Benjamin Suess | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 97
Benni Suess has done more for the sport of cable wakeboaridng in Germany than just about any one individual. Benni and his family opened up one of the first cable parks in Germany, and they have continued to expand their operations since the parks inception in 1976. While Benni got his start at 4 years old on a pair of skis, and did pursue competitive waterskiing, it was when wakeboarding came around that he felt at home. With both contest results and video parts under his belt as a rider, Benni has just about seen it all when it comes to cable wakeboarding. First time skiing, the early days of Langenfeld, boycotting a contest, partying the night before a comp, early days of features, 11 cables within an hour drive, Langenfeld Open, US vs. German cable scene, GOAT, hot takes, and the biggest cable mishaps Langenfeld has seen. Hear all this and much more in Episode 97 of the Grab Matters Podcast with Benjamin Suess!Follow Benni: https://www.instagram.com/benjaminsuess/Follow Wasserski Langenfeld: https://www.instagram.com/wasserski_langenfeld/Thank you to this shows sponsors! Liquid Force: https://www.liquidforce.com/ Slingshot: https://slingshotsports.com/Chapters:00:00 - 1:30 intro 1:45 Favorite grab 2:50 First time getting on the water 5:40 Early days of Langenfeld 9:00 Wakeboarding enters the picture 17:50 European Cable Wakeboard Tour 20:50 Euro vs. American scene24:30 First sponsors 30:40 Guest Question: Nico Von Lerchenfeld37:00 Partying on contest weekends?41:00 Movies 44:00 Are current riders students of the game?47:30 LF’n Wheel of Questions49:20 Setup54:00 First features at parks 55:30 Liability in German cables1:00:30 Langenfeld operations 1:08:00 Is Langenfeld too corporate? 1:09:00 Why waterskis?1:16:10 Future expansion at Langenfeld1:20:00 Competition in cables1:23:15 Slingshot Silhouette Challenge1:25:00 Langenfeld Open1:32:00 Guest Question: Nicklas Dorfer1:36:00 LF Germany Team1:38:10 USA vs. German cable scene1:46:30 Currently with Benni1:40:00 GOAT1:51:00 Hot Take1:53:00 The perfect cable ever1:56:40 What keeps wakeboarding fresh?1:58:00 Guest Question: Daniel Jarrett 2:03:00 Relationship with Unit2:07:50 Biggest cable mishapsThank you for the guest questions!Nico Von Lerchenfeld: https://www.instagram.com/nicovonlerchenfeld/Nicklas Dorfer: https://www.instagram.com/nicklasdorfer/Daniel Jarrett: https://www.instagram.com/danielstorzjarrett/Links:Big Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmTxXk29eG0&list=RDMmTxXk29eG0&start_radio=1Shoot us a text!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GrabMattersPodcastWebsite: https://www.grabmatters.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grabmatters/videosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grabmatters/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grabmatterspodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/grabmatters
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2:12:51
Sam De Haan | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 96
From IWWF contest days to being regarded as one of the most stylish riders in the sport, Sam De Haan has had quite the journey in wakeboarding. Getting started in the Netherlands, Sam started riding when parks didn't have many, if any, rails or features. Wearing a helmet, trying air pete 5's, J Star/Jobe, winching "rules", Outbound, what makes for good style, getting recognized in wakeboarding, The Renovation, and the best winter destinations. Hear all this and much more in Episode 96 of the Grab Matters Podcast with Sam De Haan!Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samdehaan/Chapters:00:00 - 1:15 Intro2:00 Helmets?7:50 Catching up with Sam9:30 Early days14:10 Air Pete 517:00 Air tricks21:00 J star/Jobe31:40 Sam’s IWWF days 35:50 Guest Question: Gino Wetzels47:20 The Netherlands scene51:00 Best spot to winch?55:00 The future of winching1:01:20 LF’n Wheel of Questions1:11:00 Guest Question: Liam Rundholz1:19:45 Outbound 1:37:10 Guest Question: Graeme Burress 1:44:40 Winching “Rules”1:51:00 Sponsors1:55:00 Setup2:06:20 Slingshot Silhouette Challenge2:08:30 Guest Question: Sanne Meijer2:19:40 Bangproof helmets2:22:00 The Renovation2:25:40 Thank you’s Links:J Star: https://www.jobesports.com/nl/blog/jobe-jstar-signs-dutch-talented-wakeboard-youngster-sam-de-haan-379/Outbound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtAhLJT2xzc&t=36sThank you for the guest questions!Gino Wetzels: https://www.instagram.com/ginowetzels/Liam Rundholz: https://www.instagram.com/liamrundholz/Graeme Burress: https://www.instagram.com/graemeburress/Sanne Meijer: https://www.instagram.com/sanne_meijer/Shoot us a text!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GrabMattersPodcastWebsite: https://www.grabmatters.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grabmatters/videosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grabmatters/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grabmatterspodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/grabmatters
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2:28:36
Steel Lafferty | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 95
While we might all know Steel from his social media presence over the better part of the last decade, many might not know how he got to where he is today in terms of sponsor support, social following, and riding resume. Steel started riding at the age of 9, and only a few years after signed his first paying contract with the biggest brand to ever be involved in wakeboarding, Nike. A hole in one at the ACC, the triple flip, navigating sponsorships, getting on MasterCraft, Red Bull negotiations, events that move the needle, athletes and how to build them into “stars”, golf, and X Games Real Wake 2016, 2017, and 2018. Hear all that and much more in Episode 95 of the Grab Matters Podcast with Steel Lafferty! Follow Steel: https://www.instagram.com/steellafferty/Thank you to this shows sponsors! Liquid Force: https://www.liquidforce.com/ Slingshot: https://slingshotsports.com/Chapters:00:00 - 1:00 Intro1:20 ACC Hole in one3:50 Favorite grab5:40 The Triple Flip25:00 Florida roots31:50 Signing with Nike41:00 Big companies in action sports44:00 Patreon Question: Navigating sponsors50:00 LF’n Wheel of Questions59:00 Patreon Question: Favorite wakeboard ever1:00:10 First double flip1:08:45 Getting a boat sponsor1:13:00 Boat shows1:16:00 Building superstars 1:21:00 Offer from Slingshot?1:22:30 Slingshot Silhouette Challenge1:24:00 Real Wake cont. 1:27:00 Thomas Herman interrupts 1:43:40 Red Bull sponsorship 1:48:00 Social media2:01:00 Setup2:08:00 Boat vs. cable2:10:40 Guest Question: Rusty Malinoski2:16:00 Events that move the needle2:26:00 GolfLinks:Real Wake Triple: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlB3lt0pBwIDay in the life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDSncf37tAEAll in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mSBtxI4E9A&list=RD2mSBtxI4E9A&start_radio=1Wakecation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-oS9DOwGzgShoot us a text!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GrabMattersPodcastWebsite: https://www.grabmatters.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grabmatters/videosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grabmatters/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grabmatterspodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/grabmatters
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2:30:47
Wakeboard Street Jam Recap Recap | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 94
We are live from the Netherlands and are diving into everything that just happened the past 3 days at Wakeboard Street Jam 2025! Jake Flynn joins us to unpack the weekend and take us day by day and spot by spot of this past weekend in Amsterdam. Street Jam details, rope runners, closeouts, hallways, hot takes, best tricks from the weekend, and a quick call from Matty Muncey. Hear all that and much more in Episode 94 of the Grab Matters Podcast!Follow Jake: https://www.instagram.com/_jakeflynn_/Follow Wakeboard Street Jam: https://www.instagram.com/wakeboardstreetjam/Thank you to this shows sponsors! Liquid Force: https://www.liquidforce.com/ Slingshot: https://slingshotsports.com/Chapters:00:00 - 1:10 Intro1:20 Patreon Question2:10 Jake getting into Amsterdam3:30 What is Street jam?5:20 Day 113:50 Matty calls16:00 Winching at perfect spots17:50 Day 229:30 Patreon Question: 32:30 LF’n Wheel of Questions34:40 Hot Take36:05 Day 343:10 Street Jam 202545:50 Slingshot Silhouette Challenge47:25 Jake's future plans/partsLinks:Wakeboard Street Jam: https://www.wakeboardstreetjam.com/homeShoot us a text!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GrabMattersPodcastWebsite: https://www.grabmatters.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grabmatters/videosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grabmatters/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grabmatterspodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/grabmatters
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Wanley Fendrich | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 93
Born in Haiti and then raised in Germany as a boat rider, Wanley has one of the most interesting stories in wakeboarding today. Voodoowakeboarder as you might know him on instagram, Wanley has been working his way up year after year in wakeboarding, spending time in Orlando when he can, and traveling to contests around the world. With plans to visit America more in the future Wanley is planning on continuing to enter the scene in the United States to keep pushing his boat riding. Growing up in Germany but being a boat rider, biggest inspirations, having a coach, worst slams, where Voodoo came from, and hitting double ups. Hear all that and much more in Episode 93 of the Grab Matters Podcast!Follow Wanley: https://www.instagram.com/voodoowakeboarder/Thank you to this shows sponsors! Liquid Force: https://www.liquidforce.com/ Slingshot: https://slingshotsports.com/Chapters: 00:00 - 2:00 Intro2:20 Favorite Grab4:00 Born in Haiti5:20 Growing up in Germany11:00 Boat riding in Germany13:30 Riding cable?15:20 Biggest inspirations18:25 Coaching growing up19:30 LF’n Wheel of Questions 24:20 Team Germany31:20 Where did Voodoo come from?37:28 Slingshot Silhouette Challenge38:40 German TV Show40:00 Setup43:50 Boat scene in US vs Europe46:20 Double ups 49:00 Currently 51:10 Thank you’sShoot us a text!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GrabMattersPodcastWebsite: https://www.grabmatters.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grabmatters/videosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grabmatters/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grabmatterspodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/grabmatters
Grab Matters is a watersports podcast with an emphasis on wakeboarding. Featuring open and honest conversations with professional athletes (both current and former), industry icons, and those who carry a passion for all things wakeboarding. New Episodes every Tuesday! More at www.grabmatters.com
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