Tyler Stewart Joins Team River Valley

River Valley Is Proud to Announce the Addition of Pro Wakesurfer ,Tyler Stewart, to the River Valley Marine Team! We Made Sure He Was River Valley Material by Asking Some Rigorous Questions. In This Interview, Tyler Fills Us in on His Why His Family Switched to Centurion, and Where He Sees the Future of Wakesurfing Going! 

So Tyler, Tell Us a Little about Yourself. What’s Your Background? What Got You into Surfing?

My family and I have always enjoyed water sports and hanging out on the lake. My parents introduced me to wake surfing when I was about 13 years old.  I fell in love with it and I decided to try competing in some local events just for fun my first couple of summers. The summer I turned 15 my parents told me if I did well in the local comps, we could travel to an out of state competition. I finished the season with 2nd place in the amateur division at Nationals in Texas.  In 2019, I moved up to the Outlaw division, competed around the country, and qualified for The World Wakesurf Championships where I won first place, beating my nearest competitor by nearly 30 points!  I am looking forward to my first year competing as a professional wakesurfer in 2020, where I already have a 1st place finish under my belt!  When I’m not surfing on Lake Minnetonka, Lake Minnewashta, Gull Lake or Cross Lake, you can find me at Chanhassen High school, at the hockey rink, or snowboarding at Hyland Hills.

You Recently Made the Switch from a Malibu 23lsv to a Centurion Ri237. What Prompted the Switch?

After riding behind some of my friend’s Centurions and competing behind a Centurion at the World Wakesurfing Championship competition last fall, I fell in love with the wave! We learned more about the awesome Ram Fill and my parents were stoked about the incredible fuel efficiency! Plus, the River Valley/Centurion family treated us with such a warm welcome and the customer service was far and above anything we have ever experienced before. We couldn’t be more excited about riding with River Valley/Centurion!

 What Would You Say Is Your Greatest Wake Surfing Achievement?

Winning the 2019 World Wakesurfing Championship in the outlaw division is definitely my biggest achievement! It was such an incredible experience to compete against other athletes from all over the world, including France, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the U.S!

Apart from Being a Professional Wakesurfer, You Also Offer Wakesurf Lessons. Needless to Say, You Have a Pretty Direct Connection to the Wake Surfing Industry. Where Do You See the Future of Wake Surfing Going? Are There Any Trends You Are Noticing?

Yes!  The wakesurfing community is awesome!  Everyone is so supportive and genuinely wants to see you do well. Even the people you compete against will cheer you on from the shore!  I definitely see the sport growing across the world, and the level of talent is increasing. There are more and more competitions being added in Japan, China, and more. Wakesurfing is a sport for all ages and abilities!  It is an activity that families can do together and everyone can enjoy because you can’t really get too hurt.  My parents love it when we are all in the boat having fun together, and I know other families do too, so I don’t see that changing anytime soon!

A Few Weeks Back You Did a Collab with Kanuk Board Co. Tell Us More, What Was Your Inspiration behind the Board?

Correct! I have recently launched my pro-model wakesurf board with Kanuk Board Co!  For the design, I wanted to portray a retro California surf vibe that you envision from the 1970’s.  A vintage look that inspires people to go shred!  It is totally different than all of the other designs you see on the market, and so far we have gotten really good feedback!  In addition to it’s great style, the Kanuk Vedder performs better than any board I have ever ridden!

We’re Obviously Thrilled to Have You Apart of Our River Valley Team. Is There Anything You’re Looking Forward to Now That You’re Apart of the River Valley – Centurion Team?

I am really looking forward to helping with the River Valley Centurion Heroes Tour and to making new connections! I had a great time hanging out with everybody at the Minneapolis Boat Show and that got me stoked for what’s to come in the future with River Valley – Centurion.