Orlando, FL (April 30, 2004) - The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec engines opened the 2004 season on Friday at Orlando Watersports Complex.
It has been a little over six months since the season-ending event in 2003 at this same spot, the 2003 WWA World Championships in which World Champion Shaun Murray decided to take 2004 off from competition. Friday's qualifying rounds were about which young pros will step up to fill the void left by a huge star like Murray stepping away from the spotlight.
The MasterCraft Junior X Series has been a great proving ground for emerging talent, many Junior X stars were dipping into pro competition for the first time at Orlando Watersports Complex on Friday, here's how some of the top names in Junior X fared:
Derek Grasman: 2002 Junior X Series Champion. Qualified for Saturday's Pro Men's Quarterfinals, finishing second in Heat # 2 behind Rob Struharik.
Tino Santori: A 2002 graduate of the Junior X Series and 2003 Pro Tour Rookie of the Year, Santori finished first in Heat #7 to qualify for the Quarterfinals.
JD Webb: 2003 Junior X Champion, Webb failed to qualify for the Pro Men's Quarterfinals, finishing third, in a tough heat just behind Danny Harf, the 2003 X Games, Vans Triple Crown and National Champion.
Jonathan Nadolski: Perennial podium finisher in the Junior X Series, Nadolski failed to qualify on Friday, just missing the cut in his heat.
Philip Soven: Just for the heck of it, the kid skipped over the whole Junior X Series to go pro four years ago at the age of 11, but that hasn't hurt him two much. Soven finished first in his heat on Friday to earn a spot into Saturday's quarterfinals.
With close to 80 pro men going after 18 transfer spots into the quarterfinals, the competition was pretty tough for all riders on day 1.
With all this talent going to the pros, you would think there wasn't much left in the MasterCraft Junior X Series qualifying on Friday. You'd be wrong.
There is still a ton of skilled and veteran Junior Series talent ripping it in Orlando. Ben Carley, Michael Fulton, Jimmy Wolf, Danny Thollander, Philip Combs, Kevin Henshaw, Devin Rogers, Mike Brady, Derek Conway all won their heats on Friday to move on.
Orlando is also the season-opener for the SeaDoo watercraft Pro Wakeskate Series. Steve Wahlman, Chase Gregory, Steven Schoenhals, George Daniels,
Thomas Horrell and Brian Grubb won their heats to move on along with 12 other riders.
The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec Engines, is a five-event circuit organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Florida. Powered by Indmar Marine Engines, the Pro Tour has the support of the following: SeaDoo watercraft, Perfect Pass, Hyperlite, Liquid Force, Gator Boards, CWB, Jobe, Double-up, Blindside, JoyRide, Cassette Wakeskates, 484 Wakeskates, Billabong, Reef, Body Glove, UGP, Epiphone Guitars, OJ Props, Chipper Beef Jerky, Bare Wetsuits, buywake.com, Love Sac, Capix Helmets, Indo Boards, Straight Line, Nevin, ten-80, and One Percent Designs.
Wake Boarding, published by World Publications, is the official magazine of the Pro Wakeboard Tour. Wake Boarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.
MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour Presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec Engines
Friday's Qualifying Results
Pro Men Qualifying
(top 2 each heat advance)
HEAT # 1
1 Zane Schwenk 74.00
2 Nick Heaney 71.50
Chris Law 69.00
Adam Haller 57.25
Hunter Hanson 41.00
Adam Gentry 39.75
Joey Bradley 39.00
Jaret Brantley 31.25
7 Ryan Jones 14.88
HEAT # 2
1 Mikey Ennen 68.25
2 Steve Edwards 65.10
Loren Levine 65.08
Adam Wensink 54.60
Cody Hall 41.00
Matt Sims 34.75
Duston Swafford 33.00
Sean Legg 28.50
HEAT # 3
1 Phillip Soven 72.05
2 Dave Burstiner 65.10
Collin Harrington 62.25
Sean O'Brien 48.75
Nick Weinacker 45.13
Justin Butinsky 43.25
Luiz "Flipper" Carvalho 38.25
Ryoji Yanagawa 37.75
HEAT # 4
1 Rusty Malinoski 79.00
2 Danny Harf 73.00
JD Webb 72.75
Dean Smith 48.50
Travis Stewart 45.50
Joey Arcisz 41.75
Nicholas McBride 32.75
Ben Bazis 23.50
HEAT # 5
1 Rob Struharik 66.63
2 Derek Grasman 58.50
Steve McKinley 48.00
Brian Sasser 46.00
Gabe Fowler 33.75
Jeff Solie 33.50
Wes Brisco 28.00
Nick Binkoski 25.25
John Peterson NS
HEAT # 6
1 Gerry Nunn 60.70
2 Perry Richmond 55.75
Jonathan Nadolski 55.50
Marcelo Giardi 40.75
Scot Ferwerda 39.63
Jesson Vedel 35.75
Jeff McKee 35.00
Gabe Lucas 32.25
HEAT # 7
1 Tino Santori 63.50
2 Ricky Gonzales 63.00
Adam Fields 47.50
Brad Buskas 45.85
Robin Friday 42.00
Nick Valliere 35.50
Matt Leever 33.50
Matthew Christian 22.50
Gator Lutgert NS
HEAT # 8
1 Jeff Weatherall 78.40
2 Keith Lidberg 73.25
Matt Lockwood 65.70
Corey Bradley 64.00
Chris Ramirez 56.25
Nick Ennen 53.88
Kurtis Rauhut 36.75
Kyle Reed 28.25
David Isaacson NS
HEAT #9
1 Trevor Hansen 74.75
2 Chris Laske 54.00
Brian Francis 53.75
Glen Fletcher 49.75
Dan Nott 39.38
Mark Weikel 33.75
Jake Huso 33.00
Gabe Paulson 20.00
Justin Larson 17.13
Jr Men Qualifying
(top 2 each heat advance)
HEAT # 1
1 Ben Carley 57.28
2 Rob Jacques 50.57
Cody Kidder 30.24
Dan Olson 26.44
Dana Godtfredsen 19.43
Scott Peterson 12.23
HEAT # 2
1 Michael Fulton 54.98
Eric Hesch 49.47
Hank Carter 37.23
Josh Caswell 37.00
Chris Anderson 29.98
Greg Heunis 22.27
HEAT # 3
1 Jimmy Wolf 62.78
2 Brett Lee 37.00
Steven Paul 34.47
Kyle Rattray 32.23
Lucas Snider 19.48
Steve Gegner 15.58
HEAT # 4
1 Danny Thollander 73.88
2 Travis Propst 63.35
Dustin Shows 51.10
Robby Carter 50.57
Tyler Killingsworth 41.08
Anthony Jr. Racinelli 39.45
HEAT # 6
1 Kevin Henshaw 76.67
2 Jack Blodgett 64.47
Reed Hansen 58.32
Chris Craig 51.12
Ryan Mocerino 39.43
Nick Ladd 35.02
Eric Christensen 29.98
HEAT # 7
1 Devin Rogers 57.80
2 Corey Miner 55.55
Chris Canuel 46.63
Brad Molnar 42.73
Nick Jones 34.98
Adam Errington 32.80
Scott Woods 15.53
HEAT # 8
1 Mike Brady 55.60
2 Scott Hopkins 53.35
Chase Andrews 42.75
Kyle Alberts 41.13
AJ Haynes 36.65
Shaun Teegardin 22.23
Ross Carter 20.57
HEAT # 9
1 Derek Conway 63.92
2 Jeff House 58.87
Austin Hair 51.70
Alex Brown 46.68
Daniel Walden 45.00
Chris Beckman 37.23
Brandon Lee 33.35
Pro Wakeskate Qualifying
(Top 3 each heat advance)
Heat # 1 Scores
1 Steve Wahlman 97
2 Collin Wright 94
3 Phillip Basino 91
Michael dacato 87
Jim Leatherman 86
Jerry Lafferty 82
Heat # 2 Scores
1 Chase Gregory 96
2 Clint tompkins 95
3 Tim Kovacich 92
Ryan Lemons 88
Matt Messina 85
Megan McNeil 82
Heat # 3 Scores
1 Steven Schoenhals 97
2 Daniel Lovett 94
3 Kyle Hyams 91
Aaron Reed 87
Jordan Mears 86
Sammy Woodson 82
Heat # 4 Scores
1 George Daniels 97
2 Tony Berard 94
3 Scott Byerly 90
Jacques Fauret 89
Savannah Barber 85
Justin Scott 82
Heat # 5 Scores
1 Thomas Horrell 97
2 Joshua Steele 93
3 Bryan Dawley 92
Joey white 87
Stefan Screiwer 85
Jon Coudriet 83
Heat # 6
1 Brian Grubb 97
2 Danny Hampson 93
3 Danny Molina 92
Cole Munster 88
Silas Thurman 85
Danny Kennedy 83
