Kelowna, BC - It was a day of firsts in Kelowna, British
Columbia during the fourth stop on the MasterCraft Pro
Wakeboard Tour presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec engines.
The Pro Tour's collaboration with the Extreme Sports
Series Wakefest presented by Coors Light resulted in three
first-time winners in the Pro Men, Junior Men and Wakeskate
divisions.
Kelowna seems to be the proving ground for the Pro Tour's
rising stars as rookie JD Webb found his way to the podium
for the first time in his career, taking first place in the
Pro Men's division.
Webb, the 2003 MasterCraft Junior X Series Champion made
the jump to pro this year, but has not been able to overtake
the Pro Tour's top talent so far. But, Webb proved to be up
to the task in Kelowna, surviving three rounds of riding in
Kelowna's rough conditions on Sunday to take home his first
pro victory.
Last year in Kelowna rookie Tino Santori earned his first
Pro Tour victory, making Lake Okanagan and Waterfront Park a
lucky spot for rookies. First time winners are also a trend
on the Pro Tour this year, Phillip Soven won for the first
time in the last Pro Tour event in Reno, Nevada.
Danny Harf and Parks Bonifay rounded out the Pro Men's
podium, finishing second and third respectively, and keeping
the race for the Indmar Performance Award tight heading into
the final event of the Pro Tour season next week in Irvine,
California.
Webb was not the only first-time winner on Sunday, he was
preceded by two other first-timers. Collin Wright earned his
first-ever victory in the SeaDoo watercraft Pro Wakeskate
Series on Sunday. Wright edged Danny Hampson and Brian Grubb
who finished second and third respectively, to take home his
first victory.
The third member of the first-timers club is Brett Lee
who won his first event in the MasterCraft Junior X Series.
Lee, a relative newcomer to the Junior X Series took first
place over Junior Series veteran Scott Hopkins who won the
Junior X event in Ft. Worth, in May. Derek Conway took third
place on the day.
The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, presented by
Chevrolet and GM Vortec Engines, is a five-event circuit
organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Florida.
Powered by Indmar Marine Engines, the Pro Tour has the
support of the following: SeaDoo watercraft, Perfect Pass,
Hyperlite, Liquid Force, Gator Boards, CWB, Jobe, Double-up,
Blindside, JoyRide, O'Brien, Cassette Wakeskates, 484
Wakeskates, Billabong, Reef, Body Glove, UGP, Epiphone
Guitars, OJ Props, Chipper Beef Jerky, Bare Wetsuits,
buywake.com, Love Sac, Capix Helmets, Indo Boards, Straight
Line, Nevin, ten-80, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels, Verizon
Wireless, Execute, Wakeworld, Wakeboarder, Monster Tower,
Say I Won't and One Percent Design.
Sunday's Final Results
Pro Men Finals
1. J D Webb - 92
2. Danny Harf - 92
3. Parks Bonifay - 83
4. Phillip Soven - 82
5. Brett Eisenhauer - 75
6. Andrew Adkison - 71
7. Daniel Watkins - 65
8. Jeff Weatherall - NS
Pro Wakeskate Finals
1. Collin Wright - 97
2. Danny Hampson - 94
3. Brian Grubb - 91
4. Aaron Reed - 88
5. Steven Schoenhals - 85
6. Phillip Basino - 81
7. Thomas Horrell - 78
8. Danny Molina - 78
Jr Men Finals
1. Brett Lee - 96
2. Scott Hopkins - 95
3. Derek Conway - 87
4. Kevin Henshaw - 87
5. Jack Blodgett - 85
6. Danny Thollander - 84
7. Mike Brady - 79
8. Rhett Whatley - 76
Pro Men Semifinals (top two in each heat
advance to Finals)
Heat #1
1. Andrew Adkison - 94
2. J D Webb - 88
===
3. Shane Bonifay - 85
4. Erik Ruck - 83
Heat #4
1. Parks Bonifay - 95
2. Daniel Watkins - 90
===
3. Jonathan Nadolski - 84
4. Chris Laske - 81
Pro Men Quarterfinals (top two in each
heat advance to Semifinals)
Heat #5 (run on Sunday)
1. Chris Laske - 94
2. Daniel Watkins - 91
===
3. Darin Shapiro - 85
4. Nick Heaney - 80
5. Scotty Broome - 75
Heat #6 (run on Sunday)
1. Danny Harf - 91
2. J D Webb - 91
===
3. Mikey Ennen - 85
4. Keith Lyman - 81
5. Brian Francis - 77
Heat #7 (run on Sunday)
1. Gerry Nunn - 93
2. Erik Ruck - 92
===
3. Steve McKinley - 85
4. Chad Sharpe - 80
5. Adam Fields - NS
Heat #8 (run on Sunday)
1. Parks Bonifay - 91
2. Josh Sanders - 89
===
3. Dean Smith - 88
4. Collin Harrington - 79
5. Nick Weinacker - 78
Saturday's Results
Canadian Wakeboarders Shine in Kelowna
Kelowna, BC (July 10, 2004) The beautiful surroundings of
Lake Okanagan and Kelowna, British Columbia Canada provided
the backdrop for the fourth stop on the MasterCraft Pro
Wakeboard Tour presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec engines
on Saturday.
This year the Pro Wakeboard Tour is part of the Extreme
Sports Series Wakefest presented by Coors Light, and a huge
crowd of nearly 10,000 was in attendance to check out
Saturday's Qualifying rounds.
Canadians have been a force on the Pro Wakeboard Tour in
2004, making waves in two areas, the Pro Men's division and
Junior Division. Canadian and Pro Wakeboard Tour veteran
Chad Sharpe is having the best year of his career and is
currently in second-place in the Indmar Pro Wakeboard Tour
Season Standings. Sharpe is vying for his first-ever Pro
Wakeboard Tour Season Championship and the $5,000 Indmar
Performance Award bonus check that goes along with the Pro
Tour Season Championship.
However, Sharpe will have to wait another day to determine
his fate at the Kelowna Pro Wakeboard Tour stop because
adverse conditions including high winds caused a
postponement in Saturday's qualifying rounds and Sharpe and
18 other pro riders will have to wait until Sunday morning
to earn a chance into Sunday's semifinals and final rounds.
Sharpe is not the only Canadian making his mark this year.
Rusty Malinoski is another rider from north of the border
having a career year and Malinoski has already earned
himself a spot in Sunday's Pro Men's Semifinals by
qualifying second in Heat NO. 4.
Another Canadian leading the way in 2004 is MasterCraft
Junior X Series rider, Kevin Henshaw. Henshaw is currently
leading the Junior X Series season standings, making him the
top Junior rider so far in 2004. Henshaw will move into the
Junior Men's finals in Kelowna after winning his Semifinal
Heat on Saturday.
There is still much to be determined on Sunday at the Pro
Wakeboard Tour's Kelowna stop. With almost half of the Pro
Men's division still to compete, the outcome of the event
should be quite interesting. Still waiting to ride are 2003
Pro Wakeboard Tour champion Parks Bonifay, 2003 X Games
Champion Danny Harf and wakeboarding legend Darin Shapiro.
The only certainty is that there will be a new champion in
Kelowna in 2004. Defending Kelowna champion Tino Santori
failed to qualify for the semifinals, opening up the
championship to the rest of the field.
In the SeaDoo watercraft Pro Wakeskate Series Steve
Schoenhals and Aaron Reed took the top spot in Heats one and
two to earn the top qualifying positions for Sunday's Pro
Wakeskate Series finals.
The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, presented by Chevrolet
and GM Vortec Engines, is a five-event circuit organized by
World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Florida. Powered by
Indmar Marine Engines, the Pro Tour has the support of the
following: SeaDoo watercraft, Perfect Pass, Hyperlite,
Liquid Force, Gator Boards, CWB, Jobe, Double-up, Blindside,
JoyRide, O'Brien, Cassette Wakeskates, 484 Wakeskates,
Billabong, Reef, Body Glove, UGP, Epiphone Guitars, OJ
Props, Chipper Beef Jerky, Bare Wetsuits, buywake.com, Love
Sac, Capix Helmets, Indo Boards, Straight Line, Nevin,
ten-80, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels, Verizon Wireless, Execute,
Wakeworld, Wakeboarder, Monster Tower, Say I Won't and One
Percent Design.
Saturday's Results
Pro Men Quarterfinals
(Top 2 each heat advance to Semifinals)
HEAT # 1
1 Andrew Adkison 93
2 Phillip Soven 90
Derek Grasman 85
Keith Lidberg 82
Cole Munster 75
HEAT # 2
1 Shawn Watson 95
2 Jonathan Nadolski 89
Tino Santori 84
Loren Levine 82
Nick McBride 75
HEAT # 3
1 Shane Bonifay 93
2 Jeff Weatherall 91
Matt Lockwood 84
Wes Brisco 82
Adam Gentry NS
HEAT # 4
1 Brett Eisenhauer 94
2 Rusty Malinoski 87
Trevor Hansen 87
Chris Law 80
Scot Ferwerda 77
HEAT # 5
Scotty Broome will run
Chris Laske Sunday
Nick Heaney
Darin Shapiro
Daniel Watkins
HEAT # 6
Brian Francis
Keith Lyman
Mikey Ennen
J D Webb
Danny Harf
HEAT # 7
Adam Fields
Steve McKinley
Gerry Nunn
Erik Ruck
Chad Sharpe
HEAT # 8
Dean Smith
Nick Weinacker
Collin Harrington
Josh Sanders
Parks Bonifay
Pro Wakeskate Semifinals
(Top 4 each heat advance to FINALS)
HEAT # 1
1 Steven Schoenhals 97
2 Jim Leatherman 83
3 Danny Hampson 94
4 Danny Molina 88
Collin Wright 91
Cole Munster 84
HEAT # 2
1 Aaron Reed 97
2 Phillip Basino 94
3 Brian Grubb 90
4 Thomas Horrell 89
Chase Gregory 84
Joey white 83
Savannah Barber 79
Jr Men Semifinals
(Top 2 each heat advance to FINALS)
HEAT # 1
1 Jack Blodgett 56.00
2 Brett Lee 55.53
Nick Jones 41.10
Devin Rogers 37.78
Rob Jacques 34.25
HEAT # 2
1 Danny Thollander 71.10
2 Rhett Whatley 60.02
Travis Propst 59.45
Ben Hanisch 38.99
Chris Craig 31.12
HEAT # 3
1 Scott Hopkins 61.67
2 Derek Conway 55.03
Chris Canuel 36.67
Corey Miner 36.10
Hank Carter 24.45
HEAT # 4
1 Kevin Henshaw 63.33
2 Mike Brady 54.43
Philip Combs 44.64
Jimmy Wolf 41.87
Michael Fulton 36.10
Date:
7/12/04