Reno, Nevada - Phillip Soven captured his first-ever professional victory today at the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec engines in Reno, Nevada. Soven, who just turned 15-years old, topped the field of the best riders in the world. Soven's first-ever win came at Sparks Marina which hosted the Pro Tour this weekend for the first-time ever.
Presented locally by the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA), the premier tour in wakeboarding drew record crowds to see young Soven's win. Despite rough conditions due to high winds, Soven scored an impressive 93 to beat Danny Harf's second-place score of 90.
Soven scored a solid run that include a cro mobe 5, a pete rose and toeside 720. He also scored on the slider portion of his run by gapping the A-Frame slider.
Parks Bonifay, the defending Tour champion and who came in to Reno leading this year's season-points race, failed to make the finals for the first time in 2004. Bonifay finished third in his semifinal heat just missing the cut.
The defending women's champion also went home without the win today. Dallas Friday, who has won nearly every woman's wakeboard event over the past two years, was upset by Emily Copeland Durham. Copeland Durham scored a 97 in the finals to beat Friday's 94.
With the win, Copeland Durham tied Friday for the Indmar Performance Award given to the top women's rider on tour. Copeland Durham and Friday each won one of the two stops for the women on the Pro Tour and each finished second to each other resulting in the tie. Indmar awards a $2000 bonus for the winner of the Indmar Performance Award, but since both riders tied Indmar announced at the awards ceremony it would kick in an additional $2000 so both riders received the full award.
In the pro wakeskate competition, Brandon Thomas won for the first time this year on Tour. Thomas scored a 97 to beat Phillip Basino's 94. The victory by Thomas was impressive as he was competing in his first event since tearing his bicep in April.
The next stop on the Pro Tour is the annual trip to Canada. This year the stop will again be in Kelowna, British Columbia, June 9-11. The Pro Tour Finals will wrap up the 2004 campaign in Irvine, California July 17-18.
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, O'Brien, 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, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels, Verizon Wireless, Execute, Wakeworld, Wakeboarder.com, Monster Tower, Say I Won't 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.
Pro Men Finals
1. Phillip Soven 93
2. Danny Harf 90
3. Shawn Watson 87
4. Daniel Watkins 77
5. Brett Eisenhauer 75
6. Chad Sharpe 68
7. Andrew Adkison 67
8. Trevor Hansen 63
Pro Women Finals
1. Emily Copeland Durham 97
2. Dallas Friday 94
3. Maeghan Major 90
4. Melissa Marquardt 89
5. Tara Hamilton 85
6. Cathy Williams 84
7. Yoshiko Ishimaru 79
8. Laura Lohrmann 76
Pro Wakeskate Final
1. Brandon Thomas 97
2. Phillip Basino 94
3. Chase Gregory 91
4. Steven Schoenhals 88
5. Jim Leatherman 85
6. Thomas Horrell 82
7. Danny Hampson 79
8. Aaron Reed 76
9. Collin Wright 73
Pro Men Semifinals
(top 2 in each heat move to finals)
Heat #1
1. Danny Harf 93
2. Shawn Watson 91
3. Darin Shapiro 86
4. Erik Ruck 80
Heat #2
1. Daniel Watkins 93
2. Andrew Adkison 92
3. JD Webb 85
4. Collin Harrington 80
