MAKING WAVES AND LIVING A DREAM
Unlock magazine recently spoke with Raimi Merritt, a world champion
wakeboarder who is quickly becoming one of the sport’s fastest-rising
stars.
UNLOCK: Where did you grow up and how did you start wakeboarding?
RAIMI: I grew up in West Palm Beach, FL. I grew up waterskiing, and my
dad was a professional barefoot waterskier, so I’ve been around the water
my whole life. He introduced me to wakeboarding at the age of nine, and
I’ve been hooked ever since.
UNLOCK: Who inspired or inspires you to wakeboard?
RAIMI: My dad definitely inspired me to want to wakeboard. Being around
him barefooting all my life, it was so fun to see. The passion he has for the
waterskiing world is awesome, and he just always encouraged me in a way
that made me fall in love with the sport.
UNLOCK: How did you become a world champion? What kind of hours do
you spend working on your dream?
RAIMI: I’ve trained really hard to get where I am now and I’m still working
extremely hard. I wakeboard and also do off-water training every day.
These things are definitely paying off.
UNLOCK: What did it feel like to win the Wakeboard World Cup
Championships in Liuzhou, China?
RAIMI: It was an awesome feeling knowing that I had just flown across
the world to compete against the best women wakeboarders in the world.
To be able to take home the gold was a great feeling and made me really
confident going into the next tournament.
UNLOCK: How do you stay confident at events?
RAIMI: I try to stay focused and not worry about the other competitors. I
really focus on my pass and what tricks I’m going to do, and also what I
need to do to land them.
UNLOCK: Do you like other extreme sports? If so, what kinds get your
adrenaline going?
RAIMI: I like snowboarding. I'm still trying to get the hang of it, but I think
it’s a really fun sport.
UNLOCK: What is your favorite thing to do besides wakeboarding?
RAIMI: Tanning or shopping, for sure!
UNLOCK: We hear you are the only girl to have done a special
wakeboarding flip. Tell us a little about this.
RAIMI: I was the first female wakeboarder to do an s-bend behind the
boat, which is kind of like a Superman with a 360-degree turn. There are
two girls who can do this flip now.
UNLOCK: What are three words that describe you?
RAIMI: Confident, inspiring, fun.
UNLOCK: Since accomplishing so much already in your life, where do you
see yourself in 10 years?
RAIMI: If I'm not riding, then something involving the sport. I would love to
be an awesome role model to other girls who are trying to be successful in
sports – or really in anything.
UNLOCK: For women pursuing a dream, what advice from personal
experience would you give them?
RAIMI: Don't listen to anything negative because you can do anything as
long as you set your mind to it and believe you can.
UNLOCK: When and where is your next competition?
RAIMI: Wake Games April 28 - May 1st Orlando,FL
UNLOCK: What is your website?
RAIMI: Raimimerritt.com
UNLOCK: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
RAIMI: I would just like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak
out to other women. I hope that by telling my story, I can inspire others to
do what their hearts are telling them to do.