Orlando, Florida (October 5, 2003) - A surprised and emotional Shaun Murray took the pro men's title at the Mountain Dew WWA Wakeboard World Championships at Orlando WaterSports Complex on Sunday. Danny Harf took third at the event and the Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding season title.
While accepting the award, Murray dropped a bombshell telling the crowd he would not be competing in 2004.
Dallas Friday took the pro women's world championship and the Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding, making her and Harf the two biggest winners on the day. For her efforts, Friday took home the $6,000 first-place check and a new Vans Triple Crown edition SeaDoo personal watercraft for the Vans Triple Crown championship. Harf won a new Ford Ranger FX4 for winning the men's Vans Triple Crown championship.
Darin Shapiro, 2002 Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding Champion took second in today's world championships, but also took the Wakeboarding World Cup season championship.
In the SeaDoo Pro Wakeskate Series, Brian Grubb was a double winner, taking the world championship and the overall Vans Triple Crown championship, which includes a new Vans Triple Crown edition SeaDoo personal watercraft.
In the Junior Men's world championship JD Webb finished off a great season with the world championship.
Murray did not indicate why he decided to take a year off from competition citing only an interest in concentrating other pursuits. This marks Murray's only victory in 2003.
The 2003 season was dominated by young riders with Harf, Parks Bonifay and Shawn Watson winning multiple times in 2003, but the podium at this world championship had a veteran feel with Shapiro and Murray taking the top two spots. 2002 Rookie of the Year Andrew Adkison took fourth place, just off the podium.
The Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding* and the Built Ford Tough WWA Wakeboard Nationals presented by Mountain Dew and Vans are made possible through the support of the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft, Right Guard Xtreme, Fox Sports Net and NBC Sports. 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 Core Sports™ disciplines: Skateboarding, Wakeboarding, BMX, Freestyle
Motocross, Surfing and Snowboarding.
Sunday's Final Results
Pro Men FINALS
1 Shaun Murray (FL) 94
2 Darin Shapiro (FL) 93
3 Danny Harf (FL) 89
Andrew Adkison (FL) 86
Erik Ruck (WI) 84
Brett Eisenhauer (AUS) 83
Daniel Watkins (AUS) 81
Trevor Hansen (FL) 80
Josh Sanders (AUS) 76
Pro Women FINALS
1 Dallas Friday (FL) 69.3
2 Tara Hamilton (FL) 55.5
3 Emily Copeland Durham (CO) 54.5
Maeghan Major (NC) 46.5
Leslie Kent (FL) 46.0
Melissa Marquardt (CA) 44.4
Lauren Loe (TX) 44.2
Lauren Harf (FL) 39.1
Cheryl Newton (CA) 25.2
Wake Skate FINALS
1 Brian Grubb (FL) 97
2 Brandon Thomas (FL) 92
3 Tim Kovacich (FL) 90
Clint Tompkins (FL) 89
Jim Leatherman (FL) 86
Thomas Horrell (FL) 83
Jr Men Finals
1 J D Webb (FL) 97
2 Kevin Henshaw (CAN) 91
3 Philip Combs (OR) 90
4 Derek Grasman (MI) 89
5 Rob Jacques (FL) 86
6 Dann Thollander (FL) 84
Pro Men Semifinals
(top 3 each heat advance FINALS)
