Exclusive interview; Stefan Kraus

JOBE: Hi Stefan, tell us a little bit about the Wakeboard rider Stefan Kraus, so the people who don’t know you, have an idea who they are dealing with.
SK: I started wakeboarding in the first minutes of the sport. I used to be a classic waterskier since I was 13 years old. One day somebody came with a wakeboard to my former homecable and I asked him, if I could try it for a couple of rounds. Because I also ride snowboard I became addicted to wakeboarding very soon. This was back in 1996 and I still can´t let my fingers away from a wakeboard.

JOBE: How’s life, anything special happened lately?
SK: Life´s great. Just moved together with my girlfriend, ran very well through the exams of my study and I´m proud to ride at my new homecable, the “Turncable” in Thannhausen/GER. Furthermore I was able to plan my comps and trips for 2010 including two World Championships and the European Championship.

JOBE: You lucky guy!! What is the most important thing about wakeboarding to you?
SK: I think the most important thing, not only about wakeboarding, is that you have endless fun and don´t forget where you come from. What I mean is, that it´s more important to go to bed and say “I´ve done something really cool with my friends” then “I did something really cool for myself”. I enjoy to hang out with my mates, have fun with them, go riding with them.

JOBE: Definitly true! Do you practice other water sports activities besides wakeboarding?
SK: If you take frozen water, then I also love to go snowboarding in the winter. For training I do lot of swimming.

JOBE: What setup are you riding?
SK: I ride the Lidberg 137 and the Lidberg Boots.

JOBE: How does an ideal day look like for you?
SK: Wake up early next to my girlfriend, have a good breakfast, go wakeboarding, hanging out with my mates and have a good time, BBQ in the evening lakesides, chilling at a campfire, a bit party with some beers, falling asleep

JOBE: Sounds nice! What has been your most memorable wakeboarding experience?
SK: I must count up two experiences. One good one and one bad one. The bad one went back to 2003, as I hurt my knee that bad, that I had to get several surgeries. It always reminds me to think about the consequences before trying a dangerous trick.
The good one goes back to the last year´s European Championship. I got the Teamcaptain of the German Team. I never had so much teamspirit then with this team.

JOBE: If you are not wakeboarding how do you spend your time?
SK: Most times I meet with friends, go to festivals, do other sports like mountainbiking or just chill with my girl on the couch.

JOBE: I will present you a couple of concepts, just write down what comes into mind when you read it!

Passions: wakeboarding, wakeboarding, friends

Environment: keep the planet green

Family: very important

Relationships: very important

Party: party means you´re having fun, so it´s 24/7

Obligations: everybody should fulfil his obligations

Sports: wakeboarding, snowboarding, mountainbiking and handball

Image: be yourself



JOBE: Do you ever go abroad to ride with someone?
SK: Unfortunately not yet. I use to work before I started my studying last year and had not enough time for vacation, because they were spent by contests. But it´s one of my objectives to make a trip to Oz and visit some people!

JOBE: What is the nicest wakeboard event or contest you have ever been?
SK: That´s a hard question, because I always enjoy to go to an event or contest. You meet a lot of people there and every event is fun. But if I had to figure out one, then the first ECWT Tourstop 2008 at Milton Keynes. I finished 3rd but it was kind of a comeback after a long period of surgeries.

JOBE: Do you want to add something to the interview?
SK: Well, I definitely have to thank my sponsors. Jobe Sports, Protest Boardwear, www.boardforce.net and www.cable-addicts.com I really enjoy all the relationships between everyone of them and I´m proud to work together with all of them in 2010. Also a big shout to all people that believe in me and who stand behind me! Thank you!!