I had the chance to catch up with wakeskater, wakeboarder, announcer, author, Canadian, motivator, and extraordinaire James Balzer. Balzer is always a good guy to be around. I feel like everyone around him picks up a bit of his energy and style, whether it be in riding or in their lifestyle. He's a trendsetter in shred and always down to try something new. With the coming season, be sure to keep an eye out for Balzer and the crazy tricks he'll be up to.


ME: Long time, and still haven't seen you James...How is everything?
JB: Good, just waiting for the summer to get started.

ME: Where have you been lately? Home in Canada or down in Orlando?
JB: Up here in canada, I've been up here for most of the winter.

ME: Since it's wintery in most places, have you gotten to get on some powder and shred the snow?
JB: Yea i got a few days up at the mtn for sure but i was able to stay on the water a fair bit too. It's cold riding up here right now but I'm set up for it.

ME: Let's begin with a simple question--who are you? I mean, to many you're more of a myth, a storyteller if you will...How did you get into wakeboarding/skating?
JB: Well I'm 5'9, 163lbs and I'm a positive thinker haha...I'm just a guy who likes to do lots of stuff. I never sit still for long and well, if I wasn't out on the water all the time I would be super busy just doing everything. If you really want to know what im all about just sign up for an online dating website, I have my profile on like every one out there right now.

ME: To me, it seems like you're a pretty balanced guy. You shred, you write, and you have native roots (Indian). With all of these great qualities what have you been focusing on lately in your career?
JB: Well I've been trying to stay heathy right now. I have had a bit of a bad go with injurys the last few years but what I've been focusing on the most is just trying to be real with every one and push the sport in the right direction. I'm blessed to be in a place were I am known for my riding but when you have people looking at you, you got to make sure that you're being a good example. So yea, I'm trying to be a good role model if you will.

ME: Silas Thurman and you are now writing a column for WBM. I saw the first one in the April issue and it entertained. What can we all look for you to cover in the coming season?
JB: ha well I dont want to let the cat out of the bag just yet but Silas and I are going to send you guys on a emotional roller coster. pay attention cause i think you will enjoy.

ME: Since we are approaching another spring/summer/fall combo of riding, where will you be planting yourself this season? O-Town?
JB: Well truth be told when the season hits I'm never really planted in one place for too long. but I will be in o town a fair bit for sure its just my home away from home

ME: With your riding, what should we expect to see from you this year?
JB: well I have finally been healthy for the last year and im really on the hunt for alot of new tricks im gonna be pushing really hard so we will see what goes down

Are you planning on riding in any contests?
yea for sure. i missed out on alot of the contest sceane last year and it really sucked so im gonna hit all the toe jam's for sure and wakestock,wakegames, worlds. Basiclly what ever I can make it out to.

ME: Any videos to look for you in?
JB: Yea theres a few gonna be coming out this season the nike6.0 vid is gonna be rad we just got back from the phillapeans and there's gonna be some sick stuff in there. And we are just getting started on a team vid for Body Glove theres gonna be a bunch of footy from a few diffrent trips and well the B.G team has got alot of crazy riders on it so I cant wait to see how it all turns out. Other than that well the camera is alway rolling when I'm over riding at Brandon Thomas' so you never know whats gonna happen.


Let's play a game now...It's called, "Would you rather?"

ME:Would you rather...eat at Taco Bell or McDonald's for the rest of your life?
JB: I would rather starve, I'm an athlete

ME: Would you rather...hitch-hike from New York City to LA or ride bareback naked through Kansas?
JB: I think thats preatty obvious, if there's one thing I love its being naked on a horse

ME: Would you rather...loose your leg or loose your hearing?
JB: well theres a few way to look at this one you can get a fake leg but you can never replace your hearing , but then you could read lips so if it really came down to it i would rather be able to sit on the tractor working away with no head gear then. waste all my money paying for a pair of shoes and only using one of them.

ME: Would you rather...be forced to never speak what you were thinking or always have to speak what you were thinking?
JB: well i actually have this problem, if im speaking it means im speaking what im thinking. I dont have much of a filter inbetween my brain and my mouth

ME: Would you rather...sleep next to Silas for the rest of your life or never see Silas again?
JB: as long as we alternated from big spoon to little spoon at least once a week i would cudle up with that guy for sure. we might need a plastic bed sheet though cause somebody has been known to wet the bed....


What a good man.