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Chase Gregory Photo Gallery

Chase Gregory (click to enlarge)

He may be the best wakeskater you've never heard of. A little over a year ago, Chase Gregory's name first started appearing on the wakeskating scene. A podium appearance in Reno at this year's third Pro Tour stop showed that he can hang with the big boys when it comes to his bindingless pursuits. At only 17-years-old, Chase has been climbing the wakeskating ranks and has already made his mark with top ten finishes in the Pro Wakeskate Tour standings in 2003 and 2004.

But there's more to Chase Gregory than kicking, flipping, spinning and shoving at the end of a rope. WakeWorld did a hit and run interview with Chase so you could get a quick look at the kid to look out for!

WW: What's your name and where are you from?
CG: My name is Chase Gregory. I'm originally from Chippewa Lake, Ohio, but I've been living in Orlando, Florida since January.

WW: Orlando seems to be a good place for riders looking to step up their riding skills. Have you noticed an improvement in your riding since relocating to Florida?
CG: I have noticed a huge improvement in my riding.

WW: How often do you ride?
CG: I ride almost every day.

WW: With whom do you usually ride?
CG: I ride with a lot of different people, but lately I've been riding with David Hanson. He's killing it.

WW: Are you working on any new tricks right now?
CG: I am trying to get switch stuff down now and my kick flips.

WW: Which tricks are the most difficult for you?
CG: That I can land? A kick flip. Also, backside 270 to front board?

WW: What are some tricks that come easy for you?
CG: Frontside big spins and 360 shuvits.

WW: And which tricks do you find the most fun to do?
CG: Ollie 360 is the funnest.

WW: Are you working on any tricks that nobody else has landed?
CG: Nothing that I've landed. I've thought about a trick that is do-able. It's called a huge spin.

WW: What is that all about?
CG: It's a frontside big spin, but then you catch it and do the last 180 with your body like a 360, so it's like a shuvit 360. So basically the board does a 540 and your body a 360.

WW: I think I can visualize it. You'll have to send us a video when you've landed it. Is that something you thought up?
CG: Yeah.

WW: Do you skate? Is that your background?
CG: (Laughing) Uhh, a bit here and there. I just went to Vans yesterday. I can do boardslides, frontside and backside, and heel flips, but, I mean, nothing big. I've got a couple tricks but that's about it.

WW: When and how did you get into wakeskating?
CG: I got into wakeskating because I used to wakeboard for a long time. I used to ride the Jr. Men's on the tour, but never got anywhere with it, so then I went to wakeskating. One day me and my friend, Greg Vanwagnen, said, "You know if we start wakeskating we could be pro." Then the next season came around and we both did the Junior Men's stop in Orlando at Crane's Roost. We didn't advance at all and it was like our third tournament we didn't advance, so we went back to Ohio and decided to go wakeskating all day and since then just never went back. I was just progressing much faster than I was with wakeboarding.

WW: When you started wakeskating, how long after did you start competing on the tour?
CG: Like two months after I switched to wakeskating in 2003 I competed in Detroit and then I went to Irvine. After that my mom and dad saw that I had potential and we moved down to Florida for my wakeskating career. So I've done all the Pro Tour stops and I'm doing the Vans stops.

WW: What would you like to accomplish with your wakeskating career five years from now?
CG: In five years I would like to accomplish a Pro Tour champion, my own pro model board and making a living off of it. I would like to have taken trips for video shoots and stuff like that too.

WW: What about on the short term for say next year?
CG: For next year? Well, I want to have a boat sponsor. That's my main goal right now, to get a promo boat.

WW: What do you prefer to be pulled behind? Cable? Boat, PWC, Winch?
CG: I've never ridden a Winch. I had a chance to, but didn't. I like boat because I'm from boat and not cable. I've been riding with Stef Tor a lot and she said she really likes the way I ride because I'm good at cable, boat and SeaDoo and just about anything. I'll ride behind anything, but I prefer boat.

WW: Do you concentrate mostly on lip tricks because that's what you gotta do for the tour or do you work on wake tricks? Which do you prefer?
CG: I mostly concentrate on lip tricks, but I'm starting to get into wake-to-wake tricks. I'm not very good at wake-to-wake tricks, but I'm starting to get into it, so every day I'll take a set and do only wake tricks to get more consistent.

WW: How about your current set up? What board, boat, rope length and speed do you ride at?
CG: I ride at 21 mph with a 70-foot rope and handle. I ride behind a 2001 Ski Nautique. It's an 87. I ride a 41-inch 484 Concave and 3-Thirteen shoes.

WW: What's a day in the life of Chase Gregory like?
CG: A day in the life of me is wake up, eat food around 10:00, call someone to ride with and go ride, eat lunch around 2 or 3, ride more, then go eat dinner, find something to do, then go to sleep. I talk to my mom and dad from time to time in there. I'm going to be working soon so that will be in my agenda.

WW: Are there any guys that you look up to that give you inspiration?
CG: The only people that I look up to are my mom and dad, just like a lot of other people do.

WW: Which riders do you enjoy watching and which are influential in your riding?
CG: Aaron Reed, and I like to watch my dad wakeboard. He just landed a shuvit on his wakeskate the other day, which was cool. Also, I like to watch Ricky Gonzales ride.

WW: With or without a life jacket?
CG: With, always with.

WW: Who sponsors you? Have your sponsors been helping you out?
CG: My sponsors are my mom and dad, 484 Wakeskates, 3Thirteen Footwear, Straightline, LX sunglasses, SayIWont and Morse Lake Extreme Sports.

WW: What do you do when you're not riding?
CG: When I'm not riding, I'm looking for a job, playing Xbox, thinking about wakeskating, or trying to find something to do.

WW: What would you say has been your most memorable moment in wakeskating?
CG: My most memorable moment in wakeskating was making podium in Reno because I landed the A-frame.

WW: Have you been injured wakeskating?
CG: Yes. I made a thirty-foot flat rail back in Ohio and tried to frontside lipslide it from the very beginning of it. The board caught the front and I looked down and saw no board and was like, "Oh No!" So I crotched this rail and the cut was all jagged, so I have this big scar on the inside of my leg about three inches from my crotch. Yeah a nice scar. It was deep.

WW: Do you have any advice to those that are learning to wakeskate or even those that have been skating for a while?
CG: The advice that I would give to others would be, that if you really want to succeed, you must keep trying and it will happen and don't beg other sponsored riders for free stuff.

WW: Is there anybody that you would like to thank?
CG: I want to say thanks to Knox and Nathan at SayIWont.com Scott Patterson and Troy Flick with 484 Wakeskates, Louis at Morse Lake Extreme Sports, Brian at 3-Thirteen, Jeff at Straightline and I wouldn't be here if my parents didn't believe in me. Thanks Mom and Dad. One shout out to everyone in the 330!

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