Singapore's wake park is 'really windy', says World No 2 wakeboarder Raph Trinidad

SINGAPORE - Singapore's Wake Park is a thrilling spot for wakeboarding enthusiasts, as described by Raph Trinidad, the current world No.2 wakeboarder.

"It's right by the sea, which is really crazy. When it's windy, it's really windy," said the Filipino wakeboarding star.

This distinction makes Singapore a standout location for wakeboarding enthusiasts, offering not only challenging conditions but also a lively atmosphere with a slew of activities such as cycling and longboarding along East Coast Park (ECP), where the local wake park is.

In comparison to the wakeboarding scene in the Philippines, Trinidad notes that the country consist of mostly "man-made lakes" with "flatter water" to ride on, lacking the vibrant recreational activities found around Singapore's wake park.

Recounting his time wakeboarding in the city-state previously, Trinidad said the wake park's windy conditions, can make it quite challenging to perform tricks. When the wind picks up, the waves become choppy, crashing into each other and adding an exciting element to the ride.

"When it gets really windy (in Singapore's wake park), the waves get really choppy. The waves crash at each other and it's quite hard to practice your tricks," said 21-year-old Filipino star.

Still, Trinidad says that the wake park in Singapore is "a pretty fun park to ride" with a "really high cable" - which makes for a more challenging ride as learners tend to lean further backwards with more upward pull.

The rising sport star first caught the attention of the wakeboarding scene in 2019, when he claimed second place in the Men’s Open division at the World Cable Wakeboard Championship in Argentina, at just 18 years old.

He continued to make waves by securing another silver medal at the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation Championship in Thailand last year.

In an exclusive interview with Yahoo Southeast Asia, he shares about the importance of self-discipline, meeting his idol Raph Derome, how wakeboarding can be more accessible and whether he foresees a future in content creation.

Learning self-discipline

Apart from his competitive endeavours, Trinidad emphasises the importance of self-discipline in wakeboarding.

Balancing the desire to socialise with fellow wakeboarders at parties before and after competitions, Trinidad recognises the need to stay focused on his training routine to achieve his goal of "putting the Philippines on the wakeboarding world map".

Making conscious choices and considering the long-term impact of his actions play a vital role in his pursuit of success.

"At the end of the day, you gotta think about whether you really want to do that before a competition. Or, would it be smarter to hang back for now, and enjoy later?" he said.

Building a friendship with his idol

Trinidad also had the remarkable opportunity to meet his longtime idol, French-Canadian wakeboarding champion Raph Derome twice in his sporting career.

The first was when he was between the ages of 16 and 17. Trinidad could not believe Derome was standing in front of his eyes when it happened, and stared at the wakeboarding champion for a few seconds. He would later have the privilege of having his routine watched by Derome.

Trinidad had always looked up to Derome's creativity in the execution of his tricks. In their brief exchange, Derome had given Trinidad a couple of tips.

The next time they would meet was the following year, while Derome was filming a video project in the Philippines.

Their friendship blossomed through their shared passion for the sport, with Derome providing valuable tips and supporting Trinidad's journey through encouraging comments on social media.

Why wakeboarding can be more accessible

Trinidad acknowledges that wakeboarding is "not a cheap sport by any means", but hopes to see more wake parks being built, to make wakeboarding more accessible.

With cable wakeboarding shortlisted as a potential sport for the Summer Olympics next year, Trinidad anticipates an increase in wakeboarding fans in the region.

Will he create more content?

Beyond his competitive pursuits, Trinidad dedicates time to creating wakeboarding tutorial videos on YouTube. His channel has gained over 200,000 views, and he takes pride in helping others learn and explore the sport.

The positive feedback from viewers has been a significant achievement for him, and he is considering creating more content to continue assisting those interested in trying out wakeboarding.

"People have come up to me saying that my videos have helped them in their learning, it's really nice to hear, and a big achievement to me. I really want to help people who want to try out wakeboarding," he said.

With his last video posted five months ago, fans are demanding for more, asking "When's the next video gonna come out?"

Trinidad responds with "I'm actually thinking really hard if I want to do it."

Watch the sporting star's latest video video project titled 'Wake Paradise' with Red Bull, where Trinidad wakeboards across the islands of Palawan.