Blog
3 months in Australia
By:Declan CliffordOn the 25th of October I headed out to Bli Bli, Australia to stay with James Windsor for 3 months. I would also be going to Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Thai Wake Park. I had the best time in Australia James took me to go wake cable park in Bli Bli the first day I arrived there and I loved it. They have the best rails and kickers.
I also competed in 2 competitions whilst there. I got first in Logan for Flat Water Freaks doing a Mobe 5 and switch S Mobe. The next competition was in Cairns we had to catch a 2 hour flight to get there but it was great. I got to catch up with some old friends from traveling last year. I also got 3rd in Flat Water Freaks and had a great time in Cairns which included jumping off the waterfalls, scary times lol.
After 6 days in Cairns it was back to Bli Bli for a few weeks. Then off to Singapore for the Mettle Games and to the WWA Worlds in Abu Dhabi. I flew out with Courtney Angus and James Winsor
Our first stop was Singapore Mettle games. The cable was amazing and super high there wasn't many riders but the riders who were there where good Rene Konrad, Matty Hasler, James Windsor and a few others. It was a hard comp and I ended up getting second with Matty in 3rd and James Windsor in 1st place after landing his first 1080 in comp, well done bro lol. We then spent a week with the Oxlades an Ozzie family that live in Singapore. James and Matty already knew them. They made us very welcome and showed us a great time we played golf, did some wakeboarding and had some cheeky drinks here and there big thanks guys :)
Then it was off to the WWA Worlds. It was my first year in Pro Men so wanted to ride well to see if I could keep up with the best riders in the world. When we arrived I wasn't really loving the cable and found it hard to ride as the water was see-thru making it hard to spot your landings. After a day of riding the cable though I was riding well and looking forward to the competition. The first day I had to ride against Bernard Hinterberger,, Dominik Gührs and Rene Konrad. I knew it was a hard heat and went all out, I guess it paid off when I went through in 1st place putting me into the quarter finals. I made it through the next heat putting me into the top 8 for the semi-finals. In the semis I had a hard heat against Tom Fooshee, Julian Cohen and Dominik Gührs . I rode well but just missed out on the finals giving me 6th place overall, I was so happy as it was my first WWA Worlds and my first time in Pro men out of Europe.
When the week was up it was back to Australia for some filming and photo shoots with JP a filmier from Go Wake. We got some great shots and some good filming done. The following weekend there was a kicker comp at Bli Bli there were lots of great riders that I hadn't heard of before. I ended up getting 1st with an off axis Melon and a heel 720. James Windsor got 2nd with a grabbed toe 9 and Shane Dalton got 3rd with a toe 9, well done lads.
After the comp most of my time was spent surfing, wakeboarding, partying and hangout at the beach working on my tan. It was great riding at Go Wake ( Bli Bli ) there are so many good riders there to learn new tricks with and get better on the rails as that’s what the Ozzies do best. It was good just to hang out with these guys and just watching Mitch Langfield ride he kills it on rails along with Greg wood.
Time flew by and it was soon time to say good bye to all the great people I had met and that had helped me out and yes there was a crazy leaving party ;).
I was meant to be heading back to England but decided to take a detour and head over to Thai wake park and kick it with the boys from home as the had all headed out for a Holliday. I was easily the best cable I have ever ridden, the rails where perfect the kickers where good and the cable is so poppy making it easy to learn new tricks. I only spent 6 days there as a stopover on the way home but learnt some new tricks Crowmobe 5 off the water and 1080 so went home very happy :)
I just want to say some big thanks to a few people
The Windsor family from letting me live with them for 3 months without them
It wouldn't be possible xx
Go Wake Cable Park for hooking me up with riding
Jobe including Wayne Bryant in Australia for sending me gear etc.
And most of all my Mum for supporting me and making it all happen.
Peace
