Steve McCabe

In an effort to make the summer seem longer, WakeWorld is ignoring the fact that it's August and we're posting our July 1999 Rider Link feature right smack dab in the middle of August. We just want to do our part to help you capture that endless summer. See…it feels better already.

In an ironic twist, this month's Rider Link candidate, Steve McCabe, will be interviewed by last month's featured rider, Dan DeLaiarro. Dan was so sick of seeing his face on the front page of WakeWorld that he graciously offered to do the Rider Link interviews himself. Hopefully, Dan will continue doing the Rider Link interviews for the immediate future so be sure to give him plenty of feedback (especially the bad stuff) at DDelaiarro@aol.com. So without further ado, I give you the Dan and Steve show.

WW: Where are you from and how did you get into wakeboarding?

SM: Well, I was born in Boston in 1983, but I moved to Lyman, Maine making a summer camp a home. I got into watersports when I was about six on the kneeboard. It's ironic how I used to stand on the kneeboard and try to get air off the wake. Anyway, I slalom skied for a lot of years, but when I saw someone wakeboarding on my lake, I had to try it. So, I rented an old O'Brien Shredder, got up my first try, and loved it.

WW: Lyman, Maine? Sounds cold. What's the scene like up there?

SM: Well, Maine isn't exactly blooming with extreme athletes...too busy cow-tipping I guess. For a few years it was me and another kid out there with sandal wraps doing grabs over the wake, stuff like that. People didn't know what we were doing, they just stared us down as we rode by. Three years later, I'm seeing a dozen riders out there, half of them I got into the sport. This inspired me to make a website for local riders so people out there would see how sick wakeboarding is, and try it.

WW: Tell us more about your website.

SM: Liquid Shadows Wakeboarding is all about local riders. I have profiles of the riders that shred around here and some pictures too. I have a forum so people can meet each other and talk, stuff like that. I add new things all the time, but not too many people know about it.

WW: What made you put a website like that?

SM: When you search for websites, you find sites full of pro riders. Well, there's nothing wrong with that, people have the right to make a website. But, you can see pro riders everywhere. I wanted a site so local riders could come together, and sort of unite. Nothing like a rebellion against pro riders or anything, they are sick, but so we can all meet each other and see the talent that is out there.

WW: Living in Maine and being a wakeboarder, you must snowboard too. Tell us about that.

SM: May be hard to believe, but I never snowboarded until last year, and it's rad! I love to go huge and try new stuff. I was doing 3's and almost switch 5's before the end of the season. I was crankin' it! There is one thing about snowboarding, you're out on those big mountains, and you can go anywhere and just do tricks all over the place. It's crazy. I've already broken something.

WW: Tell us about that.

SM: There I am, heading into a sick jump. It was huge. It was icy, so I had to go straight for it and I got a lot of speed. When I hit it, I was thrown so high in the air. I just held a sweet method. Then when I saw the landing ramp was occupied by a little punk that decided to rest at the bottom, I threw my weight back to land on my ass and...well, when coming down from that height, putting your arm down to catch you is not a smart idea. Snap! I heard it and felt it. I pulled off my glove, decided it was not normal and rode down the mountain to first aid. Not a fun time.

WW: What kind of moves are you pulling out on the water?

SM: Right now I am landing 4 inverts and a lot are coming quick to me. Spinning is rough for me. I dont know, maybe one ass cheek is heavier than the other, but I have landed some 3's and I am working on a switch 5. Raleys are fun, once you get over the coughing up blood part.

WW: What are your favorite aspects of wakeboarding?.

SM: Wakeboarding is getting more attention every day, and in a way it's cool, but in another way, it's not. For those riders who have been riding for a long time, the sense of everyone being a close group is fading. In another sense, the sport is growing and the level of riding is being pushed up. I don't like the idea of wakeboarding becoming an Olympic Sport at all. When I watch someone wakeboard, it's more fun to watch a rider that just does little stuff all around the water, not a crapload of inverts That's cool, but huge grabs and even slides are fun to watch.

WW: Who do you want to give props out too?

SM: I'd like to thank Shred Shack for sponsoring me. They have a sick board shop. Ben Hamilton for the web space on Liquid Shadow. All my buds I ride with: Mike, Eric, Wes, Alan, Jon, Luke, Nick and, of course, my sis, Stephanie. My dad, the coolest guy, inspires me to break my body on new tricks. Thanks to Rich and my mom for driving my ass around and watching me fall all the time. Thanks to WakeWorld, the best wakeboarding site there is.

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