Nanou Lenaers. Riding beyond Sound.

The next generation of wakeboarding has arrived.

16-year-old Nanou from Belgium is already showing incredible talent on the water — and we can’t wait to see what she brings this season.

Get to know her better and discover why she’s riding beyond the sound. 🤍

What makes wakeboarding special to you?

Wakeboarding is special to me because it gives me a feeling of freedom. When I’m on the water, everything else disappears. On top of that, Lakeside feels like a family — whenever I’m there, we just have fun together.

How old were you when you started, and how did you first get into it?

I started on my birthday, August 3rd, 2020, during the summer holidays. I got a session on the System 2.0 at Lakeside, which is still my home cable.

A year later, I wanted to try it again and moved to the big cable. It took me a few tries to get up — it’s a left-turning cable and I ride regular, which helped, but I was only 12 and pretty small, and the speed was already 30 km/h.

Robbe, who was working at the cable at the time, helped me a lot. I hope that this summer I can also spend some time helping others experience the same feeling I did.

What are you most proud of in your wakeboarding so far?

There are a few things I’m really proud of. I’m proud of all the competitions I’ve done since 2024, when I started competing internationally.

But looking back, I’m most proud of winning both the IWWF World and European titles — it’s crazy that I was able to achieve both in one year.

After that, David Vervenne from Liquid Force Benelux asked me to join the team, which made me super proud.

And being part of the Lakeside Paradise team means a lot to me — it’s such an insane group of riders and coaches, and I’m grateful to be part of that family.

What has been the hardest part about being a dedicated wakeboarder?

The hardest part is staying consistent and pushing through fear and tough training days.

Balancing school and training can also be challenging. In Belgium, I still have to attend school every day. If I have competitions, I need permission, and afterwards I have to catch up on everything — notes, studying, tests. It’s not always easy.

Was there ever a moment you felt like giving up — and what keeps you going?

Since I haven’t been wakeboarding for that long, I haven’t really experienced that yet — but I’m sure it will happen one day. I hope my friends will be there to push me through it.

There are days, especially in winter, when it’s really cold and I don’t feel like riding. But usually that only lasts a day — the next day, I’m excited to be back on the water.

What’s something people might not know about you off the water?

Something many people don’t know is that I was born deaf. When I’m not on the water, I wear cochlear implants — a type of hearing device that’s partially implanted, with an external part attached by a magnet.

When I wakeboard or do other watersports, I take them off. So if you see me on or near the water and I don’t react, it’s probably because I can’t hear you — just tap me on the shoulder.

At the beginning, people at Lakeside didn’t really talk to me when I was on the dock or in the water. Now it’s different — I can lip-read some of my coaches and friends, and some people even use hand signs (and yes, everyone knows the funny ones, haha).

I feel like I’m truly part of the group, with or without my “ears.”

At competitions, when there’s a long wait, I put my implants back on so I can talk to everyone. It doesn’t stop me from doing what I love.

How do you deal with fear before trying a new trick or competing?

I try to stay focused on myself and not think too much about the consequences. I take it step by step. I’m not someone who gets scared easily.

What is your dream trick to land this year?

I have a list of tricks I want to learn this year, but I don’t have one specific dream trick.

What motivates you to keep pushing and progressing?

At Lakeside, we’re lucky to have so many amazing riders and coaches. We constantly challenge each other, which helps us all progress.

Riding behind people like Louis, Vic, Glenn, and Guy really inspires me and motivates me to try new tricks and lines.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years — in wakeboarding and in life?

I’m still only 16, so right now I’m just enjoying everything I’m doing.

This year will be my first LAO and my first Red Bull WakeDuel, and I’m really excited about that.

My big dream is to get a pro contract, design my own board — maybe even my own obstacle — and hopefully compete in the Olympics if wakeboarding ever becomes part of it. Big dreams, haha.

Which other girls inspire you right now?

Of course Rivers — she has achieved so much already: going pro, having her own board and feature, becoming Rider of the Year, and creating DOMAIN.

Claudia also inspires me — riding for Red Bull, traveling the world, spending summers in Europe and winters in Asia. I actually went to Asia recently and stayed at Deca Wake Park in the Philippines for a few weeks — I could definitely live there in the winter, haha.

And when I look at the next generation — girls like Eva, Nike, Anastasia, and so many others — I think we all inspire each other to keep progressing.

Why is it important to support other girls in wakeboarding?

Because we can push each other to get better and grow the sport together. Supporting each other builds a stronger community.

At competitions, we had so much fun off the water too — laughing, connecting, and building friendships all over the world.

Who is your biggest supporter?

I feel really supported by my coaches and my family. They believe in me, motivate me, and are always there for me.

But my biggest supporters are definitely my parents. They drive me to training and competitions, support me financially, and make all of this possible. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to chase my dreams.

Final Words

If you could give one piece of advice to younger girls starting wakeboarding, what would it be?

Enjoy it. Have fun on the water.

Find people who support you, motivate you, and accept you for who you are. Once you find that, there’s no better sport than wakeboarding.

And most importantly — don’t give up!