Jonathan Tollefson

It is imperative that everyone in the Midwest knows about another way they can Board the Midwest All day, Everyday.  So guess what I have for you today?!?!  Flow Rider baby.  A company named WaveLoch started in 1991 and has came up with a legit way to surf without the ocean by way of a contraption called the Flow Rider.  Their company has grown into a full blown wave producing machine that produces waves of different varieties for every skill level. 

Flow Rider type waves are going to improve your board skills 100%.  No doubt about it.  This is also planned into the Ultimate Training Facility I believe the Midwest could use more than ever.  If you haven’t heard of WaveLoch yet, be on the lookout because I beleive this is going to be everywhere!  For more on Flow Rider and WaveLoch be sure to click on the picture above.  Their site explains everything I am so excited about.  If your state or town doesn’t have this yet, start spreading the word on how you want to Board the Midwest All Day, Everyday, and I am sure they will come running your way!     

Ladies and Gentalmen, Wakeboarders and Wakesurfers, this is your time to shine!  In the wakeboard and wakesurf industries I hear people asking how to weigh their boat for the perfect wake/wave all of the time.  Because of this I have put together a survey about this exact question.  With your participation, I would like to start a page on JonathanTollefson.com that highlights your set-up.  Together we can end this question!

Click on the screen shot above, or Click Here to take the survey.  Also email me a picture of your boat at jonathantollefson@gmail.com, and I will add it to your set up page!!  THANK YOU for your time!

Wakesurfing is a sport that is growing like a Halloween snake.  The sport has been around for awhile and a flame has recently been lit that is taking wakesurfing to the next level.  Boats are getting bigger, ballast systems are producing monster waves, and wakesurf board manufactures are coming out of the wood work.  Even with the growth of the sport I still see many looks of confusion as I talk about wakesurfing.

For those of you who are still wondering what wakesurfing is, here is a short and simple explanation.  Wakesurfing is surfing behind a boat that is weighed properly and creates a wave big enough to surf on.  The rider usually starts with a rope and once the boat gets up to speed, about 10-14 mph, the rider can throw the rope into the boat and surf for days.  Wakesurf boards are shorter than ocean boards, aerial tricks are preformed, there are different styles of wakesurfing, and wakesurf competitions are happening all over the world.

If you are still confused, check out the video below of James Walker from Flyboy Wakesurfing putting on a show of what can really be done behind a boat.  Learning these tricks is never easy, but if you learn to wakesurf you will be one step closer to Boarding the Midwest All Day, Everyday!

Hell yeah folks!  Last weekend I drove 1500+ miles (round trip) to chill with friends and family, and to watch the best Wakesurfers in the world compete at the 2010 World Wakesurfing Championship in Minneapolis, MN!  With a purse of $35k worth of giveaways and cash prizes, this event was off the hook, and you should have been there.

Todd Gaughan from Towanza Wakesurfing is the man behind this three day World Wakesurf Championship, and we need to give him props for putting an event like this together.  He was also backed by sponsors such as Centurion Boats, The Walker Project, Wake Shredder, Phase Five, Grind Water, and Flyboy Wakesurf boards to name a few.  I missed out on a bunch of the action, and was only able to make the event on Saturday due to BS vacation days and a desk J-O-B.  No worries though, I made the best out of it and I am super pumped I made the trip!  

Grabbing a quick pic next to the voice of the World Wakesurf Championship, Stanley Wheelhouse.  This guy talked his face off for over 12 hrs on Saturday!  Killer job man.

I had the chance to chill with James Walker owner of Flyboy Wakesurf Boards before his winning run on Saturday.  The kid threw down, and his boards couldn’t be more legit!  Congrats to him for winning the Surf Division.  Keep on pushing us all man!

To my right is Chase Hazen eating some potatoes after his 2nd place podium run.  He rides for Shred Stixx, Slaysh Tank, and many others.  Cool kid, and he flies on a board.  To my left is Sean Cummings throwing his signature Wake Shredder hand signals.  He rides for Inland Surfer and is the rightful owner of Wake Shredder.  It was great to meet both of you, and be sure to watch for these two as they continue to revolutionize wakesurfing.

This is Brian Baker ladies and gentlemen.  Brian represents Darin Shapiro’s company, Grindwater Sports. He is one of the only riders from Minneapolis, MN to compete in the finals, and Brian stepped up third on the podium in the armature surf division.  Congrats, thanks for representing the Midwest, and I hope to see more of you in the near future.

Shown here are all of the boards that were up for grabs in the $35k purse.  The Walker Project is there, along with Phase five, Triple X, and Inland Surfer.  Is this enough to get you to the next event?  I hope so!  Who knows, a boat could be on the line next.

I also have to throw my hands up to the 9 different countries that were represented at the Championship.  I wish I was able to meet all of you.  Another time, another day.  For those of you who are wondering if there were ladies at this event?  You better believe it.  Women such as Bri Chmel and Rebecca Ort threw down and both took home first place checks!  Next time I see you I will introduce myself and look forward to talking with you!

Wakesurfing, it’s where the action is at.  Are you in?  Because this is just another way to make sure that you are boarding the Midwest all day, everyday!

For the final results, CLICK HERE!

Skinny, fat, black, white, big headed, ugly, cute, stupid, blind, deaf, crazy, addict, frugal, rich, blue, pink, albino, F-student, metal worker, horse manure picker upper, head in the sand, I hope I didn’t leave you out!  What I want you to know is that YOU can get behind a boat and wakeboard and wakesurf.

One of the best reasons I hear from people who don’t want to give these sports a try is “I can’t do that, I’m too old.”  Do you want to know what I think about statements like this?  It’s Crap!  Why don’t you just say that you don’t want to do it?  This is really what you are saying, anyway.  Don’t use an excuse, just say that you are not interested.  This will allow me to move on and talk about something in your life that you are interested in.  I won’t hate you, you can still be my friend, and I am sure that there is something we can talk about.  Do you like apples?

On the bright side, if you can get out of a chair, you can get up on a wakeboard or wakesurf board.  I know kids 5 years old that wakeboard, and I know people 60 years old that wakesurf.  So if you have the itch and think that you would like to give these sports a try, you should because you can.

If you don’t have a boat to get out on, or you don’t know anyone who has a boat, there are still many ways that you can Still Get Into It.  I encourage everyone to get out on a boat if you even have the slightest feeling that you would like to give these sports a try.  There is only one way to tell if you will like them or not, and that is to give them a try!

Do you have any stories or good excuses that you have heard.  It is always fun to hear how people get out of stuff that they really don’t want to do.  Please Share!!