Shaun Murray

Early life

Shaun Murray got his start on the water at age eight, learning to water ski on San Diego Bay. When he was 11, a family trip to Lake Shasta led to a slalom lesson and his first try on a rented Skurfer, which sparked his interest in wakeboarding.

The following year, his family relocated to Lake St. Louis, Missouri, where he sharpened his skills with the local water ski club. After high school, he moved to Florida to compete for the Florida Southern College ski team and teach at the Benzel Ski School. He planned a single semester away from school to focus on wakeboarding, but his growing success brought scholarships and spots on major teams, and he never went back.

Career and accomplishments

Murray's wakeboarding career began in 1995. He promoted his own Backyard Tour with Gerry Nunn, appeared in wakeboard movies and magazines, created the instructional series Detention, and starred in the video game Wakeboarding Unleashed. In summer 2004, he dislocated his knee, tearing his ACL, PCL, and MCL; after reconstructive surgery he was told he might not ride again, but returned months later. He helped develop signature products including boats, wakeboards, life jackets, wet suits, and clothing lines.

From 2003 to 2013, he ran wakeboard camps called The Boarding School with Travis Moye; after 2013 the camp continued with Moye, but Murray left when Nautique bought OWC cable park and asked him to coach there. His career spanned from 1998 to 2020. He was the first wakeboarder to land a 900 (regular hs) and the only rider to hold World, Pro Tour and National champion titles simultaneously. In 2005, Wakeboard magazine gave him a Legend award.

He has been on the final list of favorite male riders in Wakeboarding Mag's Reader's Poll every year since its inception. His sponsors include Hyperlite, Fox, Nautiques, Reef, Jet Pilot, and Freestyle performance. He competed on American Ninja Warrior in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018; in 2015 he placed 25th in the qualifiers but was eliminated at obstacle #7 in the city finals.