World Wakeboard Champs: Rotorua teen Jack Gallon ready for world stage in Abu Dhabi

From the lakes of Rotorua to the man-made marvels of Abu Dhabi, wakeboarder Jack Gallon is set for the trip of the lifetime.

The 13-year-old John Paul College student's consistent results in local and national competitions have seen him selected for the New Zealand team to compete at the 2019 IWWF World Wakeboard Championships in Abu Dhabi in November. He will compete in the Junior Boys (11-14) age group.

"I'm nervous and excited, everyone there will be really good but I'm to go over to get some experience," Jack says.

Jack finished second in the junior boys' division at the New Zealand Wakeboarding Nationals in April, behind Tauranga's Casey Ward. At the World Championships they will be New Zealand teammates.

Jack has enjoyed an up-close experience of the World Champs previously - his older sister Sophie Gallon, 16, competed in Mexico in 2015. She won the junior women's division at nationals this year.

"I've never competed overseas before. Watching Sophie, it was huge, there was heaps of people there. I wasn't even looking at worlds at the start of the year, I was just grafting for nationals, but it has definitely given me something to work towards now.

"I just want to come back from World Champs a better person, more hard working."

He said he enjoyed the escape of getting out on the water.

"When you ignore the boat noise, it's quiet out on the lake, it's just a feeling. In competition, there's one boat and you do the best tricks you can. Judges give you scores on your composition, execution and intensity.

"Everyone has the same boat and driver but you choose your own speed, rope and board. [The chosen speed] depends on your style. If you're high and floaty, you go a bit faster so the wake is narrower. When you're fast over and you go for length, it's a bit slower. I'm kind of in the middle."

Jack has a coach based in Florida who spends summer in New Zealand each year. Jack will spend some time in Florida training with him later this year before heading to Abu Dhabi.

His dad Terry Robinson said, while Rotorua was blessed with great lakes, New Zealand's climate was not the best for wakeboarding year round.

"Kids that are in countries where it's warm all year round, they can wakeboard all year. New Zealand has one of the shortest seasons of any country that competes. Even if we go out now it's still really cold and you can only do so much."

Robinson waterskis and wakeboards himself and said he was proud to have two children selected to represent New Zealand in wakeboarding.

"It's pretty awesome. It can be quite a hard mental game, trying new tricks and getting knocked around so it's good to see them achieving.

"I've always done it and then these guys came along and got into it too, the whole family does it. It's a good day out, you put the music on and take turns behind the boat."

Wakeboarding New Zealand president Keri Ring says Jack is among the youngest in the team.

He says selection for the New Zealand team is based on riders' performances over the previous year.

New Zealand Wakeboard Worlds selection squad:
Francesco Hazelwood, Auckland - Pro Men.
Bryan Simpson, Auckland - Veteran Men.
Jack Gallon, Rotorua; Casey Ward, Tauranga - Junior Boys.
Anthony East, Hamilton - Junior Men.
Nick Beale, Hamilton - Men - Masters.
Charlotte Broadbent, Auckland's North Shore - Veteran Women.
Gavin Broadbent, Auckland's North Shore - Veteran Men.
Morgan Haakma, Cambridge - Open Women (Currently training overseas).