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| city  Hood River | |
| email snaiken@aol.com | |
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| level 6 - expert: loops,latest freestyle tricks,hardcore waveriding | |
| favorite spot Gorge, San Carlos, Maui | |
| favorite move The Killer Loop | |
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| | | | Please tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from and how come you started windsurfing? | |
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| I'm originally from Mt Vernon, WA and learned to sail on Orcas Island while spending summers there at my Aunts house starting when I was 11. Not much wind out there but I was small and the gear was large, so it worked out. The first board I bought was a Hifly 500. It was huge, heavy and made of plastic. I'm one of five kids.
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| You are a well know Gorge sailor who rips the Gorge since decades.
You participated at several Gorge windsurfing competitions and won the 2000 Gorge Games.
So you are a true personality who is representing the sport for a long time.
What keeps you motivated doing the sport you love ? | |
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| Well I've sort of lived most of my life around windsurfing. I've spent 22 summers in the Gorge and 11 winters on Maui. I've been surrounded by great sailors and great conditions not to mention that I just love to windsurf. I love being on the water and feeling the pull of the sail and the turn and speed of the board. It's also relatively safe sport since you're doing it on water and something I can do for a long time plus it keeps you in good shape.
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| :: Sean ripping the Gorge :: (c) image by Danny MCcarty |
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| The Gorge is legendary for its super strong winds. Can you characterize a typical big day on the river and how you experience it? | |
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| A typical day was two days ago, actually it wasn't a typical but a day that lives up to the Gorge's reputation as being a very windy place.
For me the Gorge is mostly about jumping. I love to jump and loop etc. The small sails and boards combined with the big wind and big river swells are just a great combo for jumping. Unlike wave sailing, the windier it gets the better.
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| :: nice loop rotation by Sean :: (c) image by Vlado Sklenar; |
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| What's your attitude towards freestyle windsurfing and how does this aspect influence the Gorge windsurfing scene nowadays ? | |
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| I think the freestyle stuff is killer. It's a great progression of the sport and they are able to do it in both light and strong wind, with or without any ramps. It's really cool. I haven't spent much time working on the new stuff but there are some moves I'd like to work on but right now I'm just into having fun and getting out there on the windy days. | |
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| Your favorite playgrounds are? | |
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| Favorites are San Carlos, Baja, Maui, Oahu, The Gorge, Some spots near Santa Cruz and a few spots on the Oregon Coast. But anywhere with good wind and waves will do.
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| :: Sean ripping Baja :: (c) image by ???; |
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| Your latest magic moment on the water? | |
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| There have been so many magic moments that I can't really pick one out. Yes, there have been a lot. I usually have a magic moment everytime I go out. | |
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| Any other sports you practice beside windsurfing?Any other sports you practice beside windsurfing? | |
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| I love a lot of sports. I've done a lot of BMX racing as a kid and that's grown into downhill/feeride mt biking (which is also epic here and I live at the bottom of the hill). It's a good way to get hurt, but it's a ton of fun! I still occasionally ride my BMX bike at the local skate park. I also did a lot of snowboarding before I started going to Maui and since moving to Hood River full time in 02' I've started snowboarding again. I won the Mt Hood Banked Slalom the last two years. But I just do it for fun. I like kite boarding but haven't done much in the last 3 or 4 years.
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| :: radical downhill fun:: (c) image by Tad Craig |
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| About your life outside the water and your future. | |
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| My life outside the water has changed rapidly, mainly because I now have a life outside the water! I am married to beautiful a lady, Audrey and no she doesn't windsurf but doesn't mind that I do. We have two kids, Van is 3 years and Zoe is 8 months. They are the coolest and cutest kids I know. They have given me a whole new perspective on life. We get to drive around in my old trucks and do fun stuff. They seem to love it. They are by far my best trophies and everyday when I see them they make me feel like I just won some big contest! They are awesome.
I have also been dabbling in real estate for years buying, selling, fixing up and managing rental properties and since moving back full time I decided to become a licensed Realtor.
I plan on windsurfing and staying active for a long time. Always working on the perfect balance of family/play/work and keeping my sights on living life to the fullest. You only go around once and I'm trying to make the best of it.
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| :: father & son :: (c) image by Tad Craig |
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