Colorado River News

Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship
Adkison Makes First Win a Big One

Orlando, Florida (October 3, 2004) -- Andrew Adkison made his first professional victory a big one, taking the top spot in the Pro Men’s division of the Vans WWA Wakeboard World Champion on Sunday at Orlando WaterSports Complex. Dallas Friday won the Pro Women’s World Championship in this the third and final stop of the Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding.

As this was the final event of the 2004 season, the World Championships were not the only awards handed out on the day. Parks Bonifay finished second to Adkison in the event, but finished first in the Vans Triple Crown Series standings earning a new Ford Ranger FX 4 and a set of KMC rims as the top rider in the Vans Triple Crown in 2004. Bonifay also finishes the year as the world’s NO. 1 ranked rider, winning the 2004 Wakeboarding World Cup.

Dallas Friday duplicated Bonifay’s feat for the women, winning both the Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding series and the Women’s Wakeboarding World Cup. Friday also won a set of KMC rims for her feat.

After finishing in fourth place, just off the podium in the 2003 Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship, Adkison was hungry for a victory in 2004. However, Adkison was the first rider off the dock in the Pro Men’s Final, a tough place to start to bring home the win.

However, Adkison was focused, “I always ride well at OWC,” said Adkison. “I look forward to this event because it is the last event of the year and you have nothing to lose. You can go out there and really go for it.”

As far as being the first guy off the dock, Adkison had a little motivation, “Danny Harf was the first rider off the dock at the Nationals in 2003, and he won. I think I can do the same. If you go out there and throw down the run of the year, the judges will remember.”

Adkison did just that, landing a 720 and 900 behind the Nautique 226 in his opening pass, setting the bar high as the first rider off the dock. Still, Bonifay had a chance to catch Adkison sitting and waiting in the next to last spot off the dock. Had Bonifay landed his double-half-cab off the double up, he may have had enough to catch Adkison who could not land his double up. Bonifay’s run was marked by a number of technical tricks including a whirly-540 a new move he unveiled for the Worlds.

Trevor Hansen took third place on the day, but Hansen had arguably the best run off the wake, but could not catch up to Bonifay and Adkison on the sliders.

This is Adkison’s third year as a pro, and first pro victory. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 2002.

The Pro Women’s Finals came down to a fight between Tara Hamilton and Friday with Hamilton almost catching up Friday, but like the Vans WWA National Championship in August, just finishing short. Friday fell two times in the women’s final, but still had enough to hang on for the victory. Emily Copeland Durham finished third on the day.

In the Pro Wakeskate Finals George Daniels rode away with his first World Championship, finishing ahead of defending wakeskate world champion Brian Grubb who finished second and 2004 Pro Wakeskate Series Champion Phillip Basino.

There were a few amateur finals still to be decided on Sunday, the Boys division and Junior Boys.

In the Boys division Robert Soven, little brother of Phillip Soven won his first Boys division world championship, finishing ahead of Boys National Champion Reed Hansen who finished second and Jimmy Lariche who finished third.

In the Junior Boys division Jacob Valdez added a Junior Boys world championship to his national championship. Michael Dowdy finished second and Daniel Pate finished third.

The Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding, the largest wakeboarding series in the sport, will air on Fox SportsNet:
Vans WWA Wakeboard Worlds Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Fox Sports Net - Oct. 26, 4 pm
(Orlando, FL)

The Vans Triple Crown™ Series is made possible through the support of Ford Trucks, Right Guard, Mountain Dew, NBC Sports and Fox Sports Net. 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 action sports: Skateboarding, Wakeboarding, BMX, Freestyle Motocross, Surfing and Snowboarding.

Additional promotional support provided by: Nautiques, Perfect Pass, Hyperlite, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels, Verizon Wireless, 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.com, Wakeboarder.com, Monster Towers, Say I Won’t and One Percent Design.

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.

Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship
Final Results
Sunday at Orlando WaterSports Complex

Pro Men Finals
1 Andrew Adkison (USA-FL) 75.25
2 Parks Bonifay (USA-FL) 74.80
3 Trevor Hansen (USA-FL) 71.35
Daniel Watkins (AUS) 60.75
Danny Harf (USA-FL) 57.73
Erik Ruck (USA-WA) 56.35
Keith Lidberg (USA-FL) 53.50
Josh Sanders (AUS) 52.70

Pro Women Finals
1 Dallas Friday (USA-FL) 58.67
2 Tara Hamilton (USA-FL) 55.78
3 Emily Copeland-Durham (USA-TX) 50.44
Melissa Marquardt (USA-CA) 48.56
Amber Wing (AUS) 40.78
Cathy Williams (USA-KY) 40.22
Lauren Loe (USA-TX) 38.00
Yoshiko Ishimaru (JPN) 34.78

Wakeskate FINALS
1 George Daniels (USA-FL) 81.00
2 Brian Grubb (USA-FL) 77.33
3 Phillip Basino (USA-FL) 69.33
Brandon Thomas (USA-FL) 65.00
Collin Wright (USA-OR) 58.00
Evan Lykes (USA-TX) 50.67
Joey White (USA-AZ) 40.00
Chase Gregory (USA-FL) 32.67

Boys FINALS
1 Robert Soven (USA-FL) 72.00
2 Reed Hansen (USA-FL) 70.22
3 Jimmy Lariche (USA-FL) 66.44
Ryan Anderson (USA-OK) 64.89
Harley Clifford (AUS) 56.22
Daniel Powers (USA-FL) 51.78
Steel Lafferty (USA-FL) 49.67
John Jeffries (USA-FL) 43.22
Raphael Derome (CAN) 24.89

Jr Boys FINALS
1 Jacob Valdez (USA-CA) 67.78
2 Michael Dowdy (USA-MI) 56.89
3 Daniel Pate (USA-NC) 47.67
Gus Shuler (USA-WI) 45.89
Cody Coffey (USA-IL) 42.67
Jason Soven (USA-FL) 30.44

Pro Men Semifinals
(2 each heat advance)
Heat # 1
1 Danny Harf (USA-FL) 69.50
2 Erik Ruck (USA-WA) 65.10
J D Webb (USA-FL) 59.30
Brett Eisenhauer (AUS) 54.25

Heat # 2
1 Parks Bonifay (USA-FL) 74.15
2 Daniel Watkins (AUS) 67.60
Phillip Soven (USA-FL) 55.25
Mikey Ennen (USA-WA) 40.50

Heat # 3
1 Keith Lidberg (USA-FL) 62.75
2 Josh Sanders (AUS) 60.25
Derek Grasman (USA-MI) 51.75
Chris Law (USA-FL) 37.50

Heat # 4
1 Trevor Hansen (USA-FL) 66.00
2 Andrew Adkison (USA-FL) 59.70
Collin Harrington (USA-FL) 55.90
Jeff Weatherall (NZL) 52.15
Tino Santori (USA-CO) 44.75

Pro Wakeskate Semifinals
(4 each heat advance)
Heat # 1
1 Evan Lykes (USA-TX) 65.00
2 Brian Grubb (USA-FL) 63.33
3 Phillip Basino (USA-FL) 50.00
4 Brandon Thomas (USA-FL) 45.00
Brian Francis (USA-AZ) 41.33
Clint Tompkins (USA-FL) 33.33
Kyle Hyams (USA-FL) 25.00
Nick Valliere (USA-FL) 23.33

Heat # 2
1 Collin Wright (USA-OR) 60.00
2 George Daniels (USA-FL) 55.00
3 Chase Gregory (USA-FL) 51.33
4 Joey White (USA-AZ) 48.67
Steven Schoenhals (USA-MI) 45.83
Silas Thurman (USA-OR) 45.00
Drew McGuckin (USA-FL) 42.67
Sammy Woodson (USA-FL) 30.00