A D V E R T I S E M E N T Details
| Rathy Wins Worlds! Orlando, Fla. - Fans packed shores of the Orlando Watersports Complex in Orlando, Fla. today for the final rounds of action at the 2009 ROCKSTAR WWA Wakeboard World Championships, presented by Supra. In the Pro Women division, Orlando's own Dallas Friday made a splash on her hometown waters today, winning her first world title since 2006 - her fourth of her career. England's Nicola Butler finished in second place, while Aussie Amber Wing took third. Canada's Aaron Rathy edged out 15-year-old Australian rookie phenom Harley Clifford 87.50 to 85.00 in today's Pro Men division finals to win his first world title. Clifford and former two-time world champ Andrew Adkison rounded out the contest podium, respectively. The 2009 Worlds served as the final event in both the King of Wake and Queen of Wake series. With today's wins, both Aaron Rathy and Dallas Friday were launched to the top of the series overall point standings, earning Rathy his first King of Wake crown and Friday her first Queen of Wake crown. Both riders received a cash bonus and a year's worth of bragging rights. During today's contest, Shaun Murray claimed the ROCKSTAR Best Trick Award for his massive Heelside 540 of off the U.S. Air Force kicker. The Award is a $1,000 cash prize. Defending world champ Reed Hansen of Groveland, Fla. faced off in a fierce five-man final today in the Pro Wakeskate division to win his third consecutive world title - the most any pro wakeskater has won in the history of the sport. Stuart Shinn and Brandon Thomas rounded out the podium. In the Jr. Pro Men's division, riders battled it out in a six-man final for the world title. All six riders threw down some impressive runs, but Aussie Mitch Langfield topped the competition to win his first World Championship. Daniel Powers and Steel Lafferty rounded out the contest podium, respectively. Channels: More Wake Games UpsetsWell, we've made it through three days of shredding over at the Air Nautique Wake Games Presented by Rockstar. It has been a wild ride with the insane amount of pro/amateur/wakeskate/wakeboard/girl/boy riders. I mean seriously, who knew we could categorize riders this well. Anyways, the biggest surprise of the weekend is from Jimmy LaRiche and Harley Clifford. It is insane that these boys should be riding Junior Pro Men according to their age but have decided to step it up a notch and ride in Pro Men. Not only are they riding in the Pro Division though, they are dominating their heats. Now, all we have to do is wait for today. It is the final heats of the Pro Men division, can one of them pull off a 'W' in their first Pro King of Wake event? I'll let ya know later. Channels: More Stop #1 Results from APTWThe 2009 Air Nautiques Australian Pro Tour of Wakeboarding kicked off at the Penrith International Regatta Centre in front of a crowd of more than 40 000 painted and patriotic Aussies . The 2009 tour tow boat was changed to the Super Air Nautique 210 for the first time in 3 years and the official word from the riders is that this was the best individual tour stop in it' (TM)s entire history. All three of the past tour champions showed up to re-claim their crowns but as the results would eventually show, the changing of the guard has finally arrived. With the final eventually seeing 4 riders matched up from 4 different countries, 15 year old wakeboarding sensation Harley Clifford eventually gave the Aussie crowd what they desperately wanted when he edged out the U.S.A' (TM)s Junior Pro Tour champion Jimmy LaRiche to pocket the $4000 and move on to round two as the number 1 seeded rider. The upset of the day was losing our 2007/2008 repeat champion Dean Smith to an injury he picked up only days before the commencement of this years tour. Other past champions Daniel Watkins and Jeff Weatherall both made it through to the top 16 head to head round but were some of the first riders to fall victim to the younger more energetic riders of the day. Last years WWAA Junior Series winner Ryliegh Pfitzner stepped up to the Pro Division this year and he also made his presence known giving one of the eventual finalists Brad Smeele (4th) a real scare in the first round of top 16 head to head competition. Ryliegh' (TM)s absence in the Junior Series opened the door to a few new challengers this year and the final saw two QLD kids take the honours in Mitch Askew (1st) and Brad Teunissen (2nd) followed by Adelaide' (TM)s Mitch Daniel in 3rd place. These results set the boys up for next weeks competition at Stoney Park in Port Macquarie feeling really confidant, but there is plenty of hungry talent nipping at their heals ready to bump them off the top spot on the podium. Lauren Bell and Bec Frangi placed 1st and 2nd respectively in the junior women' (TM)s category. The Pro Women's division also saw last years champion Amber Wing relegated to 3rd position on the podium after Hayley Smith (2nd) conceded the top spot by the smallest margin to the U.S.A' (TM)s Melissa Marquadt (1st) in a final that once again elevated the level of women' (TM)s wakeboarding and set a strong precedent for the following two Air Nautiques Australian Pro Tour Stops early next month. The Pro Tour camp have loaded up the 210 and are scheduled to hit the water again in Stoney Park at Port Macquarie this Sun, the 1st of February. ROUND 1: 25 - 26 JAN 2009 Penrith Regatta Centre, NSW ROUND 2: 31 - 1 FEB 2009 Stoney Park, NSW ROUND 3: 6 - 7 FEB 2009 Nudgee, Brisbane, QLD Channels: More |
