Words & Photos by: Garrett Cortese

In today’s high-definition world of incessant screen-scrolling, authenticity is often sacrificed for clicks and comments, even controversy. Damn the consequences when algorithm manipulation has taken precedence over tangible connections. Why put in real work to make destiny a reality when you can literally fake it until you make it? Of course, there are counterbalances to this seemingly all-consuming trend, and one of the best examples in the world of wakeboarding might very well be Rivers Hedrick. While authenticity and 19-year-olds at the top of their game might seem like a bit of an oxymoron to most, Rivers’ success stems from a maturity that belies her age. Whether you know the Georgia native personally, have interacted with her only a little bit, or just follow her from afar, there is one thing that is easy to assess: she is as authentic as they come. A blend of unrelenting determination and some Southern humility have propelled Rivers to the upper echelon of the sport, to the point where she’s no longer just one of the best, but she is the first female to ever win the Alliance Wake Rider of the Year accolade.

While it might be easy to think Rivers’ rise has been rapid, and doubters or naysayers may even claim much luck was involved, the truth of the matter is Rivers has been working hard to fulfill a destiny she envisioned back when she first strapped on a wakeboard at Terminus Wake Park in July of 2014. Since that day 11-plus years ago, Rivers hasn’t just become one of the best at her craft, she’s embraced everything it means to be a professional wakeboarder in today’s inconsistent and ever-changing landscape. All the while, never giving into the algorithm-based pressures she scrolls past multiple times a day. Take away Rivers’ groundbreaking riding abilities and she’d still be an asset for the sport. She can be found at multiple demos and clinics every year, teaching new riders around the world the fun that comes with riding sideways on the water. Not to mention, she has become adept at both filming and editing video projects, helping others to portray their own riding in unique ways while pushing the sport from a creative viewpoint. And she does these things not because she feels like she has to, but because she genuinely wants to. Rivers cares about wakeboarding in a very unique way because she is acutely aware that without wakeboarding, she would not be who she is today. That awareness, and the aforementioned determination, push her to do more, create more, and just be more. Somehow, she keeps delivering … authentically.

To put Rivers’ 2025 season into perspective, here’s a look back at some of the highlights. She started the season off with a win at Langenfeld Open, sealing her 3-peat in epic fashion. That start was followed by wins at Plastic Playground, Worlds, the Toronto Boat Show, and double wins at Nationals for park and features only divisions. Rivers also snagged silver at Worlds in features only, and Yardsale 7, and a bronze at Red Bull’s Wake the City. Mix that podium pounding with nine days of demos for Liquid Force’s Ride with the Pros series, three more for One Wake’s Ladies’ Clinics, launching a signature feature with Unit, designing her first pro model board with LF, participating in the Maps of Florida winch mission as a rider, filmer and editor, creating three unique web/social edits, and more, and you see not just how broad of an impact Rivers has had on the sport, but how influential that impact truly is.

The cherry on top of Rivers’ year-for-the-ages though was the release of her full part, “Domain.” Jaw-dropping would be an understatement. The days and days of riding that went into it, combined with the days and days of editing it into the beautiful short film it is, are a testament to Rivers’ skill, determination, and passion. All are prevalent as you watch the video – and by putting all of them together, she not only pushed women’s wakeboarding to new heights, but she put the sport as a whole on notice. Yes, she might be quiet at times. Yes, she might only be 19. No, she doesn’t put herself on a pedestal and demand praise and accolades. And no, she isn’t going anywhere.

Of course, Rivers winning ROTY also comes just as the park she grew up in and called home all these years must come to a close. The parent company that owns the land upon which Terminus has made its indelible mark, came to a decision based on spreadsheets and bottom-dollar biases that the park should cease operations. While it feels like a punch to the gut for all who rode there and loved the community it shepherded, it doesn’t diminish the legacy. Fate and destiny are often intertwined, and the destiny of Rivers’ career has now put her at an intersection with the fate of Terminus. Literally and figuratively, a cable park can be reflective of life: as one lap ends, a new one begins. For Rivers and the countless circles she’s made at Terminus – those 48-second loops of fun and frustration, progression and pain – have now culminated with one of the sport’s biggest honors. What better way to celebrate the closing of a park like Terminus and the impact it has had on wakeboarding, than by crowning its homegrown girl as the first female ROTY? That’s as full circle as it gets, and nobody can debate the authenticity of it.