The wave rolls, picks up, runs across with white scallops, allowing athletes to ride on it like in surfing, as if in surfing, or to go downhill, like snowboarders, and also perform incredible stunts that exist in skateboarding. And don’t be surprised where we found big ocean waves in a quiet Dubai Bay - flowboarding competitions are held on artificial waves with full stands of fans, with the participation of professionals and amateurs, and attract a lot of spectators in the face of ordinary vacationers in the Wild Wadi water park.
Fans of water extreme sports, “overlord of sliding boards”, those who catch a wave on the coasts of Australia, USA, South Africa - in floating boarding do not depend on weather, season and, in fact, on the presence of the waves themselves, they can train and be in shape at any time years and even in places where no one has seen the sea.
The wave was tamed under the roof
Wave Loch founder Tom Lochtefeld invented and invented the "home wave" 15 years ago. It took Loktefeld 3 years and about $ 2 million to bring the idea to life. Water was pumped into the lightweight plastic installation, repeating the curved waveform, under pressure and at a speed of 30 gallons per minute. Hundreds of thousands of surf fans, who had nowhere to conquer the waves, appreciated the new invention.
The device, called Flow Ride, has found its application in water parks and on beach areas, in enclosed spaces and sports complexes. There is even a cruise ship surfing the ocean, on board of which a wave generator is installed. Flow Ride equipment is bought all over the world: in the UAE, Europe, the USA, Russia, Korea, Indonesia ... So, there is every reason to believe that flowboarding will become a full-fledged competitor to surfing, skating and snowboarding.
Riding a wave
His "track record" is not yet too large, only 2 years of participation in professional competitions. While not all the waves of the oceans submitted to this young and promising athlete, but they prophesy a great future for him, against the backdrop of today's successes. Meet the absolute winner of the Pepsi Flow Boarding Competition 2009 (1st place), the participant and prize winner of the competitions in the USA (2008) and Singapore (2009), Maxim Sokolov, 12-year-old student of The English College Dubai.
On December 11 and 12, Wild Wadi Waterpark held the next Pepsi Flow Boarding Competition 2009, in which the only Russian guy who played at the world professional level, despite his young age, took part. He won the most difficult and prestigious discipline Stand-Up with a wide margin from his rivals.
Do you remember how it all started
Maxim is a very versatile, enthusiastic and athletic guy. He rides a snowboard, plays tennis, takes part in all interscholastic competitions in swimming, football, rugby, track and field athletics. The annual tennis competition Dubai Open, ATP Tour does not miss, is actively “sick” on the courts as a “ballboy”.
But everything, as they say, begins in childhood. Although Maxim was born in Moscow, he grew up by the warm Arabian Sea, arriving in his native city only for the holidays. At the age of 4-5 years, Maxim had the opportunity to try out the Bodyboard.
The tests were successful, and the process was further developed. Skating on the board grew into a steady passion.
After some time, in the Wild Wadi water park, a teenager saw that you can ride the Bodyboard in the oncoming wave. Since then, active training has begun, which has been going on for 4 years now. Maxim's dad always encouraged his son's hobbies and was proud of his achievements. He shot some tricks in the water park on video and posted on Youtube. The videos decided the fate of the young surfer. Representatives of American minsurfing tournaments drew attention to a talented teenager from the UAE and invited him to the US Flow Tour in the United States.
Belief in the success of his son and the moral support of friends and associates convinced his father that Maxim was ready for competitions of this level. And the brave conquerors of the waves went on a long and exciting trip. Now dad recalls with pride: “In the USA, Maxim performed so well that I didn’t even dream about it! But the most important thing happened in San Diego when Maxim saw what a wave 3 meters high and a standing board is. In 10 days training for 5-6 hours a day, he began to make such jumps on a standing board with fastenings (Strapped Board) that the local pros were simply shocked. " During training in San Diego, Maxim mastered somersaults with pirouettes, learned to ride the “left” wave and won many victories, given that in this age category he was the only participant. It was then that Max received the first sponsorship from Wave House San Diego.
Athletes enter the world stage
What begins in the amateur category, sooner or later goes to the professional level. In any water park, where there are installations of artificial surfing, local competitions are held among fans of extreme sports. In Dubai, competitions taking place at Wild Wadi Waterpark have become popular. And it happened! Namely, this summer 2009, the international organization IFC (International Flow Championships) was created, which decided to hold international competitions. The first unofficial world championship was held in Singapore in October.
Maxim Sokolov took part in the qualifying competitions in the Wild Card Team. In his favorite and most spectacular form of the Strapped Board, he performed very well, taking 2nd place among experienced pros. The press wrote about the young athlete: “In the Strapped Flow Barrel Division class, program elements have become even more intense. Coups, glides, somersaults and jumps are striking in their complexity and dynamism. Max Sokolov’s prowess proves that at 12 he achieved the stunning successes typical of adults to professionals! "
Indeed, such a success, against the background of the fact that there is no “left” wave on the installation of a mini-surf in Dubai, is impressive. (What is a “left” or “right” wave? All modern Bi Max Flow Barrel rides are built with a wave located to the left of the viewer. And only in Durban (South Africa) there are both waves. In Singapore, the “left” wave, and in Wild Wadi - "right"). Indeed, in order to successfully perform in this category, it is necessary to change the style to the exact opposite. Wild Wadi, as a sponsor, organized intensive training before the unofficial world championship in Singapore, twice a week before the opening of the water park and after it closed, Maxim trained at the double pump (this is the full power of the water supply pumps, which is 2 times stronger than normal attraction mode).
Fruits of success
After the championship in Singapore, Wild Wadi Waterpark declared itself as the official sponsor of Maxim Sokolov. Global brands have become interested in sponsorship. The second official sponsor was O'Neill, a manufacturer of equipment, equipment and accessories for diving, surfing, kiting and other water sports. This brand is represented in the UAE in the Al Boom Marine chain of stores.
Do not stop there!
Now Maxim Sokolov dreams of becoming a world champion! Maybe not now, but in a few years, but this is quite real for a boy who has achieved a lot in his 12 years. “I hope that we will have a team in the UAE that will take part in international competitions. I have someone to follow in this sport. I try to take an example from them. This is Eric Silverman from the USA, who is 17 years old, and he is already one of the best in the world: this is Greg Lazarus from the USA, the first champion who learned everything in Durban and who helped me to master somersaults with pirouettes in San Diego, and in general, there were good people who saw a soul mate in me. Thanks to my parents, they devote a lot of their time to me and support me. nya. I’ll definitely become a champion! "
Maxim Sokolov stands for the country in which he grew up and learned everything that he can now, he defends the honor of the United Arab Emirates at international competitions. But on board his board there is a sticker - RUSSIA against the background of the Russian flag. Because Max loves his homeland and is proud that he is Russian.
And although floating boarding is not yet an Olympic sport, we are extremely proud and happy for a guy who glorifies the name of his country far beyond its borders. Catch the wave, Max!
