Daniel Gierhart

While you are all enjoying the english summer uniwake caught up with Daniel Gierhurt to find out a bit more about the Nottingham uni man

Name, age, Uni, what are you studying?

Dan Gierhart, 21, University of Nottingham, Chemistry

Tell us about your uni team and what you guys are all about?

The club has been going for quite a while now, I only joined this year due to knee injuries. There are about 10-12 people who actually ride most weeks and a lot more who pay and never turn up! Everyone in the team are all really like minded, easy going and just enjoy riding. We also ride a fair bit with trent who are (though it pains me to say it) a good laugh and fun to hang out with too.

How did you get into the sport and what keeps you motivated to keep doing it?

 Gave it a go when I was 14-15 with a couple friends, took me at least 4+ hours to even stand up and get to the first corner but once I had it I was hooked! The motivation to keep riding is firstly the feeling when you stomp a new trick, not much can beat that! Secondly there’s not a lot better than those days spent by the lake in the sun with mates just chilling and riding.

Whats your trick list at the moment and what are you working on or close to landing?

S bends (just about!), Blind Judges, 360’s, inconsistent 5’s. working on rolls and roll rev’s and playing with the idea of a 313.

Do you have any good stories to tell about your wakeboarding?

Riding at the beach break pool gap was amazing. Probably one of the most dangerous things I have ever done (the landing pool was barely knee deep and I took a few chunks out of my board from cheeky nails sticking out of rails) but definitely worth it. Nationals was an incredible weekend too, managed to lose a hubcap off my car and the hearing in my left ear for a couple of weeks.

What do you think to the sport in the UK? Any room for improvement?

Since I started riding, wakeboarding in the UK has come a long way. There were maybe 4 cables when I was 14 and now they seem to be popping up all over the place and system 2.0s are going to make it even bigger! To push the sport even further I think there needs to be more boat riding or at least make it a bit more accessible and cheaper. However with the cost of petrol at the moment this seems unlikely.

What’s three items can't you live without?

My Car

My Mac-mainly because of all the music.

Knee Brace – allows me to wakeboard and snowboard.

What was the last movie you saw?

The Black Swan. That movie confused the shit out of me.

Last time you were drunk?

Had a big 21st last night at a lords house…was pretty epic!

Last CD you bought/song you downloaded?

Kendrick Lamar - Section .80

When do you finish Uni?

Just finished second year so one more year left hopefully and then a couple more ski seasons I reckon.

Anyone else you would like to thank?
Parents for funding me when I was younger, Nottingham Uni for paying for nationals amongst a few other things and James Knowles who has given me countless laughing moments attempting raleys.