Interview: Arun Frances
Photos: Jarrod Ehlers

Related Items:
Derek Cook Photo Gallery

Derek Cook

WW: What's your name, age and where are you from?
DC: Derek Cook, 21 and I'm from Morgan Hill, Ca.

WW: How did you get into wakeboarding?
DC: I went on a family trip to Shasta about five years ago and just got hooked from there.

WW: Where do you usually ride?
DC: I ride a lot at Lake Anderson (which is in Morgan Hill), the Delta, New Melones and out at lake McClure with Schwenne.

WW: What setup are you on these days?
DC: Double Up Antidote 136 on Collective Development WS02.

WW: What is it you enjoy most about wakeboarding?
DC: Going with a group of friends, freeriding and trying to push myself and others to learn new tricks.

WW: Do you compete at all or do you consider yourself more of a freerider?
DC: I compete at a couple of the competitions around California but I'm more into freeriding. I'm not shooting for Pro Tour at this point.

WW: What do you like to do when you are not wakeboarding?
DC: I like to hang out with my friends/girlfriend. Ya know how we do it down here. Pretty much just kick-it 'til the wind dies down, so we can go out to the lake again.

WW: Are there riders that motivated you while you were just starting out? Do you look up to any riders now?
DC: Yeah, Mike Schwenne has motivated me to get out there and ride. He took me to a photo shoot out at McClure with him about three years ago. He was the first pro rider that I had ever seen and he still gets me pumped up to ride every time I see him ride.

WW: What is your typical day like?
DC: Wake up at 7:15, get ready to be at the lake by 8:00. Ride from then 'til my arms fall off or the wind picks up. Then leave the lake and go to El Huka-Nezio (a little taco stand in Morgan Hill that serves the best taco's you'll ever eat). From there I'll either go to work or go home and sleep because I just ate 14 tacos. Then I might go to the beach and surf or skimboard, come back and just hang out 'til the next day to do it all over again.

WW: Do you usually ride with one crew of the same people or do you ride with a bunch of different people?
DC: There's a pretty solid crew that I ride with. Garret Morris rides with me a lot either down at Anderson or up at the Lagoon. But there's always new people coming along.

WW: What has been the most memorable moment that you have experienced during your five years of riding?
DC: I had a really good pass at the Malibu Open this year, and I stuck the biggest backside 180 off the dub just the other day. I'd say they are both up there.

WW: Using two words, describe the feeling that you get from wakeboarding?
DC: Super Duper

WW: Super Duper?? My two words are "ya boyeee," but this is not my interview so it does not matter. Now back to you Mr.Cook. I noticed that you have been getting some exposure lately...shots in the mag, sections in videos. Does that give you a "Super Duper" feeling?
DC: Ya, I guess so. I actually sat here for about 20 minutes thinking of something to say, but I couldn't and that's what came out so ya.

WW: I got a chance to catch a quick glimpse of your section in the new RH film that is coming out soon and it came out really nice. What locations did you guys shoot at?
DC: Yeah, it's going to be really cool. I try to shoot about once a week with Sible from RH. We shoot a lot out at Anderson Lake and the Delta. The movie is called The BluePrint. It features some of the top Westsider's out here. I think it will come out as one of the top films of the year, so don't forget to pick up your copy.

WW: What do you think you would be doing if you did not start wakeboarding?
DC: I don't know. That's a good question. Probably be snowboarding a lot more or uhh...not wakeboarding.

WW: Is there anything that you have learned through your years of riding that you would like to pass on to others?
DC: Yeah, try to come up with your own style of riding. I think style is everything. I'd rather watch someone go out there and through 10 style grabs and spins then 10 flippy spinny thingies.

WW: This is your chance to give your shouts out. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
DC: I would like to thank my parents for supporting me, Ryan Wall, Brian Garrison, Greg Nelson, Buffalow, Josh Smith, Rodrigo, Mike Schwenne, my everyday crew that I ride with every day (you know who you are) and my sponsors Ridin High, Collective Development, Newt Juice, Jet Pilot, Get High Sports, Double Up, Nice Rack and LX Eyewear.

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