WW: What other interests do you have?
CN: I like to snowboard and ride quads. I have a 250 Fourtrax and go to Glamis in the off-season. That is my break from the water. This year I took three months off and now it's the end of the season and I still love to ride. I also love to cook. I try to cook a lot but not being home, that often makes it hard.

WW: How long does it take you to get back up to speed after your time off?
CN: It didn't take me that long.

WW: How often do you ride during the season?
CN: Five, six times a week. Either here or at Canyon Lake. Usually I have a day off because it's between driving or whatnot.
WW: Whom do you usually ride with?
CN: With my parents, they are always willing to pull me, and in Canyon Lake I ride with Damien Klaas, Adam Zook, Greg Dick and Brent Baum. When I go to Florida I get to ride with Lauren Harf and Emily Copeland, which is great because we are all girls and seem to push each other.

WW: What do you think about where wakeboarding in general is right now?
CN: I think it could be bigger. I think it is getting bigger and is still in its beginning stages. Not everybody is aware of it yet, which makes it fun, in a sense, because you can teach a lot of people and open a lot of people's eyes to the sport and see how excited they get about it. It makes you just that much more excited.

WW: And what do you think about women's wakeboarding right now?
CN: With women, I think it's getting better and better each year, but I hate how so many people are quick to put down the women. Like saying, "Oh, the women suck," when it shouldn't be about that because we are out there riding and it's about the sport, not what sex you are or how good you are kind of thing. I think we bring something different to the sport and without that, you lose out on all aspects of it. I mean, our style is completely different from the men. So all you guys need to start encouraging more girls to ride when they are out on the boat with you.

WW: They've narrowed it down to two Pro Tour stops for the women. Do you think it's going to go away? What's going to happen there?
CN: I hope not. Every tour stop that we go to and the girls aren't there all the guys say how it sucks when there aren't any girls there. I hear it all the time, yet they're still cutting us down, so I don't know if these people aren't voicing their opinions or what. As far as next year, it is looking better for the girls.

WW: Where do you wakeboard? Or do you want to keep that a secret?
CN: I have my secret spot. My own "private" lagoon. During the weekends it sometimes gets rough because of jet skiers and tubers and stuff like that.

WW: As we see a jet skier out there right now about to run into your slider.
CN: Yeah I know, but it stays consistently deep and you can throw good double ups. Sometimes you have to share, but on the weekdays there is usually nobody here. Sometimes, by the end of the week, you want people to come back.

WW: Can we have the address of this secret spot?
CN: (laughs)

WW: How old are you?
CN: I'm 24.

WW: Tell me about the men in your life?
CN: I'm not the luckiest (laughter). Oh, we're recording, huh? Go away with that thing. My Dad is the best guy in my life. I haven't found the right one yet. I'll put it that way.

WW: Don't you give wakeboarding lessons?
CN: Yes, I give lessons to all ages. I like giving lessons to girls 'cause we need more girls to ride.

WW: Do you go to them or do they come to you?
CN: Usually I go to them, in their boat.

WW: Is that because you don't want anyone to know about your secret spot?
CN: Well, no. It's because if I give lessons behind my boat, then they're going to go back to theirs and everything's gonna be different. When it is behind their boat, it is consistent, so I can truly see how they ride and they don't have to get used to the wake because they already know it. Just kind of one less step.

WW: I can vouch for the fact that you're quite good at it because you just got my 6-year-old daughter up and riding for the first time. So is that your job right now?
CN: Yes. I just went up river a bit yesterday and gave some lessons. It's fun teaching and seeing how excited they get. I don't like people who are like, "I don't want to go," and get intimidated. It's not about that. I'm excited for them when they clear the wake for the first time because I was there not too long ago and I know how it feels. It's about doing something for the first time. Whether you do a two-wake jump or an invert, it's still the same feeling.

WW: If somebody is interested in getting some lessons, how can they get a hold of you?
CN: They can email me at cherylnewton16@aol.com.

WW: You recently spent a weekend with most of the employees at Wakesports Unlimited, your shop sponsor in San Diego and Orange County, and did a little teaching. Tell me about that.
CN: With the Wakesports family gathering, we went up to Blue Water and we taught a whole bunch of kids how to wakeboard. Everyone on shore that wanted to try wakeboarding we picked them up. On Saturday we had a little tournament for 13 and under kids. Basically, it didn't matter how many times you fell.

WW: What else did the kids have to do?
CN: In between their runs, they had to pull from a hat and do like a rodeo, an elephant, hula dancing...

WW: Wait, are these tricks they had to do or character impersonations?
CN: No, they had to ride on their wakeboards and imitate one of these animals. It was soooo cute.

WW: And who won?
CN: We turned it into every kid winning.

WW: So, what tricks are you working on these days?
CN: Always the 3. For some reason that trick doesn't like me.

WW: Do you have those in your run?
CN: No, because I've landed them, and then I'll lose them, and then I'll get them.

WW: Toeside and Heelside?
CN: No, I've landed them heelside blind and regular. Toes I've come close, but… I just got my wrapped roll to blind heelside, so that is getting consistent about 75% of the time. Then after that, I don't know yet. Haven't gotten that far yet.

WW: What does your run consist of currently?
CN: My run consists of a tantrum, heelside back roll, heelside back roll to revert, toeside front roll, scarecrow, toeside back roll, toeside roll to revert and then heelside wrap roll to blind and some sick grabs (laughing).

WW: I hear you're getting a new boat?
CN: I am getting a Super Air Nautique Team Edition in a couple months. I can't wait!

WW: So you're sponsored by Correct Craft. Who else sponsors you?
CN: My sponsors are Hyperlite, Nautiques, Wakesports Unlimited, Blink Swimsuits and Skylon.

WW: Anyone you'd like to thank?
CN: I want to thank my parents first of all for dragging me around the river all these years. My family for all the support they give me. Without them I couldn't possibly do this. Everyone that has pulled me behind the boat. My sponsors: everyone at Hyperlite, all the guys at Wakesports, Tyler and Chris, Nautiques, Skylon, and Blink. Everyone in the Canyon Lake Wakeboard Club, the Klaas's, Greg, The Holladays, Adam and Brent, and the Harfs for giving me a nice place to stay when I come to Florida.

WW: What about your pet here?
CN: I have the cutest little black lab. Her name is Allie, for alligator.

WW: Any other pets you'd like to thank?
CN: I have a cat too, named Nuzzie. She is a fur ball and she stays at home.

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