New Braunfels, TX (July 21, 2003) – Cable wakeboarding and wakeskating continued their rapid growth in popularity in the United States as the Texas Ski Ranch hosted the 3rd USA Cable Wakeboard National Championship July 19th and 20th in New Braunfels, Texas. Keith Lidberg captured his first ever Pro Men National Champion crown by throwing down a spectacular, stylish run in the face of an ever-growing crowd of professional riders. Robin Friday also landed his first ever podium finish on the Cable Wakeboard Tour after throwing a sick run that included the Tour’s first ever 900 off the kicker to capture second place, while 2002 Tour Overall Champion Donald Shelbrick answered with an impressive array of technical tricks to finish third.
Wakeskating continues to make its popularity known around the world as the 2003 Cable Nationals hosted more wakeskaters than any time in its history. Amazingly, for the first time ever, there were as many women wakeskaters as men. Zak Stone wowed the crowd on the kicker with his innovative Indy-Raley trick known as the Chrysler, capturing the National Champion crown in the Mens division, while Savanah Barber was crowned National Champion in the Womens division.
Jeff Pollack earned his second National Champion title with a flawless run in Junior Men, while Blake Hess and Alex Emmermann captured the National Champion titles in the Men and Masters divisions, respectively. And with inverts and obstacle tricks becoming more common, the ladies continued to prove that they are every bit as able as the guys, as Jillian Moss was crowned National Champion in Open Women, while Catie Bialick finished a close second, and Kelly Johnson finishing third.
Spectators were also treated to the always popular and entertaining "Wakeskate Skeetball" competition, where wakeskaters hit the kicker with as much speed as possible to launch themselves off the kicker and their wakeskate with as much style, height and distance as they can muster, with a bonus for going through the rings in the water. A total of twenty two riders launched, flipped, spun, twisted and turned to an electrified crowd, and in the end Josh Wright emerged the winner, with Kyle Reed and Josh Potter finishing second and third, respectively.
Fans were also treated to a special invitational that pit the top twelve riders in the country head-to-head in a single elimination bracket format tournament. In the first wakeboard tournament of its kind in the USA, riders went one-on-one for two and a half minutes on the cable simultaneously, with the best rider for that 2.5 min advancing to next round. After a thrilling display by all the riders of what seemed like every trick ever invented, an exhausted Donald Shelbrick finally came away the winner, taking home the $350 cash prize. Chad Forrest worked his way through the bracket to finish second and earn himself $150.
The American Wakeboard Association and the Cable Wakeboard Tour would like to thank all of our Sponsors for their generous support of the US Cable Wakeboard National Championships, including the Texas Ski Ranch, the Board Shop at TSR, Coconutz Bar & Grill, WakeZone, Gravity Wake and Skate, Vikingsextreme, Cobian, Joyride, Reef, Off-Axis, Jet Pilot, and Performance Ski and Surf.
The next stop of the Cable Wakeboard Tour will be August 1-3 at the ever-popular Beach Club in Montreal, Canada. Known as WakeFest, this competition will also host the first-ever Canadian Cable Wakeboard National Championship, with over $10,000 in cash prizes, a Double-Up competition (boat), Miss Reef Brazil bikini contest, DJs, bands, skateboarding demos, beach volleyball, and some of the best riding in North America. Check out www.beachclub.com or www.cablewakeboardtour.com for more information.
Finals Results
Juniors 1 Forest Hess 25.38
Boys 1 Nick Delaurie 51.67
2 Derrick Aker 44.67
3 James Carroll 42.38
4 Justin Brown 32.32
Junior Men 1 Jeff Pollack 67.33
2 Greg Heunis 52.33
3 Cody Kidder 50.34
4 Alex (Sasha) Peschl 25.66
Masters 1 Alex Emmermann 62.65
2 David Cornwall 57.01
3 Lu Le 38.99
Wakeskate Women 1 Savanah Barber
2 Jillian Moss
3 Raegan Cottrell
4 Lauren Sanders
5 Stef Tor
Wakeskate Men 1 Zak Stone
2 Ty Benfield
3 Kyle Hyams
4 Danny Molina
5 Jerry Lafferty
Open Women 1 Jillian Moss 53.67
2 Catie Bialick 51.67
3 Kelly Johnson 48.68
4 Lauren Sanders 43.33
5 Katherine Iconomopulos 22.67
6 Savanah Barber 21.67
Pro Men 1 Keith Lidberg 82.34
2 Robin Friday 78.67
3 Donald Shelbrick 75.01
4 Nick Vidulich 71.34
5 Kenny Sampson 57.01
6 Chris Ramirez 53.34
7 Josh Rice 41.67
8 James Sampson 33.37
