Ashley Leugner - Canadian Wakeboarder

Ashley Leugner

Related Items:
Ashley Leugner Wakestock 2007 Photo Gallery

After finishing 9th on the Pro Wakeboard Tour in her first season, Ashley Leugner is one of Canada's rising stars and a great ambassador for the sport. On the water Ashley is described as "definitely not girly style ... big and smooth." Read up on Saskatchewan's Ashley Leugner.

SC: Can you give us a little info about your wakeboarding background?

AL: There isn’t really a lot to it. I grew up on Echo Lake near Fort Qu’Appelle so I was pretty much a water baby. I saw someone wakeboarding one year at the Shuswhaps and our family rented a board to try. My brother and I both liked it so we bought a board before leaving B.C. For us it was just another thing to do behind the boat, until one day I entered a contest at Regina Beach. I had a ton of fun and met a whole new group of awesome people who I still ride with today. I’d never give up that experience for anything it was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Ashley Leugner

SC: You competed on the Pro Tour this year. Did you enjoy it? What was it like competing against the best in the world?

AL: Riding on the tour is awesome; I wish there were more stops for the girls to hit though. We only ride at two of the five. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I get to ride with girls like Dallas Friday and Emily Copeland-Durham, but everyone is so down to earth that it’s not overwhelming at all. All the girls that ride are cool and fun to be around, so it’s a really good time. I’ve been working like crazy since I got home and haven’t really been riding as much as I’d like. I’m confident that my run is consistent, but I would have liked to show up to Portland with a whole new bag of tricks. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again though.

SC: What are your goals for the remainder of the season?

AL: One of my main focuses other than my riding right now is the amount of girls that rip in Saskatchewan, which is almost nil. I’m going to hold some girls clinics to try and get more girls out competing and having a good time on the water. My personal goals include winning nationals, podiuming at Wakestock and staying in the top ten on the Pro Tour. I’m working on a lot of new tricks which I would like to have consistent before the cold weather hits as well.

SC: Do you have a coach, or do you just go out with other riders and get feedback from them?

AL: I don’t really have A coach persay, but I ride with some guys who are coaches and help me out a lot with my riding. When I’m in Florida I ride at O-Town with my Sask buddy Braden and Glen Fletcher. We also have training days where there are about seven of us from all over SK that meet at a lake and ride for three days together and help each other out. We also do stuff like Yoga, Nutrition and Sport Psychology during these days.

Ashley Leugner

SC: What other events will you be competing at this summer?

AL: Unfortunately every weekend where there is a major contest in Saskatchewan there is a bigger contest for me outside the Province. Fort example our Provincial Championship is the same weekend as the Portland Tour Stop, and my shop is holding their contest the same weekend as Wakestock. I will also be at Canadian Nationals in Wasaga Beach and then go to the Tige Pro Am in October.

Ashley Leugner

SC: What’s your favorite contest?

AL: Summer Invasion on Wascana Lake is my favourite contest. It’s on a private lake in the middle of Saskatchewan’s capital city. The course is right in front of the Legislative buildings which makes for awesome photos. Thousands of people come out for the event and it’s always an unreal time.

SC: Who are your sponsors & what board/binding setup do you use?

AL: Right now I’m riding a 133 Player with XS Xenon bindings. I love my board this year. Since I starting riding for O’brien I’ve had trouble finding a board I like and the Player totally hit the spot. I also ride for Straightline, Jetpilot, Lost Clothing and Offaxis Boardshop.

SC: You spent quite a bit of time this winter living in Florida. Are you going to try and spend next winter down there now?

AL: The big word in that question is TRY. Since I’ve finished school I’ve pretty much been on my own when it comes to money, and you could probably assume that it’s not cheap to live in Florida for the winter without any income. So my plan is to go back when I save up enough money again. I’m hoping it will be the beginning of ’08, but I guess we’ll just have to see. I thinking making the move to Florida was really great for me though, you get to meet lots of industry people and you have total freedom rather than being at a camp down there.

Ashley Leugner

SC: All of the top Saskatchewan riders that I’ve ever met are really proud of the level of riding in the province. Why is that? Why do you think there are so many good riders in the province?

AL: I think everyone is so proud because we’re so much like a team or a family and we get pumped on everyone else’s achievements. For example when we’re in the boat and someone lands a new trick, after jumping the water on top of them we fight over who rides next because everyone is so stoked off the new trick. It’s kind of a cycle that just keeps going and growing. I don’t really know how to explain it I just know that it’s awesome. I think I kind of answered both of those questions. You can check out my article on the site to get a better idea of how it all started.

SC: How would you describe your riding style? What other sports have influenced you and your riding?

AL: I needed a little help with this question so I asked one of the guys and he said “definitely not girly style, I’d say you ride big and smooth” Down in Florida a lot of people say that all of the Saskatchewanites ride like Rusty, so I guess I ride like Rusty if he was a girl. I’ve played pretty much every sport growing up and I can’t say any of it’s really influenced my riding. The only thing that come to mind is when it came time to hit a rail wakeboarding I didn’t think twice about it because I done it so many times on my snowboard.

Ashley Leugner

SC: If you could spend a day wakeboarding with anyone, who would it be?

AL: Truthfully it would have to be my friend Jeannesta Wildeman. We used to be inseparable on and off the water. We even lived in a trailer park together back in the day, but since I’ve started taking my riding to the next level I haven’t really had time to ride with her.

SC: Who would you like to thank?

AL: Firstly I’d like to thank mom and dad for letting me follow my dreams and fly me home when I run out of money, my brother for calling me a wimp when I wouldn’t try a backroll. Danny and Doug Elder, Ryan Willisko, Jayna Peel and Sheri Sieferling for the continuing support, Anthony Hollick, Adam Burwell, Dylan Miller, Craig and Mark McMorris, Braden Stumborg, Jenacee Jackson, Mike Lieffers and my awesome boyfriend for all the pulls, pointers and good times.

Ashley Leugner

Quick Questions:

Starbucks or Tim Hortons?
Tim Hortons…..you never really realize how much you miss it until you can’t have it. Starbucks has excellent Vanilla Frap’s though I’ll give them that much.

Coke or Pepsi?
Neither really

Favorite Band/Artist?
Big fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers……Anthony Keidis’ biography was epic. And they put on a great show I rocked out harder than anyone at that concert….so I’m told.

Any pets?
An 8 year old Maltese named Ajax……and I part time take care of Axis an awesome black lab.

Favorite Food?
There is way too much food in the world to pick a favourite…..steak, chicken, pasta and pizza I’d say would be my top 4.

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