Colorado River News

Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship
Eight New Champions Crowned on Friday at OWC

Orlando, Florida (October 1, 2004) -– The first stage of the Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship came to a close on Friday at Orlando WaterSports Complex. The third and final stop of the Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding Series awarded World Championships in eight amateur divisions on Friday.

Men and women ages 10 to 50 competed in different age divisions coming from as far away as Japan and as close as Orlando to compete. Two international competitors took home world championships. In the Masters Finals Kenichi Furuya of Japan won his first World Championship after traveling 15 hours by plane to get to Orlando. In the Amateur Wakeskate division, the first year of the competition, the inaugural World Championship went to Stef Tor of Canada, the only woman in the competition bested the guys to win.

The three women’s divisions started the day. In the Girls division Patty Hicks of Illinois is the 2004 World Champion. In the Junior Women’s division Central Floridian Amber Hansen of Groveland, FL won the title. The Amateur Women’s division went to Kayce Brewer of Tennessee.

In the Veteran’s division Matt Vermillion of Ohio is the World Champion. Mike Schwenne of California is the Men’s I division champion. Jonathan Vander Velde of Florida took home the Men’s II division championship.

The Pro Men began qualifying for the second stage of the Vans WWA Wakeboard World Championship, the Pro finals.

In Pro Men’s qualifying 15 riders qualified into the Pro Men’s Quarterfinals set for Saturday afternoon at Orlando WaterSports Complex. Heat winners on the day were Adam Wensink of Ohio, Gerry Nunn of Florida, Shane Bonifay of Florida, Trevor Hansen whose sister Amber won the Junior Women’s crown, and Andrew Adkison of Florida.

Competition for Saturday’s rounds will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the Junior Boys division. The pros hit the water at 11 a.m. with the Pro Women. The Pro Men begin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

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: SeaDoo watercraft, 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 ChampionshipDay 2 ResultsFriday at Orlando WaterSports Complex

Girls Finals
* 1 Patty Hicks (USA-IL) 49.44
2 Raimi Merritt (USA-FL) 48.67
3 Victoria Kulp (USA-AR) 39.22
Chloe Merritt (USA-FL) 37.78
Kelsey Tainsh (USA-FL) 35.22
Alexis Racinelli (USA-AZ) 26.67

* Mark Kenney Memorial Award

Jr Women Finals
1 Amber Hansen (USA-FL) 44.33
2 Heather Johnson (USA-FL) 33.33
3 Lauren Jewett (USA-CA) 29.67
Barrett Perlman (USA-FL) 27.78
Jillian Moss (USA-FL) 25.00

Amateur Women Finals
1 Kayce Brewer (USA-TN) 58.11
2 Denise Parris (USA-CA) 47.22
3 Akiko Naka (JPN) 45.56
Courtney Dutson (USA-FL) 38.33
Christine Cameron (USA-AZ) 25.56
Miho Sekime (JPN) 20.00
Amy Powell (USA -PA) 20.00
Mariana Martins (BRA) 18.11

Veterans Finals
1 Matt Vermillion (USA-OH) 60.00
2 Mark Norwell (USA-IL) 59.44
3 Yonosuke Ito (JPN) 42.56
Masaki Hori (JPN) 38.67
Larry Yonge (USA-FL) 33.33
Rob Parker (CAN) 25.56
Anthony Racinelli, Sr. (USA-AZ) NS

Masters Finals
1 Kenichi Furuya (JPN) 57.06
2 Billy Garcia (USA-TX) 56.89
3 Gary Morrison (USA-KY) 53.44
Damien Klaas (USA-CA) 48.33
J B Barton (USA-NJ) 43.67
Dayle Cartwright (USA-FL) 43.33
Tallun Rose (AUS) 42.22

Men I Finals
1 Mike Schwenne (USA-CA) 75.11
2 Brad Buskas (CAN) 66.11
3 Chad Reese (USA-AL) 63.89
Terumasa Yoshihara (JPN) 59.78
Rafael Kamogawa (BRA) 58.89
Tim Keepers (USA-WI) 53.89
Brian Reeder (USA-VA) 32.78
Colin Ryan (USA-MN) 27.22

Men II Finals
1 Jonathan Vander Velde (USA-FL) 67.78
2 Rick Knott (USA-ID) 60.00
3 Austin Langston (USA-NC) 57.78
Matt Von der Ahe (USA-CA) 54.67
Aaron Grace (USA-CA) 47.78
Greg Tyrrell (AUS) 46.11
Todd Anthony (USA-NC) 33.33
Brent Baum (USA-CA) 13.89

Amateur Wakeskate Finals
1 Stef Tor (CAN) 56.67
2 Matt Clifford (USA-FL) 23.33
3 Austin Hair (USA-SC) 36.67

Pro Men Qualifying
(3 each heat advance) Heat # 1
1 Adam Wensink (USA-OH) 57.60
2 Nick Ennen (USA-WA) 52.95
3 Nick Heaney (GRB) 52.10
Jimmy Wolf (USA-AZ) 47.95
Justin Butinsky (USA-FL) 44.15
Adam Fields (USA-NC) 0.00

Heat # 2
1 Gerry Nunn (USA-OH) 58.50
2 Chris O'Shea (AUS) 50.70
3 Matt Sims (USA-AL) 48.80
Jesson Vedel (Tahiti) 47.70
Scott Hopkins (USA-FL) 44.35
Corey Bradley (USA-FL) 39.05

Heat # 3
1 Shane Bonifay (USA-FL) 77.60
2 Dean Smith (AUS) 66.60
3 Jack Blodgett (USA-FL) 61.75
Steve Edwards (USA-FL) 55.30
Adam Haller (USA-FL) 45.00
Julz Heaney (GBR) 37.75

Heat # 4
1 Trevor Hansen (USA-FL) 67.40
2 Scotty Broome (AUS) 55.25
3 Brian Francis (USA-AZ) 51.90
Tim Pitschke (USA-PA) 48.55
Michael Hancock (AUS) 47.15
Toshimitsu "ZUCKY"Suzuki (JPN) 32.75
Manabu Nagatsuka (JPN) 0.00

Heat # 5
1 Andrew Adkison (USA-FL) 63.90
2 Loren Levine (USA-WI) 58.70
3 Jonathan Nadolski (USA-FL) 56.35
Ryoji Yanagawa (JPN) 47.50
Wes Brisco (USA-FL) 47.05
Perry Richmond (USA-CA) 36.70
Marcelo Giardi (BRA) 32.10