Canada's Chad Sharpe took the top spot today at the 2004 X Games Wakeboard Qualifier in Reno, Nevada. Sharpe clinched his ticket to X by beating an all-star field of more than 30 riders. In all, only three spots were available in today's competition set on day one of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour stop in Reno.
In addition to Sharpe, Australia's Daniel Watkins got a bid with a second place finish while Mickey Ennen from Washington state took third and the final ticket to the X Games being held in Los Angeles in August.
Including today's three qualifiers, eight of the 10 spots are now set. Five riders had secured spots before today including Danny Harf, Parks Bonifay, Darin Shapiro, Shawn Watson and Dean Smith. Harf earned his spot by winning the 2003 X Games. Bonifay captured the 2003 Pro Tour while Darin Shapiro's 2003 World Cup season title earned them spots. Dean Smith won this year's Asian X Games for his bid, and Shawn Watson was the early wild-card entry. Two spots remain for the field - a second wild card chosen in July, and the 2004 Pro Tour winner or the highest-ranked rider if the winner is already in. In women's qualifying today, Louisiana native Lauren Loe took first in the eight-woman heat with a score of 53.92. At last year's X Games, Loe finished a strong fourth in the finals. Also getting a ticket to the 2004 X Games were Melissa Marquardt and Megan McNeil. They finished second and third, respectively, with scores of 46.68 and 30.53.
There is now only one spot remaining on the women's side. With today's three qualifiers, the field of eight is nearly complete. Before today, four riders already qualified: Dallas Friday, Emily Copeland, Maeghan Major and Tara Hamilton. Friday, Copeland and Major qualified as the top-three riders from 2003, while Hamilton was an early wild-card entry. The eighth spot will be a wild card chosen in July.
All the pro riders will now spend the weekend in Reno for the third stop of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. The Junior Men's final is set for Saturday, as are the Pro Women's and Wakeskate semifinals and the Men's quarterfinals. Sunday action will include the finals in Wakeskate and Pro Women and the semis and finals for the Pro Men.
Men's X Games Qualifying Finals
(top three go to X Games)
1. Chad Sharpe 90
2. Daniel Watkins 87
3. Mickey Ennen 87
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4. Chris Law 81
5. Andrew Adkison 80
6. Zane Schwenk 70
Men's X Games Qualifying Semifinals
(winner advances to finals)
Heat #1
1. Daniel Watkins 95
2. Rusty Malinoski 90
3. Brian Francis 85
4. Scotty Broome 80
5. Jaret Brantley 75
Heat #5
1. Chris Law 92
2. Jeff Weatherall 91
3. Philip Soven 84
4. Ryoji Yanagawa 82
5. Brett Eisenhauer 76
Heat #6
1. Chad Sharpe 93
2. Ricky Gonzales 88
3. Erik Ruck 86
4. Nick Weinacker 83
5. Gerry Nunn 75
Women's X Games Qualifying Finals
(top three advance to X Games)
1. Lauren Loe 53.92
2. Melissa Marquardt 46.68
3. Megan McNeil 30.53
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4. Laura Lohrmann 27.78
5. Cheryl Newton 24.98
6. Gretchen Hammarberg 23.32
7. Cathy Williams 21.16
8. Yoshiko Ishimaru 18.88
