She’s Mildura’s queen of the wake. Bec Gange is the 2014 World Wakeboard Association and 2018 International Wakeboarding and Waterski Federation world champion, but as well as her personal achievements one thing that she is really passionate about it helping others achieve their goals with the board. She chats with Angus Dearlove about why she got into coaching, and how proud she is of the sport continuing to grow in Mildura.
BEC Gange is a jack of all trades.
She’s a world class athlete, two world titles to her name, a reality TV star, and also a passionate coach of those willing to learn the art of wakeboarding.
“I’ve been coaching for a fair few years now, but I really enjoy it,” Bec says.
“I love it when someone learns something new, or something they’ve been working on for a while and they get closer, just the smiles – that’s why I love doing it.
“I love to see people smile when they are out there.”
She highlights a recent coaching session with a trio of “students”, who help her remember why she loves it.
“All three of them were laughing and smiling the whole time and I was like ‘yay, this is why I do it,” Bec laughs.
Those under her tutelage should do well to listen.
She says learning wakeboarding is all about doing it right from the start.
“Learn your basics, and try and ride with someone that has done it before,” Bec says.
“So you can learn things properly from the start, so in the future you don’t have to backtrack to go forward.
“You can just keep progressing easier.
“And attend your local events, go to your Wakeboard Victoria contests, or Wakeboard Australia contests, then you meet people that are interested in the same things as you.”
Bec detailed what it takes to be good at the sport.
“To be good at wakeboarding itself you’ve got to be fit and strong, but sometimes it’s just natural talent,” she says.
“Other times it’s whether you can take a hit and get back up, because you’ll never be at the top level unless you are ready to hurt yourself.
“Take a faceplant and have a concussion, or hurt your knee or shoulder or whatever – you’ll never get to the top unless you take some hits so you’ve got to have some guts that’s for sure.”
Wakeboarding is becoming increasingly popular in Mildura, particularly with the river being right on our doorstep.
Bec was a big part of the return of the Wakeboarding State Of Origin tournament, now held annually on the banks of the Murray River.
The event continues to grow and grow, with future plans to extend it into a two-day event.
“It’s awesome, that was the point of the competition: to grow wakeboarding in Mildura,” Bec says.
“I think it’s starting to take off, using our riverfront and using the water that’s right there it basically attracts a lot of tourists to Mildura.
“It’s awesome to see it still going and continuing to grow.”
