SUMMARY:   On this episode of Ski With Wade we’re catching up with Benjamin Stadlbaur, a fixture among elite pro circuit competitors. He’s sharing highlights from his career, including top honors at premier tournaments like Moomba, as well as updates on his projects (both water ski-related and otherwise). A native of Switzerland, our guest is one of three generations of Stadlbaur’s whose passion for all things ski is on full display at the family’s Swiss Waterski Resort in Clermont, Florida. You won’t want to miss the flash round of questions fired up by Beny, who is turning the tables on ..read more

Join us as Wade’s World collides with the world of entertainment. Host Wade Cox is sharing the mic with the versatile and talented vocalist Melanie “Melba” Rosales on this episode of Ski With Wade. How did this powerhouse singer – who has performed with the likes of Bonnie Raita and Muddy Waters – stray into Wade’s path? Find out about how these two met, get a peek into Melanie’s favorite backstage memories and a sense of what life is like on tour. You’ll also come away with a list of musical options (have you heard of Jett Jenkins yet?) for your next road trip and learn what it is that sets M ..read more

It’s a virtual walk through the history of world-class waterski jumping when Host Wade Cox sits down with his amazing bestie, Jim “The Cannonball” Clunie. Wrapping up a week of coaching kids together at the Saskatoon Waterski Club in the far northern reaches of Jim’s native Canada, Jim and Wade are swapping memories from their own early days on the water. The pair recall what it was like training and coming of age together under the watchful eye of legendary water ski coach Jack Travers (and his wife Leilani) in the 1980s and marvel at the level of competition they experienced on the pro tour ..read more

This episode of Ski With Wade introduces us to the water skiing champion’s secret sauce: His dad, Larry Cox. While he couldn’t have done it without the support of his whole extended family, Wade pauses to shine a special spotlight on the man from whose shoulders he got his first glimpse of the wake. You’ll learn about how Wade’s water skiing career got started (from his earliest days) as well as the unexpected injury that could have been a low point from which the young competitor never came back. Instead, of course, we know how the championship titles stacked up – all of which Wade credits t ..read more

This episode of Ski with Wade features a double-threat athlete like none other, Igor Nikolić.  At 7’1” he’s a towering giant out on the slalom course and self-proclaimed Wade Cox “fanboy” with a fascinating story of his own. He and his now-wife emigrated from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, where he learned to water ski at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers. Learn how Igor has adapted to life in the U.S., what it was like joining the University of Alabama basketball team (and keeping up his grades at the same time!) and how he likes to stay in shape (in addition to his time out ..read more

How do you cram 34 years of inspiration, competition, memories and laughs into one podcast episode? You don’t! But this episode of Ski with Wade covers a lot of ground as Hall of Famer Carl Roberge sits down for a chat at his office in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. With more than 100 professional victories, including 21 U.S. Open and eight Masters championships under his belt, Carl is not only the consummate athlete, he has also been a design innovator and mentor to many – including Wade, who knew at age 11 that competitive water skiing was his thing after witnessing Carl out on the water at 16 ..read more

If you want to meet a woman who has done it all, then Camille Duvall is Exhibit A. The 15-time National Champion, named to Sports Illustrated’s Top 100 Greatest Female Athletes of the 20th Century, joins Host Wade Cox on this lively episode of The Ski with Wade Podcast. They are taking us back to the peak performance 1980s, when a deep bench of talent dominated the competitive water skiing landscape domestically and around the world. Camille, who today lives in the Lake Tahoe area and sells homes for Sotheby's Real Estate in the Sierras, shares memories of her early match-ups, her advocacy for ..read more

Most everyone knows about Don Corleone from the classic Godfather movies, but do you know about the Godfather of the “Midwest Mafia?” His turf is Indiana and the coin of the realm is water ski titles. On this episode of the Ski with Wade Podcast we meet national slalom champion Brandon Bucher, whose father (the Godfather!) built the lake and started the legacy that today includes three generations of devoted water skiers. Cindonway Lake is arguably where the Midwest’s rise in the world of competitive water skiing all began. Host Wade Cox shares the history and some favorite memories with Brand ..read more

Sometimes you get lucky and have a chance to hang with a walking piece of history, like when show-stopper Sammy Duvall stops by The Ski with Wade Podcast for a chat about smashing records, learning lessons and stretching the bounds of sport. The conversation covers Sammy’s legendary career, changes in the industry as well as the nature of competition itself. You’ll get a front-row seat to incomparable feats – like the 220-foot jump that defined Sammy’s reputation – and insights into important influences on both his and Wade’s careers. And don’t forget to check out new merch and find out where ..read more

Wow. It really took me back to sit down with my old friend Thomas Degasperi, a class act who started water skiing at five years old and has pretty much been setting the standard ever since!  Born in Trento, Italy, Thomas was raised by a supportive family and of course heavily influenced by his dad, a well-known coach and owner of a water ski school in northern Italy. Having parents like Thomas’s – who have supported his dreams from an early age – makes such a difference and in this case pretty much birthed a legend. At 15, Thomas won his first medal at the European Championships and afte ..read more