Soven, Butler in the Running For WWA Wakeboard World Championships

Phillip Soven and Nicola Butler dominated the Pro Wakeboarding Tour this season and are on the cusp of capturing their respective titles at the 2008 Rockstar Energy Drink WWA Wakeboard World Championships.

Both will face heavy competition in the finals, with defending champ Amber Wing bowing out due to injury.  Still competing against Butler are 11 of the world’s best, including Dallas Friday, Shelby Kantar and Melissa Marquardt.

Soven, who won the title last year, has 19 riders to face off against including Aaron Rathy and Rusty Malinoski, both of whom had scores of 100 in their quarterfinal matches.  Danny Harf was among those to miss the cut.

If you can’t be there in person (which is most of us), you can watch the finals online at www.fuel.tv/wakeboardworlds.  Read more about all the action from today below.

Pro Women’s Title Up for Grabs with Injured Wing Out
Soven Begins to Defend Pro Men’s Title

Oklahoma City, Okla. — Fans lined the shores of the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City today to catch the opening-rounds of the pro divisions at 2008 Rockstar Energy Drink WWA Wakeboard World Championships, presented by Supra.

After aggravating a knee injury prior to start of the contest, current women’s world champ Amber Wing shocked everyone by deciding to withdraw from the competition, leaving her title up for grabs to the top 12 pro female rippers in the world.

With the defending world champ out of the contest, the Pro Women’s division hit the water today for the semifinals, battling for one of six spots in tomorrow’s finals. All 12 rippers threw down some impressive runs, but in the end only the top-three riders from each heat advanced onto the finals, including former world champ Dallas Friday and Queen of Wake frontrunner Nicola Butler.

In the Pro Men’s division, 42 of the world’s top riders took to the water for the quarterfinals, competing in 10 heats. Only the top-two riders from each heat advanced onto tomorrow’s semifinals, sending more than half the competition home packing. Among the 20 rides to advance past the quarterfinals was the defending champ Phillip Soven, who will look to retain his title in tomorrow’s contest.

The top shredders in the world battled it out on the water today in the Pro Wakeskate division semifinals. Defending world champ Reed Hansen wanted to let his competition know that he is out to retain his title by throwing down an impressive run that not only earned him a ot in tomorrow’s finals, but also the highest score of the day with a 81.67.

Hansen will face off against former world champ Brian Grubb, current U.S. national champ Stuart Shinn and two-time Canadian national champ James Balzer in the finals for the world title.

In the Boys division, 10 young rippers, ages 10-13, faced off in the semifinals in two heats of five with only the top-three riders in each heat moving onto tomorrow’s finals. The six-man final features a Canadian rider, two Aussies and two U.S. riders, who will all look to capture their division’s world title.

The youngest riders out on the water today, ages nine and under, hit the water for the semifinals in the Jr. Boys division. Only the top-three riders in the five-man heat advanced to tomorrow’s finals, where one rider will be named the division’s world champion.

Wakeboarding action concludes tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 7 with the first heat hopping off the dock at 9:00 a.m.

The Rockstar Energy Drink WWA Wakeboard World Championships, presented by Supra is a four-day-long carnival of water-sports action. But not all of the action takes place on the water. On land, fans will experience tons of great music and food, athlete autograph signings, chances to win free giveaways, and shopping at the most cutting-edge stores offering water-sports equipment including boats, wakeboards, wakeskates, sunglasses and the latest in wakeboarding and surfing fashions.

Tickets can be purchased on site Sept. 4-7 for $10 (general admission), $5 (ages 6-12) or free (ages 5 and under). To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.kingofwake.com. General-admission tickets are buy one get one free online only until Sept. 5, 12 p.m. noon EST.

To catch all the wakeboarding action from home, tune in to FUEL TV. For exact air dates, visit www.kingofwake.com.

If you cannot make it to the 2008 Worlds, bring the Worlds to you. Catch the exciting action LIVE with FUEL TV’s webcast at www.fuel.tv/wakeboardworlds beginning Friday, Sept. 5 and wrapping up on Sunday, Sept. 7.

FUEL TV is a 24/7 action-sports lifestyle network for wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX and freestyle motocross. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, FUEL TV was launched July 1, 2003, and is seen in 25 million U.S. homes. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

Supra is the official tow boat of the WWA Wakeboard World Championships. Celebrating nearly 30 years of excellence in the marine industry, Supra pioneered rider-friendly boats that feature innovative hull designs, adjustable wakes and versatile seating with sleek and sexy styling. Supra kicks up the fattest wakes with a line of 10 tournament-quality Launch Series boats, each with the attitude and ability to help you find more altitude than ever before.

Rockstar is the world’s most powerful energy drink. Developed to improve the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, Rockstar Energy Drink is available in 10 flavors — Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava, Pomegranate, Punched, Roasted Mocha, Roasted Vanilla Light and Roasted Latte — at convenience stores and retail grocery outlets across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom.

WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the World Championships. WakeBoarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.

The WWA Wakeboard World Championships is organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Fla. The Championships has the support of the following: Rockstar Energy Drink, Supra boats, Indmar, the U.S. Air Force, Reef, Mona Vie, Hyperlite, CWB, Ronix, Gator Boards, Oakley, World Wakeboard Association, Cire, Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, theliquidcircus.com, wakeboarder.com and wakeworld.com.

Saturday, September 6 – Day 3 Results:

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #01___
1.Josh Palma            USA  91.50
2.Nick Weinacker    USA  89.75
3.Chad Sharpe           CDN 88.75
4.Adam Fields            USA  NS

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #02___
1.Bryan Hutton         USA  96.50
2.Olivier Derome     CDN 90.50
3.Alex Brown             USA  78.50
4.James Hindes           USA  74.50

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #03___
1.Trevor Hansen      USA  98.5
2.Daniel Watkins     AUS  88.50
3.Ben Greenwood      USA  78.75
4.Jimmy Trask            USA  74.25

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #04___
1.Shawn Watson       USA  90.75
2.Erik Ruck              USA  89.5
3.Marcelo Giardi        BRZ  84.25
4.Mikey Ennen           USA  75.75

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #05___
1.Kyle Rattray         CDN 94.50
2.Adam Errington     SCT  85.50
3.Danny Thollander     USA  80.00
4.Adam Wensink        USA  66.50

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #06___
1.Andrew Adkison    USA  98.50
2.Shane Bonifay       USA  89.25
3.Zane Schwenk         USA  82.25
4.AJ Racinelli              USA  NS

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #07___
1.Aaron Rathy          CDN 100.00
2. Dean Smith           AUS  88.5
3.Tony Carroll            USA  79.25
4.Jeff Weatherall         NZL  72.25

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #08___
1.Rusty Malinoski   CDN 100.00
2.Brad Smeele          NZL  85.25
3.Danny Harf              USA  83.25
4.Luciano Rondi         BRZ  71.50

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #09___
1.JD Webb                USA  95.75
2.Kyle Alberts          USA  89.25
3.Brandon Ellis           NZL  68.75
4.Dustin O’Ferrall       CDN 58.50
5.Kevin Henshaw       CDN 42.00

Pro Men

Quarterfinals            Heat #10___
1.Phillip Soven          USA  94.75
2.Shaun Murray       USA  86.00
3.Corey Bradley         USA  82.50
4.Padiwat Jaemjam     THAI 68.75
5. Joseph Lemburg     USA  68.00

Pro Women

Semifinals                    Heat #01___
1.Melissa Marquardt USA  91.75
2.Dallas Friday            USA  86.00
3.Hayley Smith            AUS  80.00
4.Ashley Leugner           CDN 74.25
5.Raimi Merritt               USA  60.00
6.Emily Copeland Durham       USA      58.00

Pro Women

Semifinals                       Heat #02___
1.Nicola Butler         UK    89.50
2.Shelby Kantar       USA  86.25
3.Laura Lohrmann   USA  82.75
4.Miku Asai                JPN   77.50
5.Shawna Hoffman     USA  61.25
6.Barrett Perlman        USA  52.75

Pro Wakeskate

Semifinals                 Heat #01___
1.Brian Grubb           USA  71.67
2.James Balzer         CDN 67.67
3.Joe Phillips               USA  55.67
4.Darrin Wahl             USA  33.33

Pro Wakeskate

Semifinals                 Heat #02___
1.Reed Hansen         USA  81.67
2.Stuart Shinn           USA  66.67
3.Brandon Thomas     USA  50.00
4.Lance Duffet            USA  28.33

Boys (10-13)

Semifinals                 Heat #01___
1.Cooper Swink        USA  61.67
2.Tony Iacconi          AUS  50.33
3.Kyle Evans            USA  32.78
4.Paulie Koch             USA  30.00
5.Cody Prizer             USA  16.11

Boys (10-13)

Semifinals                 Heat #02___
1.Michael Dowdy     USA  80.00
2.Jess Polley             CDN 64.44
3.Bradley Teunissen      AUS  56.67
4.Freddie Wayne        USA  37.22
5.Noah Flegal             USA  28.89

Jr. Boys (9 and under)

Semifinals                 Heat #01___
1.Ben Watts              USA  53.33
2.Joe Martella          USA  47.22
3.Ian Rabon              USA  41.67
4.Nicholas Brown       USA  34.44
5.Andrew Starling       USA  20.00