"Really cool. It's where it all started."
Those were the words of professional wakeboarder Rusty Malinoski as he stood on the dock at Humboldt Lake - also known as Stony Lake - last week.
Malinoski was in Humboldt for just a few days to visit family before headlining at WakeRide 2011 in Saskatoon July 15-16.
But for those few days, he went back to his roots - wakeboarding on Stony Lake.
"It's pretty sweet. We got two good days of weather to come and hang out with my family," he said.
The night the Journal caught up with him, he was heading out onto the lake with his brother, who planned to wakeboard that night. During his visit, Malinoski also got his six-year-old nephew to start riding the wake behind the boat. He was only a few years older than his nephew - 13 - when he first discovered wakeboarding.
"It's been a lot of fun," he said of 小蓝视频 on his old stomping grounds. "This is where it started for me, so it's good to come back.'
The water is colder than what he's used to now - he's now based out of Florida - but that didn't stop him from reliving some memories out on his home lake, where he got the basis for what is now an outstanding professional career.
Dubbed the "Bone-Crusher" for his sheer power and brute strength, Malinoski stands out as one the most dominant riders out on the water today, an online article about him states.
Since turning pro in 2003, he has won countless contests and solidified his place in wakeboard history when he became the first rider to ever land a 1080 in a contest.
In 2011, things have been "going really good," he told the Journal. He's been travelling all over the world for competitions, and competing well.
"I've been on the podium a lot," he said, and there are just four events left in the season.
His last event was in Seattle, and his next is U.S. Nationals in Minneapolis in two weeks.
"I'm on par to be finishing in the top three (in the world) for the sixth year consecutively," he said.
Is he sick of finishing that well every year?
No chance.
The travel, yes, he laughed - he's a bit sick of flying around - but getting up on the podium - that doesn't get old, he indicated.
This is the third time Malinoski has attended WakeRide in Saskatoon. The event benefits childrens' charities, including KidSport, which helps disadvantaged kids afford to take part in sports.
"It's a pretty cool deal," Malinoski said.
