WakeWorld.com names Josh Twelker the King of the Delta. The following interview is a just a taste- check out the FULL interview/photos/video at WakeWorld.
For many years the California Delta has produced and been home to some of the most stylish riders of our time. However, nothing can compare to what the young Josh Twelker is already doing on his board. I have had the pleasure of watching this young buck grow from learning his first invert to his first 7 and now scoring his first cover.
Josh is one of the most stylish riders in the biz right now doing things that most people would need to master yoga before trying. He is a calm, cool and collected guy on and off the water, but really expresses himself through his riding, which has definitely paid off for him. Get used to hearing his name a lot more. And dads, hide your daughters. This is Josh Twelker.
WW: Josh, give us the run down…
JT: My name is Josh Twelker. I'm 17 years old and I live in Discovery Bay on the California Delta.
WW: What is the best part about living on the Delta?
JT: The Delta is awesome! The best part of living on the Delta is that it's on the west coast and I get to ride on one of the most legendary spots for wakeboarding almost every day. There are so many different sloughs that you can almost always find good water.
WW: How long have you been riding for?
JT: I started when I was about nine years old, so about eight years now.
WW: What first got you into the sport?
JT: My brother Jeremy started wakeboarding first. I got into it after watching him for a while. Our friends had one of those old, weird pointy looking boards and that was the first one I got up on.
WW: Did you look up to anyone in the sport as you were coming up?
JT: There's this guy named Kaesen Suyderhoud that used to hang around Nor Cal quite a bit and he taught me some tricks early on. I've always looked up to Mike Schwenne as a local pro who has great style. Ben Greenwood was always my favorite rider to watch in videos and I learned a lot from watching his style.
WW: Can you walk us through a normal day in the life of Josh Twelker?
JT: Get up, drink coffee, eat breakfast, do my school work, trampoline, go ride on the Delta, come home, eat dinner, ride bikes, play Xbox, go to bed, repeat.
WW: What’s your favorite trick to do right now?
JT: My favorite trick is a switch heelside late grab stalefish 540.
WW: What’s your current set up?
JT: I ride a CWB DB9 with Answer bindings. The best part about the setup is that it's really light and the bindings are flexible. Great pop. Great edging. Who could ask for more?
WW: As you might already know, you finished in the top 10 of the Jr. Pro Men class on the Pro Wakeboard Tour. Do you enjoy the competition side of the sport or do you consider yourself more of a freerider?
JT: I enjoy freeriding because that's the fun side of wakeboarding for me. I also like the tournaments and the tour has been fun because I have been able to meet so many great riders from the rest of the country. Free riding on the Delta when the conditions are good is the best part of wakeboarding for me, but I enjoy freeriding most of all. Who doesn't? With competitions I'm never really worried about how it all turns out, but I do get inspired to try new stuff after watching what everyone else is throwing down. It's all a reminder of what's possible and to keep pushing myself
WW: Out of all the tour stops, what’s your least favorite stop and your most favorite stop?
JT: I never seem to do very well in Tennessee. That stop has rough conditions for the riders, but it's a nice venue for spectators. The Colorado stop was cool this year. We had a pretty fun time afterwards too.
WW: What is the most important thing about wakeboarding to you?
JT: Fun! Landing new tricks is always a high no matter how much you learn. The lifestyle, cute girls, meeting new people who share a similar vibe. The list goes on and on as the years go by.
WW: You recently just got the cover of Alliance. How does that make you feel and where do you want to go from there?
JT: Well, I remember the first time getting up. I remember struggling with my first flip, then landing it and being stoked. I remember a lot of other stuff…good and bad…and now this cover shot came along. It's a great reminder of the whole journey and a reminder that much more is possible.
WW: If you had a nickel for every time someone asked you___________, you would have $_____.
….To read the full interview, you'll have to visit wakeworld.com.
Josh Twelker from WakeWorld on Vimeo.
