Watch as the world’s top water skiers compete in the Slalom, Trick, and Jump disciplines, kicking off the tour with intense action and spectacular performances. Athletes will earn crucial Tour Points, setting the stage for the journey to become the 2025 WWS Overall Tour Champions. Next, join us in Linz, Austria, for the 2nd exciting stop on Sept 6-7. Enjoy the excitement and be inspired by these incredible competitors!
Some men buy a Corvette when they hit midlife. Others find God, or CrossFit, or at least a set of dumbbells that haven’t moved since Obama’s first term. But Marcus Brown?
Marcus Brown decided to strap on a Waterski and jump back into the slalom course at 36 MPH, 14 years after his last professional start, at the 2025 Western Regionals in Bakersfield, where the air is dry, the water is warm, and the buoys never move.
This, friends, is MB 2.0.
The Comeback Tour No One Asked For (But Everyone Secretly Needed)
Now, let’s be clear. This isn’t your typical ESPN comeback story.
There’s no six-figure sponsorship deal. No hyped docuseries narrated by Morgan Freeman. Just Marcus — a former US Open champ turned filmmaker + Podcaster + philosopher — showing up to a regional water ski tournament with more tape than a UPS depot and enough rust to trigger a tetanus warning.
And no, he’s not skiing in the Pro division. He’s in Men’s 4 now, the competitive equivalent of the Breakfast Club where the music is 80s, the knees crack on command, and the dryland warm-up includes ibuprofen and heavy breathing.
Not About the Scores
“Why now?” you ask.
He’s not chasing scores.
This isn’t about 41-off heroics or sticking it to Father Time with an unbelievable performance.
This is about joy.
It’s about feeling alive, in a body that’s been broken and rebuilt.
It’s about choosing to show up, especially when every logical part of you says, “You sure you wanna do this?”
It’s about starting over, without needing to be the best.
And frankly, it’s a little about showing the rest of us how to live — by doing things that scare us, that stretch us, that occasionally leave us swimming for the handle with a bruised ego and a grinning face.
The Man, The Myth, The Dreads
Marcus Brown doesn’t wear capes. He wears a personal floatation device and carries decades of wisdom in the lines around his eyes. He’s been the technician. The preacher. The Coach. The pioneer of feel-based skiing and foam-rolling theology.
But now he’s something else: a beginner again.
And if you saw him at Bakersfield on Thursday — no entourage, no expectations, just a rope, a ski, and a mission — you saw something rare: a man returning not to win, but to wonder.
MB 2.0 is All of Us
So yeah, MB 2.0 isn’t here to rewrite the record books.
He’s here to rewrite the rules of what matters.
To remind us that you don’t need to be ready, to simply begin again.
That middle-aged back can still chase impossible turns (with caution)
That risk is the tax we pay for feeling truly alive.
And that sometimes, the most radical thing you can do… is show up at Regionals with a smile, a ski, and a heart wide open.
Welcome back, MB.
We didn’t know we missed you until you reminded us how to fall in love with the sport all over again.
Some stories are born on the water. Others are carved into it — with grit, setbacks, and the unwavering belief that simply being in and around the water is enough.
In “Born to Buoy”, Episode 5 of Soul of Skiing, we dive into the life and legacy of Rob Hazelwood, the latest force in a family lineage that reads like a hall of fame roster. From his earliest turns on the water at Hazelwood’s Ski World in Lincoln, UK, to standing on top of the podium at Lake 38 in 2024, Rob’s path has been anything but ordinary.
A British Legacy Runs Deep
Water skiing greatness runs in Rob’s veins. His uncle, Mike Hazelwood, was a multiple-time world champion. His cousin, Will Asher, also a 2-time World Champion, continues to redefine elite performance on the world stage. And let’s not forget — Rob hails from a British slalom dynasty that includes legends like Andy Mapple, Glen Campbell and Freddie Winter. That’s a heavy heritage to carry — but Rob wears it with quiet pride and an open heart.
From the moment he could stand on skis, Rob’s days were filled with laps around Hazelwood’s, chasing buoys, chasing brothers, and chasing a dream that seemed already written. But as you’ll see in this episode, nothing about Rob’s rise was handed to him.
Hope, Pain, and the Long Way Back
Rob’s journey hasn’t been all sunrises and spray. Injuries have repeatedly tested his resolve. A dislocated hip, though not featured in this story, once put his entire trajectory in question. But it was a torn right bicep — a brutal injury we did get to capture — that nearly closed the chapter for good.
For many, that would’ve been the end. For Rob, it was fuel.
With a quiet fire, he poured himself into rehab, training, coaching, and even filmmaking — building himself back not just physically, but mentally. The water never left his mind. And when he returned, he came back more grounded, more grateful, and somehow… even more dangerous.
🏆 The Breakthrough
In 2024, all the grit paid off. Lake 38 Pro-Am. Rob took his first-ever professional win, and it wasn’t just a victory — it was a statement. To everyone who had watched his slow, steady rise. To those who counted him out. And maybe most of all — to himself.
It was a glimpse of what happens when passion meets perseverance. When you stop trying to be someone else… and just let your weird, wonderful self shine.
⚡️A Legend in the Making (and the Life of the Party)
There’s something contagious about Rob’s energy — like someone bottled up the Energizer Bunny and gave him a slalom ski. He admits it himself: he can be a lot. Too much, sometimes. But that’s the magic.
He’s not trying to be the next Will, or Mike, or Mapple.
He’s trying to be Rob Hazelwood — flawed, fired up, and fully alive.
🎥 Watch Episode 5 Now
This is more than a story about buoys and boats. It’s about a young man who grew up in the shadow of greatness and had the courage to write his own script.
It’s about coming back from the brink and smiling while you do it.
It’s about the Soul of Skiing — and one of the sport’s most electric, resilient characters.
If you’ve ever held a handle in your hands and thought, “What would it feel like to ski like a legend?” — this episode’s for you.
Wade Cox didn’t just ski. He carved holes in the laws of physics. He bent angles. He made spray look like sculpture. And in Soul of Skiing: Episode 4 – Wade’s World, we dive deep into the mind, story, and soul of one of the greatest to ever do it.
Let’s get the stats out of the way — not because they’re the most important thing, but because they’re ridiculous:
47 Professional Slalom Titles
3-time Masters Champion
Back-to-back Pro Tour Champion (1995, 1996)
Water Ski Hall of Fame, Class of 2012
Those numbers don’t just earn you a place on the podium. They earn you your own area code in ski history.
But Wade Cox wasn’t just dominant — he was electric. He skied with attitude. His style was part Arkansas cowboy, part technician, and 100% unrelenting. He had a gear no one else could find. And in the 90’s and 2000’s, when he showed up at a Pro Tour stop, you either had to bring your absolute best… or just enjoy the view of Wade’s rooster tail as it disappeared behind the starting dock.
And then there was The Rivalry.
Wade Cox vs. Andy Mapple.
Just like Ali vs. Frazier…..Federer vs. Nadal.
Except on water. With carbon fiber. And ESPN cameras.
Out of a stretch of 60 pro events, Wade won 22, Andy took 29, and the entire rest of the field combined managed to sneak away with a measly 9.
But this episode isn’t just about stats and medals. It’s about the man. The grit. The losses. The lessons. The transition from being the guy everyone chased… to the guy willing to look back and tell the story. Not the version you see on the back of a trading card — the real one. The one with broken bones, blown turns, and hard-earned wisdom.
Because here’s the truth: Legends don’t just teach us how to win. They show us how to keep going, when the spotlight dims and the work begins.
So, yeah — we called this episode “Wade’s World.”
And no, there’s no guitar solo or Wayne’s basement (though we can’t confirm Wade hasn’t air-guitared with a ski handle before).
But there’s Soul…Lots of it. There’s humility. And there’s the kind of greatness you can’t fake.
Here is 🎥 Episode 4: Wade’s World
Watch it. Learn from it. Then go make your next set count.
Freddie and Joel both just won masters, so you know we’re talking about that, but we’re also getting into a bunch of other topics. Like how to make money waterskiing, trick skiing scoring/trick values, who we think has the most “on water” time, waterski media and how it compares to wakeboard media, social media/influencers values to brands, onlyfans, and a whole lot more. Plus, the guys rip smelling salts to start the pod, and eat a Malort candy midway through. Hear all this and much more in Episode 84 of the Grab Matters Podcast!
Introducing the all-new Ski Nautique – an evolution of a true icon. Following suit with its 65-year legacy marked by more personal bests and world records than any other waterski boat in history, the Ski Nautique has been reengineered to push the boundaries of what’s possible in three-event waterskiing.
2026 Ski Nautique Walk Through
A culmination of cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions, the completely redesigned 2026 Ski Nautique is the ultimate expression of unparalleled performance, setting a new standard in three-event waterskiing. Follow along with Nautique Water Ski Brand Ambassador, Matt Rini, for an in-depth walk through of the all-new Ski Nautique!
2026 Ski Nautique – Design Philosophy
Discover the design philosophy behind the all-new 2026 Ski Nautique with our Chief Designer, Steve Carlton.
Team Talk: Ski Nautique
Join us for an exclusive interview with Team Nautique Athletes and Nautique Water Ski Brand Ambassadors as they dive into the details of the all-new 2026 Ski Nautique! Discover the cutting-edge design and innovative performance features that will shape the future of three-event waterskiing for pros and enthusiasts alike.
Independent perspectives on tournament water skiing
