Winter Wakeboarder Laura Christian
Whilst many of us would be forgiven for hanging up our wakeboards and hibernating over the bleak frosty winter, the good old fashioned Great British reserve is currently being demonstrated quite brilliantly by young twelve year old wakeboarder Laura Christian.
It’s January now and she shows no signs of stopping yet! She rides until her hands bleed and every lap is followed with, “Just one more!”
Back in June 2008, Laura went to a friend’s Birthday party at JBSki in Chertsey and was instantly hooked! She’s been wakeboarding ever since and has been taking weekly cable coaching sessions with LDB since the summer.
Many riders make huge leaps of progress when they travel to sunny climates over the winter period, but the likes of European Silver Medalist Kirsteen Mitchell having ridden right through her first winter and claiming raleys and krypts within only months of riding, show that there’s something to be said for having the cable to yourself and ignoring the shivers!
“I think Laura is one of the most committed riders I know, she has been out on the water every weekend throughout the winter, come rain, hail or snow. The staff at JB ski even broke the ice last weekend so Laura could get out there!” LDB
In 2009, her first full season cable riding, she’s certainly taken the bull by the horns and achieved the Gold Award in the Cutting Edge program. She also entered the UK Cable Nationals coming 4th in the Girls’ division and finished in second place in Girls’ for the King Of Cable.
Laura’s clearly very committed to improving her riding and progression has been helped along by working with Lee using the Headzone helmet system. This maximizes her coaching time by allowing her to hear instruction through her helmet via a walkie talkie. In between coaching sessions, she also keeps her sporting interests nice and varied playing Hockey, doing athletics and trampolining.
Laura’s setting her sights on getting a rayley in her trick bag before the summer and with this level of dedication, she may well do it! Watch out for Laura next season, she’ll have had a good head start!
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