World Championships for 12 year old Wakeboarder

Little did he know, when his father first introduced him to wakeboarding at the age of eight, that four years later, he would be travelling the world representing Team GB at both Boat and Cable Wakeboarding.

Marley O’Toole, now aged 12 and a student at Gordon’s School in Surrey, has had a very busy summer travelling to Denmark, Germany and Italy competing at European and World Championship events representing his country at both boat and cable wakeboarding in the Under 15’s category.

The season finishes this November with Marley competing at the Cable Wakeboard World Championships in Thailand. The opportunity is something he relishes at such a young age: “I’m the youngest in the team!”, he says proudly.

Engaging, bright and humble, Marley brushes off his success so far, describing wakeboarding as ‘snowboarding on water’ and saying: “Anyone can do it. It’s not that hard, you just get pulled up and when the tricks come it starts to get a bit harder.”

Leaping into the air and performing twists and turns at high speed is the very essence of terrifying to most people, but Marley begs to differ. While admitting to being scared “sometimes” he quickly adds: “Not that much though. It’s just that mental barrier. You just need confidence and have a good mentality. I just go out there and do it.”

Practise sessions take place all over the county, even during winter months.  Wakeboarding holidays are also commonplace in his family.  He says: “I’ve even ridden in the snow. But if it’s too cold or dark to go to the lake I practise on the trampoline.”

Marley describes being on the water as his ‘happy place’.

In Thailand, where he will be competing in the U15 category, aged just 12 years old, Marley’s target is to qualify for the finals. The judges, he says, will be looking for technicality of the trick, execution, style and composition. Part of his game plan will be to attempt his hardest tricks at the end of his performance “…in case I land it [land in the water]”.