Wakeboarding: Bishop's title chances soar with stars absent

Tauranga wakeboarder Darren Bishop has continued in the strong form that made him a national representative last year. Photo/File

The road to national wakeboarding supremacy, typically paved with battered bodies at the feet of Nik Gibson and Brad Smeele, appears open for Tauranga's Darren Bishop.

With Smeele departing these shores for a job in the US and Gibson in doubt for the upcoming nationals due to an ankle complaint, you would think Bishop, who has finished runner-up to both competitors a number of times, would be licking his lips at his best chance of landing a senior national title.

You would be wrong.

"It's a little bit annoying because I want to beat them fair and square when they are at the top of their game," Bishop said.

"I'd rather come second or third, or wherever I'm supposed to finish, than to win by default.

"I've been watching them, and my whole goal has been to beat them, so when they are not there it is not as rewarding."

Bishop, who represented New Zealand at last year's world championships in South Korea, has been in strong form.

He finished second to Smeele at a combined cable and wake competition in Hawke's Bay, and followed that with another second place in choppy conditions at the North Island championships.

"I could have done better, but in the end I was happy with how it all went down.

"If it's not feeling right you can go for it anyway and see what happens, or you can play it safe and try to win it that way."

Bishop will start the nationals as one of the favourites at the end of the month, and is encouraging spectators to check out the action for free at Lake Karapiro.

He will spend the next few weeks training - both himself and the younger generation.

"Back when I started it was a lot bigger in New Zealand than what it is now.

"It faded off for a while, but it looks like it's starting to creep back up again. There are a few new faces coming down, which is what it's all about.

"It's looking really good - they had a competition for under-18s last weekend and there were 44 entries."