Kelowna, British Columbia (July 12, 2003) - The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour presented by Chevy Trucks and GM Vortec engines continues its western swing with the fourth event of the season, Extreme Sport Series Wakefest, at Kelowna's Waterfront Park. The Pro Men, Junior Men and Pro Wakeskaters competed in qualifying action on Saturday to earn spots in Sunday's finals.
Saturday's action began at 8 a.m. at Waterfront Park with Junior Men's qualifying. The Pro Men's Quarterfinal round began in the afternoon with 42 of the world's top wakeboarders fighting for 18 spots into the semifinal rounds.
The race for the Pro Tour Championship and the Indmar Performance Award is heating up with just two events to go. Parks Bonifay and Daniel Watkins who are tied at the top of the Indmar Pro Tour standings with 235 points, both won their quarterfinal heats to earn a spot in the semifinals.
Bonifay won the most recent Pro Tour event of the season in Portland, Oregon on June 29, Watkins finished third. Darin Shapiro and Josh Sanders, just behind Bonifay and Watkins with 220 and 210 points respectively on the season also won their quarterfinal heats on Saturday to set up a match-up in the semifinals on Sunday.
Pro Tour standings are especially important for Australians, Sander and Watkins. Both have yet to qualify for the X Games, and the two top ranked athletes not already entered in the X Games will receive an invitation.
The other heat winner on Saturday is second-year pro Keith Lyman. The 2001 Junior Men's World Champion is starting to make a name for himself on the Pro Tour with a number of top finishes in 2003.
In the SeaDoo Watercraft Pro Wakeskate Series, Jim Leatherman and Aaron Reed took top honors in their qualifying heats on Saturday, earning a spot in Sunday's finals where they will face athletes such as Thomas Horrell, Brian Grubb and Drew McGuckin.
In the MasterCraft Junior X Series Derek Grasman, Jeff House and JD Webb, the top three riders in the Junior X Series standings all won their qualifying heats on Saturday. Webb currently holds the top spot in the season standings with 400 points with House (340) Grasman (330) just behind him. The rider on top of the Junior X Series standings at the end of the season will get a chance to compete in the X Games in Los Angeles, August 16-17.
Shaun Murray won the Double Up competition with Shawn Watson and Erik Ruck finishing second and third respectively.
The Pro Wakeboard Tour's Kelowna event is part of the Extreme Sports Series WAKEFEST 2003, sponsored by Export 'A' and Coors Light the event features an Extreme Music Series concert, a Hydro Foil competition, Freestyle Motocross demos and the Coors Light Bikini Contest.
The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, presented by Chevy Trucks and GM Vortec Engines, is a five-event circuit organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Florida. Powered by Indmar, the Pro Tour has the support of the following: Bud Light, 180 Energy Drink, SeaDoo watercraft, Hyperlite, Perfect Pass, Activision, Liquid Force, Epiphone Guitars, CWB, OJ Props, Gator Boards, Chipper Beef Jerky, Earthboard, Bare Wetsuits, buywake.com, Billabong, Reef, Love Sac, Body Glove, Capix Helmets, JoyRide, 3thirteen, Indo Boards, One Percent Designs, UGP, Straightline, Double-up, Blindside, Bootie Lube, Liquid Lube, Monaco, Ice Apparel and Barts Water Sports.
Wake Boarding Magazine, published 9 times a year by World Publications, is the official magazine of Pro Wakeboard Tour. Wake Boarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding including professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.
The Extreme Sports Series WAKEFEST is sponsored by Export 'A' and Coors Light and the event is produced by MASEV in association with Florida's World Sports and Marketing. With offices in Carlsbad, Toronto and Vancouver, MASEV
is a leading North American Marketing agency. As a full service agency, MASEV provides a complete range of marketing services including Research, Strategic Consulting, Creative, Promotions, Event Management, Music and Entertainment and Talent Procurement.
Saturday's Results
Pro Men Wakeboard Quarterfinals
(Top 3 each heat advance to Semifinals)
(4th place each heat go to L C Q)
Heat # 1 Scores
1 Josh Sanders (AUS) 93
2 Rob Struharik (OH) 93
3 Tino Santori (CO) 91
4 Shawn Watson (FL) 90
Danny Harf (FL) 90
Cody Hall (CA) 83
Chris Laske (MI) 80
Marc Poirier (CAN) 76
Evan Stait (CAN) 73
Heat # 5
1 Parks Bonifay (FL) 97
2 Erik Ruck (WI) 91
3 Chad Sharpe (CAN) 90
4 Chris Law (FL) 90
Collin Wright (OR) 84
Brian Francis (AZ) 83
Jessie Schipfel (CAN) 80
Ron Cafferky (OR) 77
L C Q
(total of 5 riders)
(Top 3 advance to Semifinals)
1 Shawn Watson (FL) 95
2 Shane Bonifay (FL) 93
3 Andrew Adkison (FL) 90
Rusty Malinoski (CAN) 90
Chris Law (FL) 87
Sea Doo Wake Skate
(top 4 each heat advance to FINALS)
Heat # 1
1 Jim Leatherman (FL) 97
2 Tim Kovacich (FL) 94
3 Brandon Thomas (FL) 91
Jordan Mears (FL) 88
Silas Thurman (OR) 85
SEEDING RUN
1 Thomas M Horrell (FL) 99
2 Brian Grubb (FL) 98
3 Drew McGuckin (FL) 97
Jr Men Wakeboard Semifinals
(top 3 each heat advance to FINALS)
Heat # 1 Scores
1 Derek Grasman (MI) 93
2 Jonathan Nadolski (FL) 91
3 Philip Combs (OR) 91
Justin Sellers (NC) 88
Rob Jacques (FL) 88
Jack Blodgett (OR) 86
Adam Gentry (WA) 79
Carter Moore (CAN) 76
Heat # 2
1 Jeff House (TN) 93
2 Kevin Henshaw (CAN) 92
3 Dann Thollander (FL) 91
Travis Stewart (WA) 89
Josh Chism (FL) 85
Jordan Stubbs (CAN) 84
Nicholas Valliere (FL) 83
Heat # 3
J D Webb (FL) 97
Devin Rogers (FL) 93
Scott Hopkins (FL) 91
Jimmy Wolf (AZ) 87
Mike Fulton (AZ) 87
Matt Bibby (CAN) 82
Dustin O'Ferrall (CAN) 79
DOUBLE - UP
1 Shaun Murray (FL) 9.438
2 Shawn Watson (FL) 8.25
3 Erik Ruck (WI) 8.25
Rusty Malinoski (CAN) 5.94
Parks Bonifay (FL) 3.3
Gerry Nunn (FL) 0.66
Andrew Adkison (FL) 0.66
Josh Sanders AUS) 0.66
