Wakeboarding prodigy smashes obstacle course in thrilling video

French cable wakeboarding prodigy Jules Charraud started the sport when he was 10 years old.

Cable wakeboarding is a form of wakeboarding where the rider’s rope and handle are pulled by an electrically-driven cable. However, a competitive athlete like Charraud doesn’t casually glide through the water. The up-and-comer flexed his trick skills in a 60-second obstacle course shot in collaboration with Red Bull. 

Charraud launches himself into the water with a spin. Holding onto a cable with one hand, he then soars off a ramp with a backflip in midair. He does a few more flips as he bounces from rail to rail on the course. Next, he spins into a perfect grind and seamlessly lands back on the water. Charraud manages a few more perfect flips before arriving back on solid ground. Not too bad for a highlights reel. 

Despite the impressive air flips, Charraud actually prefers doing tricks off the rails.  

“It’s the same in snowboarding or skateboarding,” Charraud told The Cable. “There, you have guys like Tony Hawk who are specialists in riding halfpipe and others who focus on street and rails. I just prefer rails, but every once in a while I have some fun with air trick sessions, too.”

Three-time world cable wakeboarding champion James Windsor even gave props to the wunderkind. 

“Jules is probably one of the greatest potential riders in the world, with the most complete riding technique,” Windsor told Red Bull

If you enjoyed this story, check out the Slovenian daredevils who created a water swing using a massive pendulum swing.

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