]
10: RIDING THE WAVE – COMPETITIONS
In the early 1980s watersports enthusiasts were excited about kneeboarding. The industry was pumping money into the market with new designs and an advertising blitz. More riders than ever were getting good on a kneeboard, and companies like Hydroslide, O’Brien, Connelly, and Ski Master were giving free product to the […]
9: MAIL IT IN
The water ski magazines were fueling the growth of the sport. In 1982 Spray ran the first kneeboarding feature story, with action shots by Terry Dorner. It was the first time real kneeboarders were pictured, even though their names were left out. The following year World Water Skiing did a makeover, and […]
8: MAGIC TIME
O’Brien was another company that went after Hydroslide’s huge market share., leading the way with their foam-filled board called the Bullfrog. But the lackluster design was antiquated, and the graphics were something a kid might go for: an all green board with a giant bullfrog sitting on the nose.
O’Brien’s Entry into the Kneeboarding […]
