One more day in FL before the cold Latvian spring.

Feel free to listen to this song while reading. 

 

As a complete opposite of the storms last week, my final day of riding was super sunny and hot, and it had the best sunset too!

The pressure I put on myself on week three was enormous and at some points it was my best friend, but some my worst enemy. As all the inverts were so close I wasn't ready to go home with an "almost" trick. April fools Friday was when I got down my Switch Roll which took less than 10 attempts. I think that was the moment when I understood what Andy meant by saying that I have to believe I can ride away from the trick and not expect the magic one. And if I can do two inverts switch, why couldn't I land all those in regular?

Monday. Giving every new invert a go wake to wake. Then second set going for the Tantrum until I finally got it. And not just lucky one, but three in a row! Stoked! Third set was my fun ride in the beginning, though obviously too excited about the day, took the worst Frontroll crash I've had. Just as I was thinking of really over rotating to do a pretty landing instead of the ugly butt slide, didn't take enough momentum and caught my edge on the second wake which was followed by a mercy less full body slam. No way I'd end up my trip with that, so got a couple more passes with fun stuff when Andy said let's go for Toeside Backroll. For some reason my legs would resist to jump high, but they did enough to make me ride away!

Lauma Ildena, Amber Hansen.

Joni Hansen, Lauma Ildena.

Once again in this trip I was speechless for a second. Two inverts in one day? I though I was dreaming, but thanks to the boys it's caught on video.

From being scared of even trying a new invert, within three weeks I landed five. And I'm sure that's nowhere near to stop. When I first saw some pro videos many years ago, my favourite trick became Whirly Bird. And back then I told myself laughing "I'll become good enough to land one someday!" without really believing it... the thing is...... now I finally DO! 

Whirly, Lauma Ildena, Andy Hansen.

Most likely that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't rode with Andy. The amount of my fear was insane, because trying something new might mean going out of control, fall, getting injured and being forced to quit wakeboard, snowboard, dance and pretty much anything else my whole life has been built around. But Andy found a way to get the lines out of my head and go for it. Well... for a good while I was still going for the trick with the lines in my head, haha. But I was actually going for the trick and that was huge! Then later on not only going for it, but landing! I truly admire Andy for all his incredible skills, the positivism and encouragement he gives out and the patience he's got to tell the same things over and over again. I wish every wakeboarder could experience that amazing feeling I had while being in WWC.

 It took 5780 votes from all over the world to help me win the contest and get there, and I really can't express in words how thankful I am to all the people who believed in me and made this dream come true. Wakeboarding is the passion I want to live through and they gave me the start. What I now hope and pray for is that I'll have the opportunity to continue riding more and more to get ready for the 2011 IWWF Wakeboard Worlds in Italy, July 13-17 as well as later on this year the Europe & Africa championships which will take place in South Africa in December. More trainings in Florida please.

Nothing is coincidence, love ♥

Lauma Ildena