Local Sports Star Kaylib Louw | Wakeskating | Wakeboarding

The local Wakeboarding and Wakeskating competition season has come to an end and will get going again after our cold winter has passed. We put an interview together for one of the riders who competes in both disciplines, improves every time we see him ride and has no intention of stopping his training during the upcoming cold months. Introducing one of SA’s top Wakeskaters and up and coming Wakeboarders, Kaylib Louw. A down to earth guy who knows what he wants out of the sports and his riding. Check out what Kaylib had to say:

Full Name: Kaylib Louw

Nickname: The Cable Guy

Age: 22

Hometown: Johannesburg

Machine of Choice: Cable

Party Trick: Drop my pants at the sign of trouble

Music to get amped: A day to Remember and Atreyu

How long have you been Wakeboarding and Wakeskating for?
About 5 years to this date. I started in 2008 and haven’t stopped since.

How did you get into it and which discipline do you prefer?
I got into Wakeboarding after a friend of mine brought me to the cable in Midrand. Over time I then progressed in Wakeboarding but got over all the bailing so instead I started Wakeskating. Wakeskate is definitely my preferred discipline of choice.

How often to you practice and train for each?
At least an hour every day if I can.

Where is your favourite place to ride?
StokeCity Wakepark in Midrand.

How much harder is Wakeskating than Wakeboarding?
It all depends on the rider, certain tricks are a lot easier on a Wakeboard than on a Wakeskate but you can’t really compare it as it’s like comparing skateboarding to snowboarding. However, Wakeskating does tend to be a lot harder when learning how to ride on the water.

You mainly ride cable. How often do you ride boat?
As often as I get the chance. I will go down to the Vaal River at least twice a year for fun but usually I only ever practice a set before a boat comp.

What are the pros and cons of riding cable / boat?
Pros of cable are that you are constantly being pulled upwards, it’s a lot cheaper on the pocket, the rider can have longer sessions and it never changes speed. Cons are usually load shedding from Eskom and the long swims and walks from falling at the far corners. Pros of boat are that you have a constant wake to launch off. Cons are that you can never ride alone you will always require someone who knows how to drive a boat and it’s expensive.

You ride both disciplines at comps. How much do you have to prepare for that and what’s the hardest part about swapping between the two?
The preparation that I try do is to practice both disciplines about the same amount of time in a day and try work on a run that is usually more consistent than just a full pass of big tricks. The hardest part about swapping is the way you do your runs. Wakeboarding you need to load every trick you can and in Wakeskating it’s setting everything into skate form, from shoves to flips so you need different mind sets.

What tricks did you learn this season and what are you still trying to get dialled?
On the Wakeboarding side of things I landed 2 new tricks which are a Back Mobe which is a Backroll Frontside 360 and a Backroll to Blind which explains itself. The next trick in the Wakeboarding bag will be a KGB and a Backside 313. Then for Wakeskating I landed a new trick which was a Switch Kickflip and next in the Wakeskate bag will be Switch Hardflip.

What is your favourite trick?
That has to be a Backside Big Spin on a Wakeskate. One of the best looking tricks ever.

What is your favourite obstacle?
The rooftop at StokeCity Wakepark.

What goes through your mind when you are on the water?
That I have my own time to clear my mind, do things I want and have fun.

Now with the winter season here. How often do you ride?
Every second weekend is the plan.

What do you do during winter when you get withdraw symptoms from not riding?
I skateboard and snowboard.

What are your goals in the sport?
My goal is to try promoting the growth of all wake sports in SA and growing the industry as a whole and the level of riding to compete with the best in the world.

Who is your main competition and do you think you’ll be beating them soon?
Matty Buys is my biggest competition and as much as I would love to try beat Matty his level of riding is par with the best wakeskaters in the world.