The passion for wakeboarding has been with Braden Stumborg for over 25 years and now the excitement for the sport has been passed on to his 15-year-old son Hunter.
This past weekend, both Braden and Hunter competed at nationals in Saskatoon.
Braden finished second in his age category while Hunter had an impressive showing at Saskatoon finishing 7th as he competed mostly against experienced 18-year-olds.
For Braden, he began wakeboarding when he was around Hunter’s age.
“I had a couple of buddies who were big into at that time, and I was lucky enough to ride behind their boats. After the first year, I started competing and basically fell in love with the sport because I was continuing to learn tricks.”
Braden also pointed out the support he received from Mike Napper from Backside Boardshop and Sask. First Camps to help push him to meet his goals.
Since Saskatchewan summers only offer a short window for training, Braden headed south to Florida, where he honed his skills on the water over a six-year period.
He would return home to continue competing and helping with camps in Saskatchewan.
Eventually Braden elected to focus on his family life as he took a sabbatical from the sport, but with a home near the shore of Humboldt Lake, the water was always nearby.
When Hunter started becoming interested in wakeboarding, it didn’t take Braden long to rekindle his affection for wakeboarding.
Hunter says a big reason he started to become interested in the sport was watching his dad pull some of his magical tricks.
He began competing in wakeboarding last year. The father and son duo competed on both the provincial and national stage.
Hunter said he had a lot of the same kind of support that his dad received when he started wakeboarding.
“I joined the Sask. First team last year and they kind of pushed me to do more tricks.”
Braden pointed out one his proud dad moments was when Hunter landed his first flip in competition at Nationals.
The Stumborgs may be at different stages with the wakeboarding careers, but both share a similar appreciation for the sport.
Braden feels there’s no better way to spend an evening in the lake.
“I just love the freedom of being out there and just having those glassy nights.”
For Hunter, he enjoys the skill and competition involved with wakeboarding.
“Watching people do tricks, so then I can learn them.”
The father and son duo are hoping for an extended summer to spend more time on the lake and harness their skills to prepare them for next year's competition.
Both have constructed goals for next year’s event.
Braden is focusing on his strength, avoiding significant injuries.
For Hunter, he will plan on emphasizing stretching and working out so he can keep himself in good shape.
No matter where they finish in the future, Braden said it’s a special thrill watching Hunter succeed on the lake.
“Just seeing him learning those tricks and how excited he gets is just awesome and that’s part of the reason why I love sitting in the boat driving for him whenever I can.”
You can view Hunter and Braden in action in the gallery below. (Photos provided by Braden Stumborg)