If you’ve spent many days on Candlewood Lake, at one time or another, you have probably seen Connor Kostyra flying through the air on his wakeboard. Since his championship win at the 2016 Candlewood Cup, Connor has been the “poster boy” for wakeboarding on Candlewood Lake.
I first saw one of Connor’s videos (above) on Facebook, and I was intrigued! I figured this would be an excellent opportunity to learn a little more about this awesome sport, and who better to show me the ropes then Connor himself. Lets first have a look at what wakeboarding is and what’s involved. Then Connor will answer some commonly asked questions so we can see his unique perspective on the sport.
What is Wakeboarding?
Wakeboarding is a water sport where the rider, standing on a wakeboard (a short board with foot bindings), is towed behind a motorboat with a rope. The rider uses the crest of the wake to perform aerial maneuvers. A hallmark of wakeboarding is the attempted performance of midair tricks.
A wide variety of safety equipment is used when wakeboarding. Life vests or other buoyancy aids prevent water-related injuries by keeping the rider buoyant when they fall until the boat can pick them up. Water-resistant helmets help expel water from the inside of the helmet, so they do not fill up with water. Even the length of a wakeboarder’s rope is vital in providing safety; if the tow rope is too long, a wakeboarder will land on the flat part of the wake instead of the downside, and their knees will buckle.
Many people shy away from wakeboarding either because of the large investment needed to participate in the sport. The sport has seen a decline in participants since its peak of popularity in 2010. While wakeboarding has never taken off on Candlewood Lake as it has in other areas, we still boast some fantastic talent, including the one you are about to meet now.
Meet Connor Kostyra
Connor, a Westchester, NY kid, fell in love with wakeboarding while spending his summer vacations on Candlewood Lake. An athlete of many sports, including lacrosse, football, and wrestling, he always dreamed of turning his love of wakeboarding into a career. That dream took Connor across the country selling wake boats. During this time, the thought of Candlewood never left his head. He soon would turn his dream into reality.
Drawn to the lake’s energy and an amazing crew of close riding buddies, including his cousin William Nicolini (owner of Olini Media & videographer of all Connor’s videos), he decided to return to Candlewood and call it home. Since then, Connor has become what some call “the best wakeboarder on the lake!” He has introduced many people to the sport and shown them the ropes (literally and figuratively). I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to let Connor tell us about the sport that has tremendously changed his life.
Q & A With Connor
Q: How did you get into wakeboarding? How long have you been doing it?
A: I always wanted a wakeboard boat and would annoy my parents, but it wasn’t until I got into Rollins college where I was the president of the wakeboard team for three years, and my parents told me they got a boat. It was one of the highlights of my life for me, and it’s also when I started to get good at wakeboarding.
I started riding almost every day and landed a job at Candlewood East Marina. I hung out with the other people I worked with at the marina, and my cousin, William, was always pulling me. I can always trust William to pull me. I have ridden with Will so long that we use signs to communicate when riding. After that, it was going to school in Orlando, FL, and hanging with some of the best wakeboarders of all time. The thing about the sport is the only way to get better at this sport is to ride with people that are better than you. I had to teach myself almost everything because I didn’t have many people to help me, which is what makes me a great teacher. I know all the mistakes, and I’m an outstanding coach.
Q: How many hours a week do you think you spend wakeboarding?
A: I spend if I’m lucky, about 2 hours a week, wakeboarding. I can only ride for about 15-20 minutes, and any longer is dangerous. It’s very tiring, and you don’t want to try tricks when you’re tired because you will get hurt. The max I have ever ridden is maybe 30 minutes, and that’s because I was going for one trick the entire set. You have to remember these wake boats eat gas, and it’s an expensive sport, so a lot of my income goes to the boat and gas/equipment. I’ve been known to snap a board or two. I only get these short months, but this season is hitting October. It will be seven months my boat has been in the water! The longest season we have had, and it’s been amazing. I rode a lot during COVID.
Q: What other watersports do you partake in on Candlewood Lake?
A: Wakesurfing, I mainly teach wake surfing, and when people come on the boat, we wake surf because it’s a more sociable and chill sport and easy to learn and have fun!
Q: What is one of the hardest tricks you ever accomplished?
A: Whirlybird 540. It’s a backflip with a 540 spin, which you can see at the end of the video, and a small percentage of people besides pros can do this trick.
Q: What do you do in the winter when the lake freezes?
A: Snowboard, but I recently got hospitalized in a bad accident, but I still love it!
Q: You have some pretty amazing videos online; you make wakeboarding look easy! How much goes into creating these videos?
A: A lot goes into creating our videos. It’s a full production, and you need two boats, an entire team that knows what they are doing. I also need someone to drive my boat and someone to be a spotter. There are two people on the chase boat: Will, who is filming me, and the boat driver. I need to make sure I’m landing all my tricks, the lake is flat, and the sun is out. That is a rare combination of conditions in the northeast and especially on crazy Candlewood, while getting all these people to come out to help. Plus, gas money.
Q: What’s your favorite trick, and why?
A: Tantrum – Basic backflip. It’s the first trick I throw, and it’s my warm-up trick to feel out the wake. When I first learned the tantrum when I was young, that’s when the sport took off.
Q: Who is your favorite pro rider to watch?
A: I don’t have one rider that I watch a lot, but anyone that’s throwing the biggest tricks. I would say, Harley Clifford. Who’s the classic best rider.
Q: What do you love about wakeboarding? And, What do you love about wakeboarding on Candlewood Lake?
A: The thing I love about wakeboarding is it’s up to you and only you. You’re in full control, and the outcome comes down to you. I compare it to everything in my life. It’s the progression that never ends. You can always learn something new and do new tricks, it never stops, and the bar can always be raised. The adrenaline that wakeboarding gives me is unparalleled to anything else.
Candlewood Lake is the best lake, and I have about 40+ family members on the lake. We are always tying up and partying, which I like more than anything in the world. You hang out with such cool people, and you get to meet people from all over, and when the music is blasting, and you have water, a rope swing, and some Twisted Tea, it’s always a good time! Watch our video of summer, and you will see how we live on candlewood lake.
Q: What are your plans for 2021?
A: My plan is for 2021 to launch an actual wakeboard lesson school but for legit riders only on my 2018 22 MXZ Malibu. A lot of people have started these types of companies, but mine will be different. I am confident that not many people in the northeast are doing the tricks that I am doing. I approach the sport from a unique perspective and can help students to continuously progress in wakeboarding and wake surfing.
Wakeboarding has been my life, and that will continue into 2021. I put everything else aside to wakeboard while my body is in good shape because riding takes a toll on your body. Wakeboarding is 75% mental and 25% physical, but that physical portion is very demanding on the upper body. It’s a challenging sport that takes a long time to learn the tricks, which is why riding with good people is the only way to get better.
If you, or your children, are interested in learning about the high-flying ways of Candlewood Lake wakeboarding, Connor will be offering private lessons in 2021. His vast experience in the sport and knowledge of the lake make him a perfect person for the job. Connor can be contacted through his Instagram or Facebook page.
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