History Made at the 10th anniversary of the pro wakeboarding contest in Orlando, Florida.
Orlando-based wakeboarder Thomas Herman made wakeboarding history on Saturday, September 16 by landing the world’s first-ever triple flip pulled by a boat at the annual Red Bull Double or Nothing contest, which took place at Lake Ivanhoe in Orlando, Florida. In celebration of the historic run and the 10-year anniversary of the big air, best-trick competition, Herman was awarded the $20,000 winner-takes-all-prize.
“It’s so unreal to be able to put the Triple Flip down today,” said Thomas Herman. “It’s been a battle I’ve been working on for the past three years, and that was I think the 30th attempt that I landed it on. This is a day I’m not going to forget.”
Additionally, female professional wakeboarders Meagan Ethell and Jamie Lopina attempted to hit double ups as part of an exhibition to help push the envelope for women’s wakeboarding.
“It’s really cool to be part of Red Bull Double or Nothing, and I’m honored to have a part in helping progress the sport,” said Meagan Ethell. Ethell has been making waves in the world of wakeboarding since 2012 and has won seven World Championships.
Red Bull Double or Nothing – created by wakeboarding legend Parks Bonifay – recruited 14 of the best in the field to ride behind the legendary MasterCraft XStar in the sport’s premier big air, best trick competition.
“This is the 10th year that we’ve done Red Bull Double or Nothing,” said Parks Bonifay. “As a wakeboarder, it really does fire you up to ride even better and harder when there’s a live crowd pumping you up so the stage was set for some great riding today.”
Notable riders included second-place winner Flynn Bullock, third-place winner Jaime Houser, last year’s winner Sam Brown and World Champion Cory Teunissen. Both Bullock and Houser were wildcard selections for the competition. The athletes were hitting double-ups (when two wakes from a single boat converge to form one large wake) all day, getting massive air to the cheers of the large Orlando crowd.
