After a little bribing we finally got Ken Gremillion to agree to be a part of the 2010 Featured Rider Series. Ken is from Monroe, Louisiana (the original home of Louisiana Spring Fling),  he is married with 3 awesome children. Ken has been super supportive of Louisiana Wakeboarding and wakeboarding in general, thank you Ken for all of your positive support and feedback, we really appreciate it.  Ken has been in the wake scene for some time now and definitely witnessed the growth and development, if you ever catch up with Ken i’m sure he can elaborate more on this subject! Check out Kens interview below.

Name: Ken Gremillion

Age: 36 years old (5/3/73)

Location: Monroe, Louisiana near the Ouachita River

Board setup: CWB Faction with Faction bindings

Sponsors: LouisianaWakeboarding.com and Swamp Sports, a division of B&L Marine
(not offically, but I like to plug LWC and Swamp Sports every chance I get)

Rope Length and boat speed: 70’ at 23mph

At what age did you get into wakeboarding? We didn’t actually use numbers back then. We just laid rocks out on the ground to signify how many summers we had been through. I think I had been through about 20-22 summers.

How did you get into wakeboarding? Oh, God, where do I begin? My dad forced me into waterskiing when I was about 10 or 11. By age 12, I was a skier; my own slalom, ski gloves, etc. Around age 14 I got hooked on kneeboarding (shove the comments, it was once considered cool). Sometime during my late teens, my kneeboard buddies and I rented a “skurfer” from Gus Campbell Watersports. We hated it and claimed that crap would never catch on. A couple of years later, I bought a used HO “Hyper-Lite” Wake Series Skurfer just for the hell of it, been hooked ever since.

Do you remember your first board setup? If so, what was it? Ha, as I’ve already said, it was an HO “Hyper-Lite” Wake Series Skurfer; 1991 model to be exact. I’m pretty sure that model is credited as being THE first compression molded “wakeboard”. It had fixed straps that could be fixed for left foot forward or right foot forward. The directional board came with 3 huge ass fins on the tail, no fins on the tip. I found that by removing the 3 fins and putting a smaller fin in the middle made the board more forgiving. I eventually drilled a hole near the tip and placed a front fin. It sucked by today’s standards, but provided me with many hours of enjoyment, and countless hours of pain.

What exactly do you like about wakeboarding? It’s one thing that the whole family can enjoy, and it’s good exercise.

Favorite place to ride? Well, that’s got to be the absolute best place to ride on the face of the Earth, the Ouachita River.

Favorite boat? Why? I really like my Moomba LSV, but it’s hard to say any one boat is my favorite. I guess I’ve never found a boat that I would call my favorite.

Cable wakeboarding is getting popular, what are your thoughts onparks? Do you prefer cable or boat? I’ve never ridden cables. Guess I might would if given the chance and my wife’s not around. After my ass had a misunderstanding with a slider a few years ago, she has banned me from hitting any slider, kicker, funbox, or other hard obstacles. With obstacles being out, cables would kinda be pointless.

Best Wakeboarder? That’s a tough question. You could mean best right now, best ever, most innovative……. Hmmm, of course, Parks is phenomenal, and is likely one of the best if not the best so far. I know I’ll have several people disagree with that, but regardless of how you view the dude, he’s got skill.

Favorite Wakeboarder? Finally, and easy question to answer…….Doryn is my favorite wakeboarder. With Gerry Nunn running her a distant second. Gerry is one of those guys who has been in the sport for ages, and never really stood out. I pick Gerry due to his willingness to openly display his love for Jesus.

So, are you like one of those “Jesus Freaks” or something? Yeah. I’ve really found comfort in seeking Him over the past couple of years.

Favorite people to ride with? Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to ride with several pro wakeboarders including Sean O’Brien, Shaun Murray, Gerry Nunn, Andrew Adkinson, and others. That was fun, and all the guys I mentioned are cool to hang out with. However, my favorite people to ride with are Doryn and all the people who call me their friend.

What is your best result in you wakeboard career? If you haven’t competed, what is your best trick accomplishment? I placed first in the intermediate division a few times when the Southworths were organizing competitions in Louisiana. As far as tricks go, it seems that when I was younger, every time I would begin to step up my riding, I would be plagued by some type of injury that would knock me back down. Now, I just say screw it, a new trick just isn’t worth the pain my body goes through when I take a hard fall.

Craziest thing you’ve ever done on a wakeboard? I ollied a gator in Moon Lake once. Well not once, actually several times until the gator got pissed and left.

What, if any, legacy would you like to leave to future wakeboarders if given the opportunity? Wakeboarding is not about competition. It’s not about how big you go, how difficult of trick you can land, nor what kind of boat or board you ride. Wakeboarding is about having fun and enjoying yourself. Never push yourself nor others too far. When wakeboarding ceases to be fun and becomes work, what’s the point?

Louisiana Wakeboarding randomly stumbled upon Daniel Lam, a family man and business owner from Lafayette, La. We  noticed a beautiful Malibu Wakesetter around town and wondered who owned it, finally we found out! Daniel has progressed rapidly in the very short time he has been riding. Tantrums after 4 months is pretty damn good!

Here is what Daniel has to say about his wakeboarding experience:

Age? 30

Location? LAFAYETTE, LA

Board setup? LIQUID FORCE LYMAN 139 W/COMPANY BINDINGS. I MISS MY OLD SETUP THOUGH, RONIX DHV1 137 SUPER, SUPER LIGHT. LOST IT ON THE HIGHWAY FLEW OUT THE BACK OF MY BOAT. LET’S JUST SAY I HAD AN EXPENSIVE START IN THE SPORT. ONLY BEEN IN IT FOR BOUT 4 OR 5 MONTHS NOW.

Rope length/boat speed? 70-75 @ 23.5 OR 24

At what age did you get into wakeboarding? 30

How did you get into wakeboarding? GOT INTERESTED IN WAKEBOARDING WHEN MY BOY VIC GOT HIS BOAT, I BOUGHT A BOARD BUT NEVER GOT TO USE IT. I JUST OPENED UP MY SECOND LOCATION SO IT TOOK UP MOST MY TIME. SO BY THE TIME I WAS FREE TO RIDE. IT GOT TOO COLD. THE NEXT YEAR I MET UP WITH AN OLD BUDDY BRAD AND HIT THE WATER A FEW TIMES BUT DIDN’T RIDE. WE JUST CRUISED. I WAS TOO SHY TO TRY FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES CAUSE DIDN’T WANT PEOPLE TO LAUGH. FINALLY A FEW TIMES LATER I SAID SCREW IT. GOT UP ON THE BOARD ABOUT THE 3RD TRY AND WAS HOOKED SINCE. I WAS GOING TO GET A CHAPARRAL BUT ENDED UP GETTING A MALIBU WAKESETTER A FEW WEEKS LATER. HURRAY FOR THAT! I’D HAVE TO THANK BRAD FOR PUMPING ME UP TO GETTING THAT, I WAS STEERING TOWARD A MASTERCRAFT X-80. THAT WOULDVE BEEN WAY TOO MUCH BOAT.

Do you remember your first board setup? If so, what was it? RANDALL HARRIS GATORBOARD LEGEND EDITION 137.

What exactly do you like about wakeboarding? HOW IT NEVER GETS OLD, YOU DON’T STOP PROGRESSING, JUST BEING ON THE WATER, TAKES ALL OF MY STRESS AWAY. I DON’T THINK ABOUT WORK OR PROBLEMS WHEN I’M OUT THERE.

Favorite place to ride? DUPLASONE, THE WATER IS CLEAN AND WE USUALLY HAVE IT ALL TO OURSELVES.

Favorite boat? Why? 2008 MALIBU WAKESETTER, IT’S THE ONLY BOAT I RIDE ON REALLY. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN IT LONG ENOUGH TO TRY OUT OTHER BOATS. I CHECKED OUT THE 09 XSTAR AT TSR BUT NEVER ROAD BEHIND IT, FELL IN LOVE WITH THE INTERIOR, IT IS SO ROOMY, FEELS REALLY COMFORTABLE IN IT.

Cable wakeboarding is getting popular, what are your thoughts on cable parks? Do you prefer cable or boat? I ONLY HIT THE CABLE ONCE AT TSR WHEN IT WAS FREEZING SO I DIDN’T REALLY GET TO RIDE MUCH. I THINK IF I GOT TO HIT IT A COUPLE MORE RUNS I WOULD LIKE IT AS MUCH AS BEHIND A BOAT, JUST NEEDED A LITTLE GETTING USED TO. LUKE ROMERO IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON A CABLE PROJECT IN LAFAYETTE AND LET ME IN ON THE DEAL BUT WE HAD TO PUT THE PROJECT ON HOLD UNTIL MAYBE SPRING DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Best wakeboarder? PARKS BONIFAY, HE WAS ON SKIS SINCE HE WAS STILL IN DIAPERS.

Favorite wakeboarder? OLD SCHOOL PARKS BONIFAY AND NEW SCHOOL IS BOB SOVEN. I LIKE THEIR STYLE.

Favorite people to ride with? ANYONE WHO’S A DIE HARD RIDER AND NOT SCARED TO PUSH THEMSELVES, THAT’S WHAT PUSHES ME.

What is your best result in your wakeboard career? If you haven’t competed, what is your best trick accomplishment? TANTRUM AND WORKING ON A SCARE CROW AND BACKROLL.

Anything else you’d like to add? I LOVE THE SPORT AND WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE, TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO THE SPORT SO EVERYONE IS WELCOMED ON MY BOAT.