WW: Let’s start with some stats… Name, age, and where do you live?
YR: I am Yuriy Rulevskiy, I am 17 years old. Originally from Russia, but have been living in Germany for the last six years.
 
WW: What made you move from Russia to Germany?
YR: My mom got a working opportunity to come over to Germany six years ago.
 
WW: So you speak Russian, German and English?
YR: Yes, I speak Russian, English and German fluently. I am also learning Spanish in school and had French for two years.
 
WW: Wow, that’s impressive! Now onto the subject of wakeboarding. How many years have you been wakeboarding for?
YR: I have been wakeboarding for three years now.
 
WW: Who introduced you to the sport of wakeboarding?
YR: My really good friend Philippe Davis brought me into wakeboarding when he was in Germany. Now he is back in Canada. He even shared his board with me for a year until I knew wakeboarding is my passion.
 
WW: Where is your local lake?
YR: I ride at the Mannheim Cable Park in Germany.
 
WW: Is there a bit of a wakeboard scene going on there?
YR: There are some really good/pro wakeboarders riding at my local lake, so that helps me progress and push my limits. We tend to compete against each other to improve and to throw out some of the biggest tricks on the water.
 
WW: Do you ride the same people or do you venture out and ride with other wakeboarders?
YR: I usually ride with the people from my local cable park, for example Max and Felix Andrade, but I like to travel to other cables and competitions so I get to ride at different spots and with different people from all over the world. My friends and I did a road trip through USA and Canada shredding some cable parks. Especially, I really liked Wake Nation Cincinnati, Ohio. We had a really great time there!
 
WW: What kind of boat do you usually ride behind?
YR: I don't really usually ride behind the boat. It is not that popular in Germany. The only time I rode behind a boat was in USA behind my friend's Malibu.
 
WW: Did you like riding behind the boat?
YR: It was different. I love rails. That's what I miss behind the boat. Maybe if I would ride behind the boat more often. Then I would get into it and like it more.
 
WW: When you rode behind the boat, were you still able to do some of the tricks that you do at the cable park?
YR: At first I had difficulties hitting the wake properly, but I could still do some tricks like tantrum.
 
WW: What do you enjoy most about wakeboarding?
YR: I enjoy riding because of the pure joy and happiness I experience when I am on the water. The feeling of cutting through the glassy water and learning new tricks is simple, yet exhilarating. The freedom which you have while riding because there is no limit of what you can achieve. One of the important parts is that you can be unique and express your style like none has ever had.
 
WW: What do you like to do when you’re not wakeboarding?
YR: I like to travel and go to the gym when I can't wakeboard. In winter, when it's too cold here to wakeboard, I go snowboarding as often as I can.
 
WW: Do you have WakeWorld.com set as your home page?
YR: In addition to Google, WakeWorld.com is my second home page.
 
WW: Are there any tricks that you are working on or want to work on?
YR: I am currently working on a melan grab frontside 720 and frontside 900, as well as a backside 720 and indy grab backside 540. Next season I am eventually planning on trying some double flips.
 
WW: What would your ideal day be like?
YR: An ideal day would be waking up, going wakeboarding the whole day and then going out somewhere with good friends at night.
 
WW: Pro wakeboarders… who would be your top three and why?
YR: Daniel Grant is definitely one of my top three. He goes big and when I say big, I mean BIG! It doesn't matter if on wakeboard or on wakeskate, he goes crazy on anything he rides on!
 
Raph Derome is also one of them by who you just don't know what to expect. You don't hear from him that often, but when you do, it blows your mind!
 
Last one is Max Andrade. He rides at my local cable and it's just fun to watch him ride. The amount of style he has on anything he hits and at the same time he makes everything look so easy when we all know it's not!
 
WW: Are there any spots that you are hoping to one day ride at?
YR: I really want to get to ride at the cables in Asia (Thailand, Philippines etc.) and also in Australia!
 
WW: Where would you like to see yourself five years from now?
YR: I would love to see myself competing internationally and riding with the world’s best wakeboarders.
 
WW: Any words of advice to those that are starting out?
YR: There are good and bad days. Just never give up and keep practicing!
 
WW: Is there anyone that you would like to thank?
YR: First of all I would like to thank to the person who brought me to the sport and motivated and encouraged me to move on in wakeboarding. If he wouldn't have done that, I would probably not be writing this here now (haha). Philippe Davis, thanks bro! Thank you to my family and friends for all the support they give me. Of course, I would like to thank my sponsors Wakeology Wakeboards and Skate Factory Wiesloch. Lastly, not to forget a big thank you to WakeWorld!