Daniel Grant aka. Tao is a Professional wakeboarder and wakeskater who set the record for the youngest wakeboarding world champion when he was just 13 years old in WWA history. 

Sponsored by Rip Curl and Liquid Force, as part of their International Pro Team, Daniel competes in wakeboard and wakeskate tournaments around the world. 

He recently went viral for posting a video of wakeboarding along a partially flooded Road and was given a one-month suspended jail term and fined by a Provincial Court in Thailand. He sits with us today to set the record straight regarding this incident as well as discuss the wakeboarding scene and representing Thailand on a global stage.

Introducing, Daniel Grant.

#wakeboarding #wakepark #wakepark #podcast #thailand #bangkok #liquidforce #ripcurl #danielgrant #wwa #thaigerpodcast #thethaiger 

00:00 Intro 

01:33 Becoming Pro

03:05 Was it about competing or winning?

03:39 How he started

05:44 How expensive is wakeboarding?

07:20 How to progress in wakeboarding? 

08:15 Daniel Grant’s first sponsor 

08:52 Finding sponsors 

09:22 What role do sponsors play in the wakeboarding career?

10:05 Why Thailand?

12:42 Coming to Thailand for wakeboarding 

13:31 Dream destination for wakeboarders 

15:26 How to enter tournaments?

17:01 The desire to continue wakeboarding after an accident 

19:19 Traveling to the tournaments 

20:49 How he felt after becoming champion at 13 years old 

23:00 Taking risks 

23:21 Life after becoming champion 

25:03 Wakeboarding in the spotlight

26:34 Maintaining relationships 

27:45 How did he deal with all of it at a young age

28:39 Wakeskating in the floods of Bangkok going viral

33:51 The consequences after wakeskating in the floods

39:41 Bad Exposure 

44:35 Cheating in wakeboarding

47:42 Things to look out for in wakeboarding 

48:41 The biggest no-no in wakeboarding 

51:03 Advice on pursuing a career in wakeboarding