22 Jul Road to Ropes – Local Hero featuring Glenn Vandenberghe
Road to Ropes
Local Hero
Name: Glenn Vandenberghe
Date of Birth: Dec 3rd, 1992
Years of Riding: since 2012, the day Lakeside started
Sponsors: Lakeside Paradise, Bomber Eyewear, Slingshot
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hey! I’m Glenn, I started wakeboarding in 2012 and I fucking love it. It’s a sport where the fun never ends: you can always try new things and learn new things!
Where are you from?
From Knokke-Heist, where we are right now. I was born here and grew up here.
How did you first start wakeboarding?
My best friend and I went to check up the spot when they were building the cable, and we started here the first year it opened. Coming from kiteboarding I loved it from the start – it’s so simple!
What do you like the most about Lakeside Paradise?
When you come here, everyone accepts you. Everybody is so welcoming: it’s good here. Everybody do the best they can for you. I didn’t know anyone at first and everybody was just so friendly right from the start. We didn’t know much about wakeboarding in Belgium a few years ago, but these guys are really trying to make something good out of it.
Aside from Lakeside (of course!), what is your favorite park, and why?
TurnCable. I have been 2 times there, you can practice everything: you can practice left foot forward or right foot forward, and there are lots of obstacles. You can fine tune your tricks. The set up pushes you to do better all the time.
What do you like the most about this sport? What makes you thrive about wakeboarding?
I think what I like the most is The feeling you have when you land a new trick. You train hard for a trick, sometimes for a few weeks, and then when you got it you can be proud of yourself: it all comes from you, you did it. Then, you ride the Happy Round. When I first land a trick I always do a happy round!
Rails, kickers or Air tricks?
In the beginning, I liked air tricks more, but now I’m more into kickers tricks.
Describe yourself in 3 words/expressions:
Never giving up, happy guy, friendly.
How would you describe your riding style?
Sometimes, I’m a little too aggressive, I have to learn to calm down. I like the big tricks, and things you don’t see every day.
Who do you look up to, who inspires you?
Tobi Rittig: he has so much steeze in his tricks, everything is so clean…
What are your goals with wakeboarding?
I like wakeboarding a lot, and I’m just waiting for Blegium’s level to go up. I would like to do more with wakeboarding – I like to make videos!
What do you do outside of wakeboarding?
I have my own business – I am a cook. I have an hotel restaurant: Hotel Ter Duinen. When I’m not in my kitchen, I’m at the lake! I cook gastronomic type food, but I like to just respect the food and make high quality meals.
If you could have a session with anyone, who would it be? Why?
James Windsor – the guy isn’t so old and I like the way he rides everything left and right. He seems fearless.
Dream destination for wakeboarding? Why?
Thailand! All my friends have been going, and I will go one day.
Shout out ?
I really appreciate all the Lakeside managers, who always trusted me and supported me every day. It’s because of them I can ride better every day. And thanks to Slingshot and Bomber too!
If you ever go to Belgium, check out Glen’s family business, Hotel Ter Duinen!
More info here: http://www.hotelterduinen.be/index.php?lang=EN