The Nautique Network

Dockside Chats: Winter Garden Water Ski – Drew Ross Ski Academy

Nautique Boats: Nautique has been proud partners of Winter Garden Water Ski, home of the Drew Ross Ski Academy for 14 years! How did you personally get started in waterskiing?

Drew Ross: Growing up in Ontario, Canada, we took summers seriously - which meant that from ice out to late fall, time on the water was the priority. While at summer camp in the early 1980’s, I was invited to try a tournament in Muskoka - I’ve been captivated ever since.

NB: Tell us about your facility at Winter Garden Water Ski.

DR: WGWS is located at the Isles of Lake Hancock community, just north of Disney. More than 20 years ago, Leigh’s father Ed Neill was looking for a place to call home and ski in Central Florida, and the orange groves on the south side of Lake Hancock presented a very special opportunity. Two man-made lakes were constructed on a peninsula of land overlooking natural Lake Hancock, a surreal setting, and the Isles of Lake Hancock residential community was born with an eye to optimize Florida lake life and water skiing. The western ski lake is home to Winter Garden Water Ski and offers ideal water skiing conditions in a pristine and idyllic setting.

NB: What is your mission at Winter Garden Water Ski?

DR: Our mission at Winter Garden Water Ski is to provide an unparalleled water ski experience, irrespective of ability - involving progress, building confidence, and having fun.

NB: Can you share some of your favorite client success stories?

DR: Wow, it’s incredible to think about… several skiers who have trained here have gone on to podium at world championships. If you spend some time on the dock, it seems that success stories are frequent, and that the mantra “the sky is the limit” can be very true. But success is not necessarily measured by titles - and victories occur at a very personal level. Whether it is a junior making the course for the first time, a new trick learned, or riding one ski for the first time, achievements and milestones that are memorable help shape the human spirit. Sharing in this is very humbling and a privilege at the same time. 

NB: Your kids, Nautique Athletes Neilly and Charlie Ross, train with you at Winter Garden Water Ski. Can you share your favorite memories from coaching them throughout the years?

DR: What is so funny to think about is how different Neilly and Charlie were as young skiers. From her very beginning at a young age, Neilly came straight to the dock to practice at every opportunity with a discipline I’ve rarely seen. Charlie? Early on, well, not so much - I guess skiing was an acquired taste for him! But as probably every skiing family can relate, I think the time together on the water, in nature, doing fun physical activity, is irreplaceable. Identifying goals, imagining what may be possible, crafting plans to achieve goals - these are life lessons!! They are each other’s number one supporter, which I think has been a massive motivating factor. Both have gone on to win world titles and set records, with the other on shore at the event every time.

NB: Can you describe a typical day in your life at Winter Garden Water Ski?

DR: Essentially, we are a facility that offers coached sessions through the day by reservation and appointment. Water skiers are passionate, and mornings are cherished. We typically begin shortly after sunrise, though daily forecasts and weather conditions do sometimes dictate the schedule for us - as such we ask that guests have flexibility. My role extends from coaching to managing bookings, maintenance items, and hosting tournaments - it’s a very busy life! We’ve got a terrific community of skiers, and the positivity is contagious.

NB: Can you give us some insight as to how your students prepare for big tournaments like the Nautique Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament presented by GM Marine?

DR: Tournament prep is an arduous but healthy process. Every major tournament is different from the standpoint of where it is, and what travel and training will look like in the weeks and days leading up to the event. For the Masters and other majors, we typically make a plan for each athlete months in advance as far as what their runs will look like, where they will be in those days leading up to the tournament, and what the taper from volume training to competition prep will look like. As a coach, I am to instill motivation and confidence in our athletes - and the understanding that a strong work ethic breeds confidence, and so on. Mindset is such a key piece of the process. 

NB: What does Nautique mean to you?

DR: Nautique’s commitment to excellence is self-evident, but it goes much deeper than that. The Nautique mission, “Building Boats to the Glory of God” showcases what Nautique Boats is all about - Nautique is a team of people who share values. A commitment to excellence and staying true to roots (water skiing and water sports) as well as family are all part of the ethos and values of Nautique and the spirit of the Nautique community. I think that Nautique’s respect for tradition and legacy within water skiing is highlighted by the Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament presented by GM Marine. 

NB: What are your favorite features on the Ski Nautique?

DR: I think the versatility offered by the HydroGate, MicroTuners, and trick ballast combine to make a boat that can lead in both slalom skiing and trick skiing, which is simply incredible. These are very different events - slalom skiing requires the flattest wake possible, while trick skiing requires a healthy sized wake with progressive slopes and defined crests. The design and engineering of the Ski Nautique is remarkable.

NB: What does the future of Winter Garden Water Ski look like?

DR: The future?? Well, you’re looking at it! We will continue to strive to improve and focus on offering the best on the water ski experience that we can. For more information, check out www.wgwski.com or @wintergardenwaterski on Instagram.

Dockside Chats: Whitney Rini

Nautique Boats: Congratulations on winning your 10^th Nautique Moomba Masters Open Women’s Slalom Title! Tell us more about this accomplishment and what has contributed to so many years of success!

Whitney Rini: Thank you! I really appreciate Nautique’s consistency in sponsoring Moomba and supporting me over the years, giving me the ability to train behind the very best boat in the industry. It is such a unique opportunity to travel to Melbourne, Australia every March to compete there. It is a great way for me to start my season; it keeps me training on the many cool winter days in Orlando that most people would not go skiing.

I know my unique success at Moomba is based on my faith in knowing God has me right where I am meant to be. I remember being stressed for many years because I had an 8-year streak of winning that I somehow believed was impossible to continue - but my God is a way-maker, a promise keeper, and He makes a way where we cannot see a way. 10 wins in Open Women’s Slalom at Nautique Moomba Masters is only possible because it was God’s plan for my life and all the Glory belongs to Him. 

NB: What strategies did you use to be successful with the Yarra River’s current?

WR: The Yarra was certainly challenging in 2025! The water line was a little higher this year than in years past, so the low tide didn’t offer much relief from the backwash. Even though the current wasn’t moving too rapidly this year, I still tried to adapt my skiing based on the current.

In the first round, I felt like the tail current combined with the headwind made my first pass feel slower, so on the second pass, I anticipated the head current and tailwind to feel quite fast. I decided to pull out softer and earlier on my gate on my second pass… my knowledge of the river certainly didn’t pay off as I had hoped in the first round as I went down early, which forced me to ski in the last chance qualifier. This turned out to be a blessing, and I was able to dial in my gates and experience the challenging conditions one more time before I went out first in the Moomba Monday Finals! 

NB: What changes did you have to make to your gates to accommodate for being on a river?

WR: Because the Zero-Off in the Ski Nautique is set up for maintaining a perfect GROUND SPEED of 34.2mph in women’s slalom, this means that a river current of 1mph would allow the boat to maintain a running speed of 33.2mph in a tail current and still get a 16.95 second time from gate to gate. Whereas in the head current, the boat is forced to work harder and maintain a running speed of 35.2mph in order to get from gate to gate in 16.95 seconds. 

With this in mind, I attempt to modify my gates based on how the boat will be running in the water AND based on how the wind direction affects my gate pull out as well.

I try to pull out later in a tail current (because the boat is running slower) and earlier in a head current (because the boat is running faster). 

Also, I feel I have an advantage in doing a one-handed gate at Moomba. By pulling out later, I avoid the rollers on the gate pull out on the bridge end and the boat path swinging into the course on the city end. 

NB: What are your favorite Nautique Moomba Masters memories?

WR: I have so many beautiful memories sitting on the banks of the Yarra watching Moomba and chatting with friends and fans. I also love attending Hillsong Church in Melbourne every opportunity I get.

Another favorite memory is my brother releasing for me in tricks in 2012 when I won tricks at Moomba! I also remember getting my personal best in jump as I soared 170ft and stood on the only jump podium of my career (Second to Natallia “Birdy” Berdnikava).

My favorite memory from Moomba was riding the Ferris wheel with my son, Zane, when I brought him to Moomba with me in 2023 (when he was 2.5 years old). 

NB: Tell us about your waterskiing journey and what inspired you to pursue a professional waterskiing career.

WR: I was born into a water skiing family and started water skiing before I even remember. I had the opportunity to move to Florida in 2002 to pursue my career. In 2004, I won the Jr. Worlds Overall Title and got sponsored by Nautique Boat Company. With the dedication of my parents and some really amazing coaches (including Steve Bush, Matt Rini & Jaret Llewellyn), I developed an understanding of what it took to become a high level professional waterskier. This included making good choices in high school, choosing to skip partying, alcohol, and even going to the beach on the weekends so I could train both on the water and in the gym at the highest level.

In 2006, I went pro in slalom, and a year later I won my first pro title. My career came together quite quickly, but I certainly worked hard and put in my 10,000 hours to make it to the top of my sport at such a young age.

Now I’m almost 20 years into my professional career and am so grateful for the life it has offered me and the amazing support I have received. Huge shout out to Nautique, my parents, Matt and Busher for being there every step of the way! 

NB: What does an average day in the life of Whitney Rini look like when training for tournaments?

WR: I usually wake up with Zane (my 4.5-year-old son) around 7am and we get ready to go to the lake. I make a salad for me, pack his lunch, and blend up a protein and fruit smoothie for breakfast as I head out the door.

I do a warmup and ski 1-2 sets, and Zane usually skis at least one set as well. When we go home, I get some computer work done (I do real estate and book work to keep up with being an entrepreneur).

I like working out at 4pm, so I will go to the gym and do the stair climber and treadmill work for cardio or do reformer pilates for strength and core work.

When I get home, I make a healthy dinner of organic meat and veggies for our family, and we like to play outside until sunset in the summertime.

NB: Where is your favorite place to ski?

WR: There is no place like home! There’s no place I’d rather spend my days than at Matt Rini’s Waterski School in Orlando. We have such a comfortable set up and only good vibes at our school. I love watching Zane play in the sand and learn to ski with all his favorite pros. Of course, I also love hanging out in our Ski Nautique with my hubby, Matt Rini! 

I do love to compete at Winter Garden Water Ski… this lake was built perfectly for the highest scores and its home to some of the best athletes in the world. I’m thankful for the Ross family for hosting (and letting me be a part of) many record competitions every season!

NB: You have skied in tournaments across the globe. What are your top 3 favorite destinations?

WR: Lakes of Kastynstone, Calgary, AB, Canada - My favorite waterski memory was made here (2009 World Championships) - it is one of the most beautiful places on earth as you drive down the hill to the beautiful twin lakes. Plus, it’s just a short drive to Banff & Lake Louise! If you have never been - put it on your bucket list!!

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil - I attended the Pan Am Games in Rio in 2007. My mom came with me, and I’m so grateful she wanted to stay a day to tour. We hiked up the mountain to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer. This is certainly something I’m glad I got to see! 

Perth, Australia - One year, we had a World Cup stop in Perth after Moomba, so a bunch of the pros made the trip across Australia to some of the most beautiful beaches. A group of us went to Penguin Island to see the penguins in their natural habitat. There were even dolphins swimming in the bay where we competed! Such a cool experience! 

NB: What are your favorite things to do off the water and in the off-season?

WR: My favorite hobby is hanging out with Matt and Zane. I enjoy organizing play dates for Zane with my mom friends. We like to attend Hope Church in Winter Garden. We also love hosting family and friends for meals at our home in Clermont. I am also a real estate agent, so I enjoy looking at houses with clients any chance I get! 

NB: Are there any other watersports that you enjoy?

WR: When I get the opportunity to hang out with Correct Craft engineer, Paula Sleiman Abel, for a mom and Zane play date with Paula and her son, Kai, I enjoy wake-surfing behind her Air Nautique.

I also recently had the opportunity to try E-foiling, and I really enjoyed the feeling of gliding along the water with a similar feel to snowboarding. 

NB: What does Nautique mean to you?

WR: The foundation of Nautique and Correct Craft is “Building Boats to the Glory of God.” This has played an integral part in both my professional career and my faith journey through the profound influence of Mr. Ralph Meloon. Nautique is the leader in design and innovation in our industry, and I’m honored to be in my 21st year of partnership with Nautique Boat Company! Nautique is so much more than just a boat - Nautique has given me the opportunity to live my dream life and spend my days at the lake with my family making memories together. So, I guess to me, Nautique means faith, family and living my dream! 

NB: What are your favorite Ski Nautique features?

WR: Coming out of winter in Orlando, I would have to say the heated passenger seat has been a huge blessing! Of course, I always appreciate the strong and consistent pull of the PCM engine, and I must say my Reef Blue and Steel Blue metal-flake Ski Nautique is an absolute stunner to look at!

NB: Do you train with any Team Nautique athletes?

WR: I train with my amazing husband, Matt Rini at our Ski School in Orlando, pulled exclusively by the Ski Nautique. On a daily basis, I am training alongside my son, Zane, my superstar stepdaughter, Paige, and her husband, Robert Pigozzi. We frequently have Team Nautique athletes show up at the lake for a couple sets from time to time. We always welcome visits from Neilly and Charlie Ross, Thomas Degasperi, and Erika Lang.

NB: Who has been your biggest influence or role model and why?

WR: Growing up, I had the unique opportunity to watch my Aunt Judy train in the summers. She became a 2x World Champion the year I started skiing! If you were there, you would have heard 5-year-old Whitney telling everyone, “I am going to be a world champion one day!”

Dreams become realities when we believe they are possible. Watching my aunt bounce back to training after 3 pregnancies to be a world champion again made me believe that I could do that one day too! My Aunt Judy is a really amazing lady, mom, and now she’s a grandma too! I am grateful I had her as a role model growing up! 

NB: Do you have any advice for aspiring junior waterskiers?

WR: I have a quote I came up with a long time ago: “Go for what your mind wants and don’t give up until your heart is satisfied.” I still believe this fully. I believe God puts dreams in our minds to pursue and we are called to follow those dreams enjoying the ride until 1, we accomplish them or 2, until God calls us somewhere else that changes our dreams! 

We are on this planet to shine the light of love on everyone we meet. What a beautiful opportunity we have been given to live these days in the sun and on the water! I encourage young people to not get frustrated (I wasted so many years being frustrated). Feel gratitude every day for the goals you are pursuing and work hard to achieve them. Replace any fears with faith that God has you right where you are meant to be and pursue those dreams with everything you have! When you arrive at your goals, continue to be grateful to everyone who helped you get there (because you didn’t do it alone)! 

NB: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future?

WR: I am looking forward to an awesome 2025. I plan to ski at some local pro events in Florida and I will go to the Nautique Masters in May. Then, we have Cali Pro Am mid-summer and World Championships in Italy at the end of August. I plan to attend a bunch of record rounds at my favorite sites pulled by Nautiques this summer for opportunities to run 41 too!

Dockside Chats: Joey Harris

Nautique Boats: Welcome to Team Nautique! You just had an incredible season with wins at the Nautique Wakesurf Masters and the Nautique European Wakesurf Championships, and you were crowned the 2024 Nautique Wakesurf Series Overall Champion in Pro Men’s Surf. Can you describe your most memorable moments from the 2024 Nautique Wakesurf Series?

Joey Harris: What’s up! Thank you so much! My most memorable moments from the Nautique Wakesurf Series would have to be traveling with my family and hanging with everyone at the different events. Another thing that comes to mind is when I ended up surfing my 2^nd pass in the semi-finals at the 2024 Masters with only one fin! On the last trick of my first pass, I fell and hit my leg on my left fin, which must’ve popped it out of the fin box! It hurt pretty good, but I didn’t think to check to see if my fin was still there as 99% of the time it is, lol. So, that sweet Paragon pulled me up for my second pass and immediately I felt something wasn’t right with my board. I just figured my fin was loose or something, so I tried to block it out and just focus on surfing. I ended up getting through most of my run and when I checked my board after falling, my fin was gone! I couldn’t believe it and I started laughing to myself. So, I hopped on the jet ski and as I passed by the boat, held up my board and yelled ONE FIN!! The look on some of the judges’ faces was priceless haha. I ended up advancing to finals which was the cherry on top!

NB: What are you most looking forward to as the newest member of Team Nautique?

JH: Being able to meet everyone behind this awesome company and having the opportunity to represent the best wakesurf boats in the world! 

NB: What motivated you to pursue a career in wakesurfing?

JH: Honestly, I didn’t know it was possible to have a career in wakesurfing up until a few years ago haha. I really was just wakesurfing for fun and trying different tricks that I thought were cool. The fact that I can make this my career is pretty awesome, and I’m very grateful to have this opportunity.

NB: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped you as the athlete you are today?

JH: Yeah, for sure. It was actually just last year at Nationals after I had the worst comp run during the finals. I was walking back from the dock with tears in my eyes and feeling pretty defeated when a girl with special needs that was sitting on a bench with her mom asked me how I did. I really didn’t feel like talking about it, but I just said I really didn’t do too well. She was so positive and had a smile on her face when she said, “That’s okay, you’ll do better next time.” I couldn’t help but think - wow, here I am feeling down and negative, complaining about how I rode, and here is this girl who has special needs that has probably never been on a boat, let alone been wakesurfing. Her huge smile and contagious positive attitude towards life got to me. It was like God showed me how much I have to be thankful for in this life, and to not focus so much on the negative. Gods always got a plan.

I’ll never forget that day as it put things into perspective for me. So, thank you to the girl on the bench who reminded me to keep my head up, know there’s good in every situation, and be grateful in every moment.

NB: Wakesurfing has taken you all over the world. Can you share some of your favorite destinations?

JH: Japan for sure! I love the culture out there and everyone is so nice and respectful. Also, I love SUSHI!

I also liked Switzerland. The architecture was impressive, and the people I stayed with were extremely hospitable. London was alright, but I’m not much of a city boy haha. I am also really looking forward to going to Spain with my family this year!

NB: What does a day in your life consist of when training for events?

JH: I do my best to surf as much as I can between teaching lessons, but my goal is to surf at least once a day during the season. I also include a yoga/stretching session in the morning and maybe a skate sesh or Jiu Jitsu in the evening. Eating clean is really important to me too.

NB: What was the hardest trick for you to learn? What tricks are your favorite?

JH: The hardest trick I’ve landed would have to be the Backside 540 Big-Spin. I don’t have it consistent YET, but it’s a pretty rad feeling to stomp that trick.

My favorite tricks on the daily are constantly changing, but I always love a solid Backside Full Rotation, classic Madonna, and lofty Back Big.

NB: What are your favorite activities off the water?

JH: My favorite activities off the water are Jiu Jitsu, skateboarding, yoga, riding my Harley, dirt bikes, mountain bikes, and going to church with my family on Sundays. Recently I’ve gotten into learning about Crypto and how to day trade, which has been fun.

NB: What do you consider your greatest achievements outside of wakesurfing?

JH: Getting baptized is one of my greatest achievements that I will never forget. Also, not letting fear dictate which path to follow and trusting in Him in all the ups and downs of life.

NB: How would you define success in wakesurfing?

JH: I feel success could be defined and perceived in many ways. In my opinion, success in wakesurfing involves spreading the joy of it to others and cheering everyone on.

NB: What career would you pursue if you weren’t a professional wakesurfer?

JH: Gosh, that’s a tough one. My parents used to say if you can help it, try to be your own boss, so I’d probably be an entrepreneur of some sort. I would probably dabble in some real estate too.

NB: Who inspires you and what advice would you give to aspiring wakesurfers? 

JH: I took some time to really think about this question as I didn’t have an answer right away. There are actually multiple people who inspire me for different reasons. For instance, my parents inspire me to work hard and always be kind to others, my sister inspires me to be a better brother and friend, my grandparents inspire me to believe in myself and always stay true to who I am, the Bible inspires me to share the Good News to everyone and always give glory to God, I could keep going as there are many people who inspire me and I’m grateful for every single one of them.

As for the aspiring wakesurfers, my advice would be to focus less on the end results and instead just enjoy the journey. You’re going to win some and you’re going to lose some but having a positive attitude and knowing that it’s all part of the process will make the journey much more fun. It’s a constant mindset that I still struggle with but do my best to remember every day. Oh, and most importantly HAVE FUN!!

NB: What does Nautique mean to you?

JH: Being a part of Nautique means being on the Dream Team! Even though I haven’t been in this industry long, it’s no secret that they are the best, and I’m extremely grateful to have this opportunity!

NB: What are your favorite features on the Super Air Nautique G23?

JH: First and foremost, that dreamy, never-ending (as long as you have gas lol) wave! The Nautique wave has a unique shape that allows me to get more pop, which equals bigger tricks and the ability to create new ones. Plus, what I’ve really come to appreciate with my G23 is the fit and finish. It truly is a beautiful boat, and you can tell Nautique takes pride in their work.

NB: What’s on your playlist when you ride behind your Super Air Nautique G23?

JH: That all depends on the day. If I’m going out for a morning session, I love to listen to Gospel music as it helps to keep me in a joyful and grateful mood. Here are some of my favorite Gospel songs: Holy Forever by Chris Tomlin, Living Hope by Bethel Music, and Miracle Child by Brandon Lake.

Other times, I’m mostly listening to reggae, which I think is one of the best boat music genres. Reggae Songs: Way of Life by Stick Figure, Smooth Sailin by Stylie, Hold Firm by Collie Buddz.

NB: What are your goals for 2025?

JH: My goals for 2025 include growing my Wakesurf School here on Table Rock Lake (if you’re interested, here’s my website: jh3surf.com), creating more unique and fun content, doing at least one NBD, staying positive no matter the circumstances, and most importantly growing in my Faith.

NB: Where do you see yourself in five years?

JH: Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t want to know - and I mean that in a good way! A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines His steps. Proverbs 16:9

Whatever the Lord has in store for me, I’m here for it. I pray that in those 5 years, I have gained wisdom and understanding, I have grown closer in my relationship with God, and have hopefully turned others to Him as well.