This past year has been a breakout year for me. It was my first year competing as a Pro coming from the Jr. Men’s division. I had some great contest finishes and ended in the top 16 overall, but I was especially happy with the publicity that I got this year. Some highlights include a shoot we did with NASCAR drivers where we taught them how to wakeboard. This aired on ESPN during a Saturday race, which is viewed by millions of people. I started my own website, Austinhair.net, which is a place for fans and others to check out photos, see what I’ve been doing this summer, visit my sponsors’ websites, and contact me. On top of that, I have been utilizing facebook, myspace, and youtube as a way to promote my riding and get my name credibility. I also began writing articles for wakeworld.com, the largest wakeboarding website, as I travel around the world. In February I made the cover of USA Waterski Magazine and later had two page spreads in each
I know that as a sponsor you are only willing to invest as much as you intend to get out. That is why this year I’ve focused as much on getting my name out there and gaining publicity as I have actual riding, which is a lot. Although I am going to school part time, I treat this as my full time job. Over the next year, I plan on doing much more than just riding to promote my sponsors and myself. I’ve been riding in the Hot Tamales Rock n Ride rail jams as the contest season has been dwindling down, and I’ve been putting a lot of time into my website to make it something unique. There is a huge market in the wake industry to be tapped into, and my goal as a rider and a businessman is to help my sponsors cater to that market.
My plans for 2008 include:
- Competing in all 12 stops in the King of Wake series
- Hosting clinics through Supra Dealerships at each of the 12 King of Wake contests
- Working with my publicist to gain news coverage by setting up charitable events in
- Traveling as part of a rail jam team sponsored by Just Born candies to different parts of the country
