At only 18 James Walker has been around the wakesurf scene a while. He is constantly at the forefront of the surf style side of things pushing the sport with new maneuvers and a clean effortless style. For 2010 James has been as busy as ever. He is a full time student at California State University, Sacramento, owns Flyboy Wakesurfing, competes in national events, is a CMS team rider, all while riding as much as possible and having more fun than anyone else on the water. With the 2010 World Wakesurf Championships coming up really soon I wanted to catch up with James and see what he has been up to.

Mitch Lemos@CMS: How long have you been wakesurfing?

James Walker: Hella long....did my first comp in 03 and had been riding 2 months before that so 7 years. 

CMS: How has wakesurfing changed since 03?

JW: It’s gotten bigger. The riding has stepped up a lot and people are recognizing it as a competitive sport. The boards have come along leaps and bounds and the boats are starting to be wakesurf specific. Too bad Mitchell Lemos is getting into it cause it's all gonna go downhill. But it's even picking up across the world. 

CMS: What was going down at the comps back in 03?

JW: It was only Worlds then and the tricks were pretty basic: slashes, threes, and shuvs

CMS: Worlds is coming up really quick. How are you feeling going into it?

JW: I'm feeling good about Worlds this year. The Flyboy Wakesurfing board is allowing me to ride the best I ever have so I'm pretty confident going into it this year.

CMS: You and your dad recently started up Flyboy Wakesurfing. What are you trying to accomplish with Flyboy? 

JW: The boards are my comp board and having that quality board that can be beat on like any other board on the market allows people to progress like never before. The progression will allow for people to do new tricks for sure. It may not be price point, but you get what you pay for. 

CMS: What sets the Flyboy boards apart from the rest? 

JW: The construction sets them apart. The durability does too. What other competition board is made to be lighter than the rest and still take a pounding? The shape is also different. It may seem like the rest but the apex of the nose rocker is different, the concave, the mid section, and rails are quite unlike the competitors.

CMS: What kind of style of rider is the Flyboy board for? 

JW: Flyboy boards are surf style. They are tailored for intermediate and up riders. They're NOT beginner boards. People should expect speed and response while keeping the tail loose enough for spins. Really they should expect an all around board that definitely takes getting used to. Don't give up on it after one fall. 

CMS: Have you been working on any new tricks this year?

JW: Working on them? I've been landing new tricks. The Flyboy board has been riding perfect and allowing me to push myself.

CMS: What tricks?

JW: Widowmaker, air reverse, 720, and poked ally oop 3s.

CMS: Poked ally oops, mmmmm. What are you trying to do with your riding this year?

JW: Nothing, I'm just working on riding to have fun and it seems to be working. The end of last season I was losing the fun and I didn't really want to ride. Then someone got me on a wakeskate. That got me so stoked to ride and I found the fun on the wakesurf again.

CMS: So wakeskating is better than surfing?

JW: Not in my eyes, but I'm sure other people have different opinions. Its just different and challenging and doing something new got me pumped on water sports. 

CMS: Everyone here at CMS wishes you and your family the best of luck at Worlds. 

JW: Thanks guys I'll rep CMS with everything I've got. I just want to say thanks to Mom and Dad, Dennis and Bre, everyone except Mitch at CMS for the support and making this sport so much fun for me.