Midwest Coast Surf Club Video

Midwest Coast Surf Club from Spencer Combs on Vimeo.

We came across this great video from a Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) Twitter follower the other day. Spencer Combs (@spencercombspix) is not only a photographer in the Minneapolis, MN area, he is also an avid wakesurfer and happens to own a 2006 Malibu iRide. We liked him right away, but not just because he's a Malibu boat owner who has a passion for water sports. Spencer, along with a group of his friends and relatives are working to make a difference in their community with the help of wakesurfing.

Spencer founded the Midwest Coast Surf Club to introduce inner city kids as well as other interested locals to the sport of wake surfing. With his wife Alex, his dad Andrew, his mom Dana, his brother Wes, the Capture Studios film crew, Craig, Brandon, Rob, Will, Troy, Jon, Stephen, Amanda, Matt, Ty and tons of others that just show up, Spencer and Midwest Coast Surf Club are on a mission. "Love our community through boating and teach people about the fun of wakesurfing in person as well as through videos and photos."

Spencer described his crew and their motivation this way, "We are a group of photographers and film makers, web designers, and SUPER nice loving people. We thought with our gifts we could really push the sport to the next level!"

Spencer and Capture Studios have won Photographer and Videographer of the Year respectively for the state of Minnesota. Spencer said, "...we are so excited to share our gift with the community and what better way than something we are passionate about!"

While you will catch a few glimpses of Spencer's iRide in this wake surfing video, the feature boat is a 2010 Malibu Wakesetter VLX supplied by Malibu Boats Dealer Minnesota Inboard.

When we asked Spencer why he chose Malibu for this video and as the official boat of the Midwest Coast Surf Club he had plenty to write in response. "It was a pretty easy choice to choose Malibu boats! I mean come on, Malibu boats are probably the sexiest boats on the market; not to mention you can get one of the best wakes EVER behind these boats. Once you drop that Wedge and fill up the ballast your wake is high and the sweet spot is nice and long, plus TONS of room inside for friends! It doesn't get much better than that! Plus the quality of the boat is above and beyond all the other boats we have ridden in!"

Right now the Midwest Coast Surf Club is in the planning stages for 2011 events and clinics as well as more videos! We definitely hope to see more from Spencer and the Midwest Coast Surf crew soon. Way to go MCSC! You're off to a great start. This video is sweet! Thanks for including Malibu Boats!

Tags: Malibu Boats | Midwest Coast Surf Club | Spencer Combs | photography | videography | wakesurfing | wakeboard boats | iRide | Wakesetter VLX | wakesurf boats | Minnesota Inboard | Minnesota

Team Malibu Alumni to be Honored by Hall of Fame

Past Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) Team Athletes, champion barefooter Ron Scarpa (@RonScarpa) and champion kneeboarder Ted Bevelacqua (@MarketingYOUNet), will be recognized by the Water Ski Hall of Fame on April 30th.

Being part of the Malibu Boats Pro Team extends well beyond an athlete’s competitive years. Team Malibu Alumni like world champion Barefooter Ron Scarpa and 7-time national champion Kneeboarder Ted Bevelacqua have retired, but they will always be considered a big part of the Malibu Family. That is why their brothers and sisters at Malibu are proud to congratulate both of these world class athletes on the honors they will receive from the American Water Ski Educational Foundation Hall of Fame on April 30th. Scarpa is scheduled to be inducted into the Water Ski Hall of Fame, while Bevelacqua will be receiving the Award of Distinction. Malibu Boats is extremely pleased these two amazing athletes are being recognized for their water sports careers and contributions to the industry.

The Water Ski Hall of Fame honors and perpetuates the names and accomplishments of skiers, pioneers, and officials whose dedication and competitive achievements at National and International levels have brought lasting fame to the sport of water skiing. Scarpa will become the 61st inductee into the Water Ski Hall of Fame for his competitive barefooting accomplishments.

Scarpa is considered the most decorated U.S. men's barefoot water ski athlete of all time. He has won more Open Men national overall titles – 12 (plus one Open Pro Men national overall title) – than any other athlete in the history of barefoot water skiing. He also won four men's world overall titles, the most of any other athlete in barefooting. In addition to the world overall titles, Scarpa won five world tricks titles, four world slalom titles and two world jumping titles. He was selected USA Water Ski's Male Athlete of the Year in 1992. He joined the Malibu Team in 1997 and retired from competition in 2005. He continues to run the Malibu Response LXi at his Orlando barefoot water ski school, Ron Scarpa Watersports.

Longtime Malibu Boats employees Paul Singer and Dennis Kelley, who have grown up with this company as well as these honorees, will be in attendance at the AWSEF Hall of Fame ceremonies. They will be there to cheer for Scarpa and Bevelacqua for the contributions they have made to Malibu Boats and the industry.

When Singer, Malibu Boats Marketing Director, was asked about his upcoming trip to the Water Ski Hall of Fame Induction he said, “What an incredible honor it is to have followed the career of both of these friends and athletes.” Singer explained, “Ron Scarpa truly exemplifies what the Hall of Fame is all about. His incredible accolades and contribution to the sport is unparalleled but his integrity and effectiveness as an ambassador of the sport has been admirable. Ted put the sport of kneeboarding on the map and continues to impress crowds wherever he goes. Malibu congratulates both of these tremendous athletes and ambassadors for this prestigious honor.”

The Award of Distinction was created to recognize individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to water sports. Award recipients have included tournament skiers, innovators, industry leaders, officials and others responsible for landmark achievements in the development of water sports. Bevelacqua will receive this award for his competitive success as a professional kneeboarding as well as furthering the sport.

Bevelacqua was a 7-time national kneeboard champion. He became a part of Team Malibu in 1990 and even after retiring from competition, stayed on as a Sales Manager for Malibu Boats. Bevelacqua also designed the Trident Ted Bevelacqua Pro Model kneeboard and was the founder of Pro-Acqua kneeboard accessories. Bevelacqua runs his own marketing business and continues to be heavily involved in water sports. Congratulations Ron and Ted! Malibu Boats is always pulling for you!

Tags: Malibu Boats | Ron Scarpa | Ted Bevelacqua | Water Ski Hall of Fame | barefooting | barefoot water skiing | kneeboarding | water sports | Hall of Fame | honor | Paul Singer | Dennis Kelley | ski boats

Win Chad Sharpe’s Gear from SBC Wakeboard Magazine

Team Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) Pro Rider Chad Sharpe (@ChadESharpe) had gone from being the brash young punk who had his title stripped from him at Nationals back in the late-90’s to the elder statesman of the Canadian wake scene. Chad doesn’t get back to Canada very much these days with his busy schedule of competing, shooting photos, editing video for his website, funwhenwet.com and being part owner of Ronix, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost any of his national pride. Chad still manages to get out on the ice and play hockey a few times a week in sunny Orlando. And speaking of hockey, that ties in nicely to our skill testing question for this contest.

The Question
Before he got into wakeboarding, Chad was really good at hockey; what position did he play?

The Gear
Ronix Viva Board
Ronix Cell Bindings
Ronix Totem handle & R8 Rope
Billabong Medly Vest
Billabong clothing prize pack
Spy sunglasses and prize pack
Bern Baker Wake Edition Helmet
Rockstar Energy prize pack
Malibu Boats RC toy boat & prize pack.

Learn more on the SBC Wakeboard Magazine web site. Good luck!

Tags: Malibu Boats | SBC Wakeboard Magazine | Chad Sharpe | contest | prizes | Ronix | wakeboard | wakeboard bindings | Malibu RC Boat | Rockstar | Spy | hockey | wakeboarding | wakeboard boats

Schweitzer Tropical Daze & Malibu Wakesetter VLX

Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) and Hagadone Marine Group/Yacht Club Sales & Service at Schweitzer Mountain's Tropical Daze Party. Good weather, Great snow and awesome facilities at Schweitzer Mountain in Sandpoint Idaho. The best skiing in the inland northwest.

Tropical daze is the end of the season Party. Malibu Boats and Hagadone Marine sponsored the pond crossing. The winner earned a new CWB Faction Wakeboard!

See more great photo's of this event at Hagadone Marine Group/Yacht Club's Flickr Gallery

The Pfau's 2007 vRide

This Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) photo is of Aaron and Melaina Pfau’s 2007 Malibu vRide purchased from Skiers Pier in Waterford MI. The photo was taken on Pretty Lake in Mecosta, MI on Labor Day 2009 around 8:30am. Aaron also tells us “We love the boat and Malibu. We’re even going to TN in a couple weeks for a Malibu Factory Tour (May 2nd)” Aaron also shared with us this great story. “My wife and I bought the boat before we got married. It was our first big purchase. I ended up proposing to her on the boat in the middle of my parent’s lake on a labor day evening as the sun was setting in 2007”

We can’t wait to hear more!! Thank you, Aaron and Melaina for sharing your story and photo.

If you capture or come across a cool Malibu Boats-related photo like this one let us know. We would love to post it on the Malibu Boats Blog and Flickr Channel. We will even Tweet about it on Twitter and add it to the ever-changing Malibu Boats Screen Saver. You can also submit your photo or video through our Malibu iPhone App.

E-mail blog@malibuboats.com with links and/or images. Also make sure to include the name of the person who took the shot and give us a short description of the photo's contents. If you do not know this information and you are only forwarding a link, we can track it down. Thanks!

Photos From Viva Las Chicas 2011 in Argentina

Just received these great photos featuring Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) and the young ladies at the Vivas las Chicas - Robbie Rendo Wakeboard Clinic. They are pretty sweet! Shot in Argentina at the 2011 "Viva Las Chicas" Girls Wakeboard clinic, this flickr gallery of photos tells a story about just how much fun the sport of wakeboarding can be for boys and girls. Nothing but smiles and determined looks in these shots. Oh and a couple nice looking Malibu boats! Check'em out!

We were introduced to the Viva Las Chicas event last year with this great wakeboard video We should be seeing a new 2011 video soon. Stay tuned to the Malibu Boats Blog.

Viva Las Chicas was sponsored by Malibu Boats Dealer Druck S.R.L. in Argentina, Rip Curl, Liquid Force, Oakley and Monster.

Thanks to Kris Lassen and Druck S.R.L. for sharing these great photos from this year's event!

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Argentina | Malibu International | Argentina | Viva Las Chicas | girls wakeboard clinic | wakeboarding | wakeboard boats | wakeboard boat | 21 Ride | girls | Wakesetter

Rosenfeld Family & Ty

This Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) photo was sent to us from Scott Rosenfeld through the Malibu iPhone App. Here is a little back ground about this photo and the Rosenfeld family. “My wife (Jeanna) and I purchased our first boat (1995 Malibu Response) and raised our children on it. Before our boys Jacob now 14 and Evan now 12 could walk or crawl, they were on a Malibu. We currently own a 2007 21 foot Malibu Wakesetter. I took the picture with an iPhone in the middle of Lake Naciamento, Paso Robles, CA” . Please notice their cat Ty on the swim step, a 14 lb. Bangle.

“We love using our boat for wake surfing above all other activities. Jacob and Evan are both water polo studs. They are on a travel team and the sport takes up most of our free time. But, as soon as we are able to get away our first choice for fun in our Malibu”

Thank you Scott for sharing your photo and story with us!!

If you capture or come across a cool Malibu Boats-related photo like this one let us know. We would love to post it on the Malibu Boats Blog and Flickr Channel. We will even Tweet about it on Twitter and add it to the ever-changing Malibu Boats Screen Saver. You can also submit your photo or video through our Malibu iPhone App.

E-mail blog@malibuboats.com with links and/or images. Also make sure to include the name of the person who took the shot and give us a short description of the photo's contents. If you do not know this information and you are only forwarding a link, we can track it down. Thanks!

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu boat owners | Rosenfeld Family | Malibu iPhone App | iPhone | iPhone camera | Lake Naciamento | cat | Ty | wakebaord boats | wakeboard boat | Wakesetter