|
|
Air Nautique
Wake Games Kicks Off with Qualifiers
Orlando, Fla. – The top wake athletes on the planet took to the
waters of the Orlando Watersports Complex in Orlando, Fla. today for
the opening rounds of the 2009 Air Nautique Wake Games, presented by
ROCKSTAR. The four-day-long pro-am wakeboard event kicked off today
with qualifying rounds for several pro and amateur divisions,
eliminating a majority of the competition in the process.
Only the crème of the crop survived the opening rounds, earning them
an invitation to the Wake Games Team Draft and advancing onto their
respective division’s following round in the contest.
At the Wake Games Team Draft, ten preselected team captains will
draft qualifying athletes to field a ten-person team. Athletes will
contribute points toward a team score based on their final placement
in their respective divisions. The team with the highest score will
take home the team title and prize money.
Nearly 50 riders within ten heats hit the water today for the Pro
Men’s division qualifiers. Only the top-two riders in each heat
advanced, sending a majority of the competition home. Canadian young
gun, Olivier Derome posted the high score of the day with a 97.25 to
advance along with the 19 other riders to the following round and
invitations to the draft.
Raimi Merrit (Lantana, FL), Dallas Friday (Orlando, FL) and Nicola
Butler (Bournemouth, England) led each of the three heats in the Pro
Women’s division today with Butler posting a perfect score. The
three leaders plus six other riders from today’s qualifiers will
enter the draft and compete in semifinals on Saturday, April 25.
17 athletes fielded the four heats of the Pro Wakeskate division
qualifiers today. Each heat featured at least four athletes and only
the top-two from each heat advanced. Three-time Wake Games Pro
Wakeskate champ Brian Grubb, who led his heat of five today, will be
joined by seven other semifinalists in the draft. Pro Wakeskate
semifinals will be held on Saturday.
The Pro Women’s Wakeskate division took to the water today for their
quarterfinals with only the top-three shredders in the five-woman
heat advancing onto Saturday’s finals. All three finalists will be
drafted.
West-side rider Ricky Gonzales paced the Pro Veterans division today
with Glen Fletcher and Gregg Necrason joining Gonzales in the finals
on Sunday, April 26.
Ten young, talented shredders hit the water in two heats of five for
the Amateur Wakeskate division qualifiers today. Only the top-two
athletes from each heat advanced, setting up a four-man final for
Matt Haydon, Aaron Perkins, Patrick Mulvaney and Forrest Risner on
Saturday.
The Wake Games will continue tomorrow, April 24 with 14 amateur
division competing before the Team Draft is held.
The Air Nautique Wake Games presented by ROCKSTAR is a four-day
carnival of water-sports action. But not all of the action takes
place on the water. On land, fans will experience tons great food
and music, athlete autograph signings, chances to win freebies, 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 are available online at www.allisports.com, and at the gate:
$10.00 (GA); $5.00 (ages 6-12); Free (ages 5 & under). The event
will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on all four days.
The Air Nautique Wake Games, presented by ROCKSTAR is organized by
World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Fla. The Wake Games have the
support of the following sponsors: Correct Craft, Rockstar Energy
Drink, Fox, the U.S. Air Force, Central Florida Toyota, Hyperlite,
CWB, Ronix, Liquid Force, Oakley, Reef, FUEL TV and Allisports.com.
The Air Nautique by Correct Craft is the exclusive tow boat of the
Wake Games. Celebrating 84 years of excellence in the marine
industry, Correct Craft Inc. is the producer of the Nautique line of
boats. The manufacturer of Nautique is known for delivering superior
quality product, cutting-edge technology and exceptional service
experiences.
ROCKSTAR is the world's most powerful energy drink. Enhanced with
the potent herbal blend of Guarana, Ginkgo, Ginseng and Milk
Thistle, ROCKSTAR is formulated to provide an incredible energy
boost for those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles - from
athletes to rock stars. ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK is available in eleven
amazing flavors: Original, Sugar Free, Zero Carb, Juiced Mango
Orange Passion Fruit, Juiced Guava, Juiced Pomegranate, Tropical
Punched, Punched Citrus, Roasted Mocha, Roasted Latte, and Roasted
Light Vanilla. ROCKSTAR ENERGY SHOTS are available in Wild Berry and
Tropical Punch flavors. ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK is available at
convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Switzerland,
Finland, Spain, The Netherlands, and throughout the United Kingdom.
Media Partners
To catch all the high-flying, rail-sliding, water-sports action of
the King of Wake series, tune in to FUEL TV – the official
television partner of the King of Wake. WakeBoarding, published by
Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the King of Wake series.
Read about all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of
professional instruction, gear, boats and news.
King of Wake
Viewed as the world’s elite pro wakeboarding circuit, the King of
Wake series has attracted the sport’s top athletes from throughout
the globe. With more than $300,000 in prize money over the
eight-event season, athletes compete during the course of the year
to be named the “King of Wake” – an award based on points
accumulated at each stop of the series. Events include the Wake
Games, the WWA Wakeboard National Championships, the WWA Wakeboard
World Championships and all five stops on the Pro Wakeboard Tour.
The King of Wake is organized by World Sports & Marketing – the
leading wake events producer since 1988.
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that
encompasses national and international action sports tours and
events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle
brand. The Alliance includes: the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China
Invitational, Maloof Money Cup, AMA Motocross Championship, King of
Wake series, and the Free Flow Tour; Alli Productions, which creates
original content, produces and presents content with partners, and
distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is
owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of
athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate
the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and
lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli
properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and
broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries
and 280 million homes worldwide. More information can be found at
www.allisports.com.
|
Wake Skate Snow