Phase 5 Blog

The P5 Regatta has become a staple on the event calendar for the team and now in its 4th year, it just keeps getting better with more riders and family members attending! What started as an extended hangout after our team photoshoots has taken on its own life as a full-fledged event meant to bring the team closer together.

Spend the afternoon with the P5 GROM SQUAD, consisting of Emma Proudfit, Collins Neal, and Heidi Jo Neal. These young rippers are all about fun on the water. Whether they're cheering each other on or riding all at once, it's nothing but a good time every time they hit the water! Check it out now.

Cade Lybeck may not get much surfing in during the winter due to living in Minnesota, but when the season is on, it’s on! With a solid 2025 season in his rearview and his eyes set squarely on 2026, we caught up with him to chat about what’s going on. Check it out now.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Jett Lambert has been on the forefront of surf progression for the last few years. Landing new tricks, getting tricks consistent that were previously inconceivable and standing atop more podiums than any other rider, Jett has been pushing surfing like no other. No wonder he took the P5 Rider of the Year award for the second year in a row! Congrats, Jett! Check in with him below about how his 2026 is coming together!

Beyond The Prop" is back with episode 2 featuring Jodi Grassman! Jodi has just returned to the Phase 5 team after a few year hiatus and we are stoked to have her back. The four time Women's World Champ has been killing it behind the boat for years. Starting off wakeboarding to follow in her sister's footsteps early on, she found more fun and success with wakesurfing and took to the sport with ease. Dive into Jodi's background this episode as she discusses her surf beginnings, the highs and lows that come with being a professional athlete, traveling the world to compete, and more! Enjoy!

Even though she was absent from the actual Regatta event to accept her award, Bailey Rush was named the International Rider of the Year by her fellow Phase 5 teammates! Bailey had an amazing season so this award is very well deserved. A huge highlight of her year was traveling to China to compete in the 2025 World Games where she took home the gold! Along with many other top podium finishes, Bailey’s year was filled with travel, awesome riding, coaching and more stoke for the sport than most! Congratulations again on an awesome year, Bailey!

A legend in every sense of the word, Caro Villeneuve has logged more hours on a board and in the boat than most. Originally from Canada, she has been with Phase 5 for years and she truly embodies what Phase 5 is all about! She may have taken a step back from competition over the last few years but she is still very involved with the sport. She runs a wakesurfing school – H20 School LTD – on Lake Koocanusa BC Canada every season and gives back as much to the wakesurf community as she can! Congrats again, Caro! You’re a legend!

Caring for your Phase 5 board is simple—but essential. Each board is handmade in the USA using premium materials designed to last. With the right care, your board will perform at its best for years; without it, wear and tear can shorten its lifespan. In this video, Drew Danielo walks you through everything you need to know to keep your Phase 5 board in top condition. Whether you're new to wakesurfing or a seasoned rider, proper wakesurf board maintenance, cleaning, and storage are key to extending the life of your board and maximizing performance on the water. 

Every year at the Phase 5 Regatta, we hold a special Athlete’s Awards Dinner where we can highlight the achievements of the team over the last season. With such a stacked team, there is no shortage of “congratulations” to go around! Outside of the competition highlights and introducing newly added team members are the Phase 5 Awards. These special five awards – Inspirational, Legend, Rookie of the Year, International ROTY, and ROTY – are given to the riders who truly embody the Phase 5 spirit and show it day in and day out, on and off the water.

Once a year, we invite as many members of the Phase 5 team that we can to attend the annual Phase 5 Regatta in Sebring, FL. This is a chance for riders from all over the country, and the world, to get together to bond, shred, and have fun together. Most of these riders don’t see each other outside of the events so we think it’s an awesome opportunity for them to get to know each other on a more personal level. Between the riding and the games, we also took time to have our annual “Awards Dinner” where we honor the teams accomplishments. We will post more from that evening over the coming weeks to give the riders some extra love but in the meantime, check out the images from the event and keep your eyes peeled for a full recap video coming soon!

When it comes to skim style boards, you can ride with or without the fins, depending on your skill level and your style of riding. If you go with no fins, don't worry about this video! But if you want to ride with your fins and need some tips on how to install them for the best ride, let Drew Danielo give you the run down!

Jillian Albright comes to us from Prior Lake, Minnesota. Her smooth style and positive attitude really caught our attention so we knew we had to bring her on! With a few World titles under her belt in Amateur and Semi-Pro divisions, she has stepped up to the pro ranks and is looking to throw down this season! We caught up with her to welcome her to the team and get to know her better. Check it out now!

Introducing a brand new podcast series from Phase 5: “Beyond The Prop”. In these episodes, we’ll be talking about all things surf with our athletes and influential people across the surfing scene. We’ll be taking deep dives into our athlete’s past, breaking down their most memorable moments in their surfing career, discussing what’s going on now and what they have planned for the future. We’ll also be talking tech and discussing the finer points of their pro models, and other boards in the line, so you can know all about Phase 5! So get stoked and enjoy “Beyond The Prop”! First up, John Akerman!

Luke Hutcherson is a tech skim style rider who comes to us from Stillwater, OK. He recently flipped the switch in 2025 and started to compete in the professional ranks. This decision paid off for him when he took his first pro win and we couldn’t be more stoked for him. Get to know him a bit better below!

Team rider Mo Hamoui is based in the Pacific Northwest. Washington to be specific. Where the scenery is lush and green during the summer and cold and harsh during the winter. That doesn’t tarnish Mo’s enthusiasm for surfing though. He’s one of those riders that makes the most out of every season. He rides as often as he can when the weather is good and is known to get out even on snowy days during the winter to keep his skills sharp. We chatted with him about how life is out there compared to the riders in warmer places.

So you just received your brand new Phase 5 surf style board and you're stoked to ride but need to install your fins on the board first. Where do you begin? We caught up with team riders John Akerman and Drew Danielo to give you a nice run-down of how your fins go on your new board and the benefits of different fin set ups!

After a five year hiatus, Jodi Grassman is back on the Phase 5 team and we are hyped! Originally from Lake Placid, FL, Jodi has been in the surf game for quite some time and has the accolades to prove it! We are super stoked to have her back representing Phase 5 as she spreads her positive energy and talent to every rider she comes across. So help us in welcoming Jodi Grassman back to team Phase 5!

So you just got your Go Foil package and you're ready to go, but you need to put it together first. Well don't worry because ew've got your back! We connected with foil rider extraordinaire John Akerman to show you how quick and easy it is to assemble your Go Foil package! Whether it's the Go Foil Cruise or Go Foil Flip package, this tutorial applies to both.

These days, it seems like everybody is riding a foil! And now it's your turn! Foiling is a fun step away from surfing that gives you a whole new feeling of riding on the water. So you just got your Phase 5 Ether Foil set up and you're ready to get going. Check out this video where John Akerman walks you through the proper way to set the foil up on your board and gives you some insight on how to really dial in your ride.

Hi, everyone! And happy Friday! Today, we’re throwing it back to this gem of a video that gives some pretty solid tips and tricks when it comes to getting your kids behind the boat. The name of the game is PATIENCE when teaching, especially young kids, and team rider Stacia Bank knows the game better than most! Stacia has long been known for her coaching prowess and having three kids herself, she has plenty of experience when it comes to teaching kids. Check out the video now and use some of these helpful tips to get your kid shredding this season!

Music is what gets the people going! And when you're out on the boat, you want everyone to be having a good time. In this series, we'll catch up with our pro riders to see what tunes they've been bumping out on the water. First up, Parker Payne!

The age old question in wakesurfing – “Should I ride a surf or skim style board?” Well, team riders and surf legends John Akerman and Drew Danielo are here to help you decide. Surf and skim style boards look and feel very different while riding and if you understand those differences, you can choose the right type of board for you and really maximize your time on the water!

The latest addition to the Phase 5 team is a local Florida boy and longtime P5 fan – Todd Chapdelaine. Todd can be found riding around the Orlando area, always with a huge smile on his face. He’s been known to catch sets with team riders like John Akerman and Sean Silveira over the years so you know a bit of their talent rubbed off on him. Get to know him a little better and congrats again, Todd!

With plenty of foil options out there these days, we wanted to do a quick dive into our available foil package set ups to give you an idea of how they ride and what kind of rider would benefit from each set up. Check out each of our three foil packages below and get flying this season!

Maya Walters from the heart of wakesurf country, Windermere, FL, is next on the announcement list for new team Phase 5 riders for 2026. Maya is a surf-style rider who is all about hard slayshes on the wave and taking her tricks way above the lip. After an undefeated 2025 season in her division, we thought it was time to bring her on board. Get to know her a bit better!

Finley Jones from Anderson, SC has been rising the ranks in the junior divisions over the past few seasons and we have taken notice! You can always find him with a smile on his face, a good attitude, and a big bag of technical skim tricks! Whether he's on the ever-popular Key or the Mindset, Finley can shred it with ease. Get to know him a bit better now and welcome him to team P5!

Next up for our new team riders in 2026 is Jenna Leseburg. Jenna hails from Antioch, CA and even though she hasn’t been riding for very long, she’s already made a solid impact on the scene and we’re super stoked to have her representing Phase 5! So join us in welcoming Jenna Leseburg to P5 and find out more about her now!

Phase 5 is always on the lookout for riders who are stoked to be on the water, ride well, and love to share the sport of wakesurfing with anyone and everyone. We’ve made a few additions to the team for 2026 with that criteria in mind. Over the month of January, we’ll be announcing our new team riders and first on the list is Sam Wahnish from Clermont, FL. Sam has been around the water all his life and has really progressed his technical skimming over the last few seasons. RIding and getting coached by Sean Silveira has definitely helped! Join us in welcoming Sam and learn a bit more about him now!

We are stoked to be partnered with such awesome coaches and wakesurf schools all over the world! Long time P5 team rider, Caro Villeneuve, operates the H2O School Ltd on Lake Koocanusa in British Columbia, Canada. Check out this awesome video that showcases their incredible set up! Check it out now.

With boat waves getting bigger and bigger every year, John Akerman saw the need for a board specifically designed for these man-made swells. With that in mind, he came up with the 2026 Sensei. This brand new design is pretty different from his other pro model, the Ahi, so we caught up with the man himself to see how it all came to fruition. 

Jett Lambert has been on a competitive tear for the last few years. I mean, we don’t call him “Jett Shreds” for nothing…claiming another PWT title this year, we wanted to throw it back to his winning run from the first stop of the Pro Wake Tour in Ft. Worth, TX. Will he do it again in 2026? We shall see! 

Bailey Rush stays busy during the season. With travel, coaching and trying to ride as much as possible, Bailey stays on the go. With the season over, we figured we could catch up with her. Check it out now!

Operation Wakesurf is an amazing organization that specializes in providing unforgettable and unique on-water experiences for first responder and military personnel. Hosting events all through the season, Operation Wakesurf gets hundreds of men and women who keep our communities safe on the water. We caught up with the Founder and President, Robby Maschhaupt, this Veteran’s Day to dig into Operation Wakesurf, how it got started, and what his plans are for the future. Check it out now.

The team descended into Dubai this past weekend for the 2025 Wakesurf Championships – Dubai Creek Edition! Dubai definitely does this event the right way! The contest site was insane, with incredible views and towering skyscrapers all around. One thing Dubai is known for is its unreal architecture and seeing the buildings for the first time is a crazy experience! 

Who doesn’t love a good throwback video?! This week, we scoured the internet to find this gem of a clip – Sean Silveira’s winning run from the 2021 PWT Stop in Katy, TX. Sean might not be the guy to beat at contests as much as he used to, seemingly passing that torch to his protege Jett Lambert, but for a time, Sean was crushing every contest he entered! Take a trip down memory lane and check out the video now!

Jett Lambert had himself another year in 2025. Winning almost every contest he entered, traveling the globe, pumping out solid content all season, and enjoying every bit of it along the way, Jett is living the life. We caught up with him to see what he thought of his 2025 and which moments really stood out!

The 2025 season is officially a wrap! With the last stop of the 2025 Centurion WSWS taking place this last weekend as the World Wakesurfing Championship in Florida, we saw plenty of Phase 5 riders being crowned World Champions! Check out the podium photos below along with Whitley Stewart and Jett Lambert’s winning runs.

Day 2 of the 2025 Centurion WSWS World Wakesurfing Championship is on! What are you waiting for? Check out the livestream video now!

Happening NOW…day 1 the 2025 Centurion WSWS World Wakesurfing Championship is going down as you’re reading this! Check out the livestream video now.

The 2025 season is winding down and just like year’s past, Whitley Stewarts season was a whirl wind! Filled with traveling, competitions, victories, new tricks, and even getting engaged, Whitley has stayed busy all year long. We caught up with her to see what some of her highlights of the year were!

The Neal family from Texas has become a staple shred fam over here at Phase 5 over the last couple of years. Mark and Bree Neal, along with their daughters Collins and Heidi, are fully in on the lake life and are all about sharing it with others and getting as many people as they can on Phase 5 boards. And with Collins and Heidi taking to surfing like fish in water – eventually at least – the Neals traded in their old run around boat and went all in on surfing! We caught up with Bree to chat a little bit about how they got their start, how they keep it fun, and how they manage to keep Collins and Heidi under control!

Team rider Allison Hansen’s podcast, “Sorry for the Wake”, sits down with riders in their natural habitat – on the water! For the latest episode, she connects with fellow team rider Robert McClelland for some shreds and good conversation. Check it out now!

Check out this awesome review of the Key “Jett Shreds” model by Board Co! This super-progressive shape is made to push the boundaries of what’s possible on the water.

Who doesn’t love a good throwback clip? We sure do! This week, we were feeling nostalgic and decided to do a little “Flashback Friday” of one of our OG riders, Mr. Key himself - Sean Silveira! Only a few short years ago, Sean was topping the podium of basically every major event and he did it with tons of style. These days, Sean still rides hard but doesn’t compete as often. He’s been an integral part in the development of the future generation of riders. Mainly riders like Jett Lambert, Rob McClelland, and Whitley Stewart to name a few. Enjoy this clip of Sean tearing it up and winning the 2020 Nautique Masters now!

The World Games just took place in Chengdu, China and this was the first year that wakesurfing was included in the games! With over 40 sports represented by athletes from across the globe, we were honored to have team riders Bailey Rush and Jett Lambert represent Canada and the USA, along with Phase 5, at the inaugural event. They both also managed to take 1st place in Pro Women’s and Pro Men’s and take home a gold medal! Congrats! 

Is your surfing a little stale? Are you ready to try something new? Well, let Whitley Stewart teach you step by step how to conquer the switch body varial! This is a great maneuver that can really open the gates to riding switch and getting comfortable riding that way. 

Jett Lambert came out swinging this season with a dominating performance in the first stop of the Pro Wake Tour. Jett recently won the overall PWT series so we figured we’d send it back to the first stop to show you how he got there! Check it out now!

When it comes to wakesurfing, it’s easy to look towards the future. Always chasing the next big trick, the next spot, the next whatever…but it’s always good to look in the past and see where things have come from! That’s exactly what this “Throwback Thursday” is all about! This video, “An Afternoon On The Lake”, is just what it sounds like. A solid session with Max Smetts and Drew Danielo doing what they love – surfing! The footage might be a little grainy because this was way before 4k cameras were the norm and the wave might not be as gnarly as you’re used to these days, but the heart is there! Enjoy some throwback clips now!

We are stoked to welcome Canadian rider Morgan Bateman to team Phase 5! Morgan’s skills have really been shining these past few seasons and, with the help of fellow team rider and part-time coach Bailey Rush, she is really starting to come into her own. Learn more about her below and join us in welcoming her to the team!