Orlando, Florida –
The first stage of the Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship
came to a close on Friday at Orlando WaterSports Complex.
The third and final stop of the Vans Triple Crown of
Wakeboarding Series awarded World Championships in eight
amateur divisions.
Men and women aged 10 to 50 competed in different age
divisions coming from as far away as Japan and as close as
Orlando to compete. Two international competitors took home
world championships. In the Masters Finals Kenichi Furuya of
Japan won his first World Championship after traveling 15
hours by plane to get to Orlando. In the Amateur Wakeskate
division, the first year of the competition, the inaugural
World Championship went to Stef Tor of Canada. The only
woman in the competition bested the guys to win.
The three women's divisions started the day. In the Girls
division, Patty Hicks of Illinois is the 2004 World
Champion. In the Junior Women's division, central Floridian
Amber Hansen of Groveland, Florida won the title. The
Amateur Women's division went to Kayce Brewer of Tennessee.
In the Veteran's division, Matt Vermillion of Ohio is the
World Champion. Mike Schwenne of California is the Men's I
division champion. Jonathan Vander Velde of Florida took
home the Men's II division championship.
The Pro Men began qualifying for the second stage of the
Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship, the Pro finals.
In Pro Men's qualifying, 15 riders qualified into the Pro
Men's Quarterfinals set for Saturday afternoon at Orlando
WaterSports Complex. Heat winners on the day were Adam
Wensink of Ohio, Gerry Nunn of Florida, Shane Bonifay of
Florida, Trevor Hansen, whose sister Amber won the Junior
Women's crown, and Andrew Adkison of Florida.
Competition for Saturday's rounds will begin at 7:30 a.m.
with the Junior Boys division. The pros hit the water at 11
a.m. with the Pro Women. The Pro Men begin at 1:30 p.m. on
Saturday.
The Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding, the largest
wakeboarding series in the sport, will air on Fox Sports
Net:
WWA Wakeboard Worlds (Sept. 30-Oct. 3) - Fox Sports Net
on Oct. 26, 4 pm (Orlando, FL)
The Vans Triple Crown Series is made possible through the
support of Ford Trucks, Right Guard, Mountain Dew, NBC
Sports and Fox Sports Net. The Vans Triple Crown Series
features the world's top athletes participating in premier
venues throughout North America for the top prize purse in
each of six action sports: Skateboarding, Wakeboarding, BMX,
Freestyle Motocross, Surfing and Snowboarding.
Additional promotional support provided by: SeaDoo
watercraft, Perfect Pass, Hyperlite, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels,
Verizon Wireless, 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.com, Wakeboarder.com, Monster
Towers, Say I Won't and One Percent Design.
Wake Boarding, published by World Publications, is the
official magazine of the Pro Wakeboard Tour. Wake Boarding
is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with
expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and
the latest news.
