Top pro wakeboarders from around the world return to compete in Orlando on Sept. 16, free admission for all spectators at Gaston Edwards Park .

Red Bull Double or Nothing powered by Mastercraft brings the top wakeboarders in the world to Orlando in a winner-take-all, best trick competition behind the legendary MasterCraft XStar S. The competition pushes the sport’s best athletes to redefine what’s possible on a wakeboard.

Parks Bonifay is the creator of Red Bull Double or Nothing and a certified legend in the sport. He’s recruited the best of the best from around the world to compete on Saturday, September 16. Every year the world’s top wakeboarder’s attempt huge, never-done-before, history-making tricks at Red Bull Double or Nothing, and this year will be no exception.

The event gets its name from the “double-up”, which is the moment when two wakes combine into one, growing more than three times the size of a usual wake. This allows the pros to get massive air, allowing for huge tricks, and risking huge crashes.

Parks Bonifay wakeboards at Red Bull Double or Nothing in Orlando, Florida, USA on 17, September 2022. // Bryan Soderlind / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202209180573 // Usage for editorial use only //
Sam Brown, 2022 event winner, wakeboards at Red Bull Double or Nothing in Orlando, Florida, USA on 17, September 2022. // Bryan Soderlind / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202209180577 // Usage for editorial use only //

For the first time in the event’s history, two of the best women in the sport will be participating in a double-up exhibition on Saturday afternoon. Meagan Ethell is a 7 time World Champion living in Orlando. Jamie Lopino is also a World Champion and former Rider of the Year. Each will showcase their world-class talent and get in on the action, going bigger than either ever have ever before and  attempting their own double-ups.

Parks, an Orlando resident, joined Action Sports Today to preview the event and is stoked to bring the world’s best back to his hometown crowd to compete; “Red Bull Double or Nothing is the most progressive wakeboard contest to date. As a rider in the event, one of the things I’m super pumped about is having a packed shore line full of people cheering and pushing us to land a trick that’s possibly never been done before. With $10,000 on the line, who knows, we might see the first ever triple flip! Gonna be a wild day, come down to Lake Ivanhoe and join the vibe!”

For anyone that can’t attend, all the action will be streamed live. Tune in to Send It Official’s YouTube Page on the 16th!

AST: How important is it for you to continue creating events for the sport to grow?

PB: It means a lot to me to help grow the sport that I’ve grown up with since I was 12 . I’ve seen the sport go through a lot of changes through the years, and that experience helps me come up with project ideas and unique events to help push the sport forward in the best ways possible .

AST: What is unique about this contest versus other contests?

PB: This contest is unique because this format- best trick winner-take-all, sets the stage for riders to try and land tricks that’ve never done before. It’s truly about progression, to push the sport of wakeboarding and the riders themselves. And this event lets them all squeeze the throttle a little harder than normal.

AST: As a Red Bull athlete, how does the brand afford you the opportunities to grow yourself and the sport?

PB: I’ve been with Red Bull for 22 years now. Since the beginning they’ve allowed me to use their resources all over the world to execute any crazy idea I’ve ever had. Red Bull has been punching many sports to new levels for decades. One of many reasons why the partnership between Red Bull and myself has worked for so long. We’re all about progression and showcasing it in a unique way for the world to see .

AST: Being a veteran rider and the event host, do you feel like you have more pressure than normal?

PB: Yeah maybe a little bit. I don’t compete much anymore so it def gets my heart going and I get a little nervous, but I love it. Maybe there’s a little more pressure making sure the event goes smooth being that there is a live crowd as well a live stream this year on Send It Officials YouTube. But it’s going to be the best one yet. I can feel it!

AST: What is more intimidating; hosting the event or getting pulled behind an F1 car?

PB: Hahaha maybe the F1 car! There was a lot of pressure on me to barefoot behind the beast that is the RB7, and I had a few unplanned variables I had to deal with. Thankfully it all worked out.