Sit down with Stacia and Chris Bank and you’ll come away feeling inspired. The Lake Minnetonka duo has made a name for themselves on the local and international circuit as some of the best wakesurfers in the country. Take a peek at what keeps them going.
Lake Minnetonka Magazine: How did the two of you meet?
SB: It was December and we were going to go snow shoeing, but all the snow melted. [Laughs]. So we actually ended up wakeboarding on the Mississippi River.
CB: We’re pretty active. We’ll try anything twice.
LMM: Stacia, you’re the No. 1 woman in the world in wakesurfing and Chris, you’re ranked first in semi-pro in men’s surf. Those are some huge accomplishments. And you’ve got three kids at home. How do you incorporate surfing into your busy life?
CB: You have to make a decision to get out there. It’s easier not to pack up the kids and bring them in the boat. But that’s just who we are. And it’s an easy date night because that’s what we both want to be doing.
SB: Our kids kind of expect it. They’re like ‘What trophies did you get? Why aren’t you guys in the Olympics?’
LMM: Stacia, I understand you surfed the day you gave birth to your second child and then 10 days later, went to state and won. Are you Wonder Woman?
SB: [Laughs]. I have tried to be a positive role model for other moms, demonstrating you can still be a great mom and have your own personal goals.
LMM: Have you guys ever thought about packing up and moving to the coast where you don’t have to worry about ice and snow?
CB: We really enjoy wakesurfing, but we love variety. We wouldn’t want to do it all year long.
SB: We really like winter. We’ll take the kids, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and skiing. We just like to be active.
