Acworth, Ga. - Only the top-16 seeded riders on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour received a bye from today's qualifying rounds in Acworth. For the 76 other pro riders competing in the qualifiers, today meant go big or go home.
Only the top-two riders from each of today's 12 heats advanced past the opening rounds, sending 52 riders home packing.
The 24 riders moving onto day two will be joined by the top-16 pros for tomorrow's Round of 40.
48 of wakeboarding's future stars battled it out on the water today in the Jr. Men's Division qualifying round. Only the top-two riders from each of the 10 heats advanced past the opening rounds of the three-day contest. Phillip Aslinger of the United States, Canada's Raphael Derome and Aussie Harley Clifford respectively posted the three highest scores of the day with a 73.89, 73.33, and 72.78.
Aslinger, Derome and Clifford will be joined by 17 other Jr. Men riders in tomorrow's quarterfinals.
Day two of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour will be dominated by the Pro Women's Division, as the contest will host qualifying and semifinal rounds for the female riders. Pro Men and Jr. Men will also be competing tomorrow. All the action begins at 8:00 a.m.
Acworth is the first of five stops on the 2008 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. Following Acworth, the Tour will visit Forth Worth, Tex. (May 30-June 1), Twin Cities, Minn. (June 7-8), Phoenix, Ariz. (June 28-29) and wraps-up in Reno, Nev. (July 11-13).
To catch all the wakeboarding action from home, tune in to Fuel TV. For exact air dates, visit ProWakeboardTour.com.
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 24 million U.S. homes. To subscribe to Fuel TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit fuel.tv.
MasterCraft is the exclusive tow boat for the Pro Wakeboard Tour, as it has been since the tour's wakeboarding events began in 1992. Indmar Marine engines will provide the power for MasterCraft's X Series line of competition tow boats.
Rockstar is the world's most powerful energy drink. Developed to increase 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 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. WakeBoarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.
The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour has the support of the following sponsors: MasterCraft, Rockstar Energy Drink, Mona Vie, the U.S. Air Force, Indmar, Billabong, Hyperlite, CWB, Gator Boards, Ronix, Oakley, Reef, Cire, wakeworld.com and theliquidcircus.com.