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 spot 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.