The Regatta may be about riding but it’s also about showing appreciation for the team members that make Phase 5 look so good throughout the year. The 2nd Annual Phase 5 Regatta culminated with a fun awards dinner to highlight some of the outstanding achievements. The whole team gathered at a local spot in Sebring, FL for some food, laughs, and team bonding. It was a super fun evening for everyone involved! Before handing out the awards, we took some time to show some appreciation to the riders that made the trip, some individual achievements of riders, and more! Check out the individual awards and more photos from the evening below!
TRICK OF THE YEAR
Each year, there are so many tricks done that could be a contender for Trick of the Year but one always shines above the rest. And unless you’ve been living under a rock this past year, you should be able to guess what trick took top honors. That’s right, it was none other than Parker Payne’s absolutely mindblowing kickflip! This is a trick that Parker has been working on for quite some time now and even on the day he landed it, he said it took about 90+ attempts for it to finally all come together. Since then, he’s landed a few more which is even more impressive. Maybe one day he’ll have them on lock! Either way, congrats on an amazing feat Parker!
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The Rookie of the Year award is reserved for a new team rider that turned heads all year and embodied what Phase 5 is all about: fun! That rider was none other than Rob McClelland. Rob is a skim style rider who always has a smile on his face but can throw down when the time calls for it. Podiuming at plenty of contests this last season, pumping out sick content, and just shredding all year long, Rob definitely deserves the title of Rookie of the Year!
INTERNATIONAL RIDER OF THE YEAR
Phase 5 not only has a stacked team of US based riders but a heavy hitting roster of international riders as well. From Canada to Thailand and more, Phase 5 is represented all over the globe. Our International Rider of the Year was someone who proved herself not only at contests but through her online coaching and content which got people to take notice of her shredding abilities. Looking at all of her accomplishments in the 2023 season, it was a no-brainer to award Bailey Rush from Canada with the International Rider of the Year crown! Congrats, Bailey!
INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
Wakesurfing is for everyone. That is something we truly believe at Phase 5 and the winner of the Inspirational Award is someone who proves that even when life throws obstacles at you, you can still overcome to pursue your dreams. That rider is the man known as the CageSurfer, Florian Dungl from Austria. Flo may be a paraplegic but that doesn’t stop him from getting out on the water. With a little help from his friends, he can get out and shred with the best of them. He truly is an inspiration to us all here at Phase 5 and we are stoked to have him on the team!
LEGEND AWARD
The Legend Award is given out with the thought that the recipient not only embodies what Phase 5 is all about but is also out spreading the stoke and getting as many new people on the water as they can. This year, the Legend Award was given to Chris Bank, husband to team rider Stacia Bank and father to team rider Afton Bank. Chris has been with us for years as a representative and not only is he a pleasure to work with, he genuinely cares about the sport and the riders that are involved. Chris, along with the whole Bank family, are some of the kindest people you’ll ever come across and that makes us even more stoked to have him in the Phase 5 family! Congrats, Chris! You are indeed a Legend.
PHASE 5 RIDER OF THE YEAR
The Phase 5 Rider of the Year is our most prestigious award that is given out to the team rider who crushed it all year long. Contest results, social presence, attitude, hype, everything is considered when giving out the Rider of the Year award! So with that in mind, we thought that this rider deserved their own blog so be on the lookout tomorrow to find out who we crowned as the Phase 5 ROTY!
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