Masters Invitations ORLANDO, Fla. — The Masters Selection Committee has announced the athletes invited to compete in the Chevy Trucks 44 th Masters Waterski & Wakeboard Tournament presented by GM Vortec Engines, May 23–25, 2003 at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.
Known as the world's most prestigious water ski tournament, the Masters is an invitation-only, cash prize competition with the world's richest purse totaling well over $160,000 in cash and prizes. Only the most elite athletes in the world are invited to compete at the Masters in slalom, tricks, ski fly and wakeboard. The action will begin on Friday, May 23 rd at 9:00 a.m. with the ROLEX JUNIOR MASTERS elimination round. Junior Masters finals begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 24 th and are followed at 11:00 a.m. by the CHEVY TRUCKS 44 TH MASTERS eliminations. Sunday, May 25 th begins with opening ceremonies at 11:00 a.m. and Masters final round competition will begin at 11:30 a.m.
Invited to compete in Men Slalom are world champions and top ranked skiers including defending champion Jamie Beauchesne, USA; Steve Cockeram, NZE; Wade Cox, USA; Jodi Fisher, GBR; Andy Mapple, GBR; Chris Parrish, USA; Jeff Rodgers and USA; Drew Ross, CAN.
Women invited to compete in Slalom are Rhoni Barton, USA; April Coble Eller, USA; Natalie Hamrick, USA; Kristi Overton Johnson, USA; Jill Knutson, USA; Emma Sheers, AUS; and defending champion Karen Truelove, USA.
Men Tricks competitors invited are Oleg Deviatovski, BLR; Russell Gay, USA; defending and world champion Nicolas LeForestier, FRA; Jaret Llewellyn, CAN; Cory Pickos, USA; Jimmy Siemers, USA and Joel Wing, AUS.
Invited to compete in Women Tricks are Angeliki Andriopoulou, GRE; Rhoni Barton, USA; world champion Regina Jaquess, USA; Brigitte Lethem, FRA; Clementine Lucine, FRA; defending champion Elena Milakova, RUS; and Mandy Nightingale, USA.
Men to compete in the thrilling Ski Fly event are Jesper Cassoe, DEN; innovator of the sport, Scot Ellis, USA; Freddy Krueger, USA; defending champion Jaret Llewellyn, CAN; Jason Seels, GBR; Curtis Sheers, AUS; and Jimmy Siemers, USA.
This year's Women Ski Fly event will be hard pressed to exceed the excitement of 2002 where the Women Ski Fly Record fell three times at the Masters! Women invitees for 2003 are Rhoni Barton, USA; Sarah Gatty Saunt, GBR; Regina Jaquess, USA; Lori Krueger, USA; Britta Grebe Llewellyn, AUT; defending champion and world record holder Elena Milakova, RUS; Marina Mosti, ITA; and attempting to recapture the Masters championship, Emma Sheers, AUS.
Men Wakeboard invitees from the USA include All-around Throw Down and Defending Champion Parks Bonifay, Danny Harf, Shaun Murray, current Pro Tour Champion Erik Ruck, Tino Santori, Darin Shapiro, and Shawn Watson. And, Josh Sanders, 2003 Moomba winner of Australia.
Women Wakeboard competitors will include the top female for the past two years Emily Copeland, Dallas Friday, Tara Hamilton, Lauren Loe and Maeghan Major. All are from the USA.
These champions and top-ranked athletes have met rigorous criteria set forth and announced by the Masters Selection Committee last fall. Athletes are invited to compete only in those disciplines for which they have met the criteria. The 2003 criteria includes the Masters Defending Champions, World Record Holders, current World Champions, Top Seven World Ranked Trick Skiers, Top Seven Masters Ranked Skiers, 2003 Moomba Masters Winners, Winners of a US televised professional event between May 20, 2002 and May 18, 2003.
The Wakeboard Selection Committee invited Pro Men, Women and Junior Men based upon the criteria: Pro Tour's top four on their 2002 standings list; 2002 WWA USA National Champions; 2002 WWA World Champions, 2002 Vans Triple Crown Series Winners, 2002 Gravity Games and X-Games Champions; first place on final 2002 WWA US National Pro Ranking List and WWA World Cup Pro Ranking List.
Callaway Gardens hosted the first Masters forty-five years ago and created their Robin Lake venue especially for this tournament. During the tournament there are beachfront exhibits, concessions and other festivities for guests to enjoy between events. The Callaway Preserve –Resort - Gardens provide a relaxing environment in which to enjoy the tournament action. Call 1-800-225-5292 for hotel information. Advance tickets and tournament information call the Masters toll free at 1-888-806-2783.
Look for the Chevy Trucks 44 th Masters Waterski & Wakeboard Tournament to be broadcast on the all new “Vortec Power on the Hour” starting June 2 at 11PM PST and June 3 at 2AM EST on OLN (Outdoor Life Network).
Correct Craft, Inc.'s world-famous SKI NAUTIQUE ® and SUPER AIR TEAM EDITION ™ are the official towboats of the Masters.
*The Masters, is an invitation-only tournament. Invitations are issued at the sole discretion of the Masters Committee. Junior Masters Invitations ORLANDO, Fla. — The Masters Selection Committee has announced the athletes invited to compete in the Rolex Junior Masters Waterski & Wakeboard Tournament, May 23–25, 2003 at Callaway in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Rolex Watch U.S.A. has been title sponsor of the Junior Masters since 1996 in addition to sponsoring the Masters Slalom events and being the official timepiece of the Masters.
The first Junior Masters was first held in 1993 and has become the world's most prestigious junior water ski tournaments. Junior skiers around the globe vie each year for the opportunity to compete in the Rolex Junior Masters and a chance to "rub elbows" with their idols and the sport's icons at the Masters. The Rolex Junior Masters is a record-capability, closed tournament by invitation-only. It is an amateur competition offering trophies to the top three athletes in each event. Only the most elite junior athletes in the world are invited to compete at the Rolex Junior Masters in slalom, tricks, jump and wakeboard. The Junior Men and Junior Women Overall Winners each win a $1,000 Rolex Scholarship. This year also brings new scholarship opportunities for US skiers in the form of two Jon Franklin Scholarships of $1,250 each. All scholarships awarded at the Junior Masters are administered by the American Water Ski Educational Foundation.
The action will begin on Friday, May 23 rd at 8:30 a.m. with the ROLEX JUNIOR MASTERS elimination round. Junior Masters finals begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 24 th preceding the CHEVY TRUCKS 44 th MASTERS eliminations at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, May 25 th begins with opening ceremonies at 11:00 a.m. preceding the Masters final round competition that begins at 11:30 a.m.
Invited to compete in Junior Men Slalom are junior world champions and top ranked junior skiers including Cale Burdick, USA; Matteo Ianni, ITA; J.D. McClintock, CAN; Felipe Miranda, CHI; and Ian Trapp, USA.
Junior Women invited to compete in Slalom are Nicole Arthur, GBR; Danyelle Bennett, USA; Whitney McClintock, CAN; Morgan Pavur, USA and Mandi Williams, USA.
Junior Men Tricks competitors invited are Felipe Miranda, CHI; Kyle Nightingale, USA; Aaron Rathy, CAN; Florent Reyre, FRA; and Tomlin Wilson, USA.
Invited to compete in Junior Women Tricks are Danyelle Bennett, USA; Michale Briant, AUS; Marion Mathieu, FRA; Whitney McClintock, CAN; Morgan Pavur, USA; Karina Sergeeva, ITA; and Joy Todd, USA.
Junior Men to compete in the exciting Jump event are Tyler Boyd, USA; Felipe Miranda, CHI; John Mommer, USA; Brody Reid, USA and Stephen Seal, USA.
Junior Women Jump invitees for 2003 are Danyelle Bennett, USA; Natalie Hammel, USA; Marion Mathieu, FRA; Jenna Mielzynski, CAN and Joy Todd, USA.
Junior Men Overall competitors include Franck Desboyaux, FRA; Quentin LaFosse, FRA; Felipe Miranda, CHI; Aaron Rathy, CAN; Florent Reyre, FRA and Stephen Seal, USA.
The Junior Women Overall invitees are Danyelle Bennett, USA; Marion Mathieu, FRA; Jenna Mielzynski, CAN; Karina Nowlan, AUS; Morgan Pavur, USA and Joy Todd, USA.
Junior Men Wakeboard invitees, all from the USA, include Joey Arcisz, Derek Grasman, Chris Kolb, Corey Miner, Jonathan Nadolski, Robert "Tadpole" Soven and J. D. Webb.
These junior champions and top-ranked junior athletes have met rigorous criteria set forth and announced by the Masters Selection Committee last fall. Junior athletes are invited to compete in those disciplines for which they have met the criteria. The 2003 Junior Masters criteria includes the Junior Masters Defending Champions, Junior World Record Holders, current Junior World
Champions, Top five skiers on the final 2002 IWSF Junior World Ranking Lists as of March 1, 2003, 2002 US Nationals Champions or any IWSF sanctioned record-capability tournament performance between November 1, 2002 and May 18, 2003, which equals or exceeds the performance level of the 5 th ranked skier on the final 2002 IWSF Junior World Ranking List, published as of March 1,2003.
The Wakeboard Selection Committee invited Junior Men and Boys based upon the criteria: 2002 WWA/USA Nationals Boys and Junior Men Champions, 2002 WWA Boys and Junior Men Wakeboard World Champions, 2002 Winner of the Junior X-Series, 2002 top ranked WWA/USA on Boys National Ranking List, top four on the final 2002 WWA/USA Junior Men National Ranking List, First on the final 2002 WWA Boys World Ranking List or the top four ranked on the final 2002 WWA Junior Men World Ranking List.
To qualify a Rolex Junior Masters athlete must be 17 years of age or younger as of January 1st, 2003.
Callaway hosts the Masters and Junior Masters annually on their Robin Lake venue, created especially for the Masters Water Ski Tournament. During the tournaments there are beachfront exhibits, concessions and other festivities for guests to enjoy between events. The Callaway Gardens - Resort - Preserve provides a relaxing environment in which to enjoy the tournament action. Call 1-800-225-5292 for hotel information. Advance tickets and tournament information call the Masters toll free at 1-888-806-2783.
Correct Craft, Inc. –manufacturer of the world-famous SKI NAUTIQUE ® and SUPER AIR TEAM EDITION ™ – supplies these official towboats of the Masters.
Look for the Rolex Junior Masters to be broadcast on the all-new “Vortec Power on the Hour”starting June 2 at 11PM PST and June 3 at 2AM EST on OLN (Outdoor Life Network).
*The Rolex Junior Masters, is an invitation-only tournament. Invitations are issued at the sole discretion of the Masters Committee.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Gerry Fowler, Masters Coordinator
Tournament Ski Productions, Inc.
(407) 855-4141 email:gfowler@correctcraft.com
