The Check Out Award honors the up-and-coming rider, amateur or pro, who had a noticeable and unique impact on the sport as a whole, whether through progressive riding, competition results, an outstanding presence on social media or video performances.
Male Finalists
Crosse Bearden
Holding a style own, Bearden is easily recognized by the insane moves over solid matter or by his lucky shorts. He has been nominated for this award in the past as he continues to improve establishing himself as a professional free rider. Crosse is living the dream shooting films, riding and traveling worldwide.
Loic Deschaux
A clear stand out in the Junior Pro scene, Loic has been nominated for this award before. He turned heads this year in Milan at Red Bull’s Wake The City event where he partnered with Guenther Oka and nearly stole the show. The duo ended up in third place, but Loic’s performance went down in the books of All-time!
Jamie Huser
The Swiss born teen started the season with a bang, winning the Junior Pro Tour events and the Malibu Rider Experience. Unfortunately by late summer, Jamie missed the PWT finals due to health problems and lost the points he needed to win the tour title. Huser ended up in second place behind Parker Swope.
Gavin Stuckey
The 2021 World Wake Park Champ made a name for himself this season. The younger of the Stuckey brothers went huge and garnered tons of attention for his consistent, stylish riding. Landing some of the most insane tricks in the park, he stood at the top of the podium at the WWA World Wake Park Championships and took home his first World Title.
Kane Ward
Nominated for the second year in a row, 10-year-old Kane made history this year becoming the youngest rider to land a double. Ward is a grom with an infectious stoke for wakeboarding. Plus, he’s already landing tricks that some pros twice (or three times) his age can’t claim.
Thomas Herman
The kid from Indiana took center stage this season. Thomas made the finals at the US Masters landing an array of double flips back to back, to back. By summer’s end, he got crowned as the 2021 PWT Rookie of The Year.
Female Finalists
Hinano Kishida
Hinano took the Jr Pro Women’s scene by surprise this season and by year’s end she got crowned as the 2021 Junior Pro Women’s World Champion. Originally from Japan, Kishida includes in her passes an incredible array of spins, raleys dum dums, tootsie rolls, whirlybirds, you name it. At 14-years-old ,the sky is the limit for the talented newcomer.
Kira Lewis
The 2021 US Masters Junior Pro Women’s champion, and former Junior World Champion, has upped her game including tricks like the KGB in her pass. Coached by Glenn Fletcher, this year Kira consistently performed at top level, winning multiple Malibu Rider Experience contests and placing second at the WWA Nautique US Nationals.
Joelina Gerards
The German copycatsclub stand-out, is making waves getting noticed for her creative style and courage. Joelina winches through sewer tubes and rails over cement stairs. This year, she qualified to compete at Milan’s Red Bull Wake Capital and submitted a couple of tricks for the TOTY female award. Stay tuned!
Rivers Hedrick
The Rookie on the pro Wake Park scene, is taking the world by surprise. Improving by the minute, the Terminus Wake Park local defeated the top riders at the Moxie-Pro finals and placed second behind winner Jamie Lopina advancing through the rounds defeating 10x World champions Julia Rick and World Champ Anna Nikstad.
Later in the season Rivers made the finals at Milan’s Red Bull Wake The City in first position with teammate Anna Nikstad. Unfortunately, the duo was unable to compete in the finals because Nikstad got injured in a gnarly crash during the semifinals.
Kitt Smith
The youngest Moxie-Pro finalist in the pro women’s boat event, pulled it together and placed third at the WWA World Championships in the Junior Women’s division behind Kishida and Lewis.
Hannah Mennega
The snow/wake crossover athlete, famous for winching over rocks and for sporting the dreds and style to match her bravery and determination. Hannah got on the podium the very first time she entered a contest. This year, she recovered from ACL reconstruction and is back at it, sending it like there is no tomorrow.
