Pro Wakeboard Tour: Acworth, GA - Final Results

Acworth, Ga. – Over the past three days, the world's top pro wakeboarders battled it out on the waters of Dallas Landing Park in Acworth, GA to compete for the first win the 2008 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour season.

Four rounds and three days later, the top-four riders in the Pro Men's Division took to the water for the final heat of the contest, where all eyes were on Rusty Malinoski (CAN), Phillip Soven (USA), Adam Errington (SCT) and JD Webb (USA).

All four rippers had a killer showing in the finals, but in the end reigning MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour champion Phillip Soven posted a 92.50 to claim the top spot in the contest and became the first rider on Tour to win back-to-back contests in Acworth. Webb, Malinoski and Errington rounded out the competition respectively.

"All those guys stomped some killer tricks out there, not making it easy on me at all," said Soven. "I was just dialed-in on my final run and came out with a win."

Although Rusty Malinoski didn't win in Acworth today, the "Bone Crusher" did pick-up some extra cash thanks to Rockstar Energy Drink. The Canadian ripper was named the winner of the Rockstar Best Trick Award, a $1,000 cash bonus for landing the most impressive trick of the contest, a Heelside Frontside Switch 720 off of the U.S. Air Force Kicker.

In the Pro Women's Division, six of the top female riders took to the water today for their finals. All eyes were Emily Copeland Durham (USA), as the two-time women's wakeboard world champion was looking to repeat in Acworth. However, in the end Copeland Durham only manage to finish third, as Nicola Butler (UK) took the top spot, followed by Amber Wing (AUS).

Today's win marks Butler's first-ever MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour victory and her second consecutive win in the Queen of Wake series. Nicola Butler's success continued in Acworth today, as the second-year pro ripper claimed the MONA VIE Best Trick Award. The award is a $250 bonus for the female rider landing the most impressive trick of the contest, a Moby Dick.

Harley Clifford (AUS) took the top spot in the Jr. Men's finals today, followed by Jimmy LaRiche (USA) and Robert Soven (USA) respectively. Clifford now paces all Jr. Men riders in the Indmar Performance Standings.

Acworth was the first of five stops on the 2008 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. The Tour's next stop will be held in Forth Worth, Tex. (May 30-June 1), followed by Twin Cities, Minn. (June 7-8), Phoenix, Ariz. (June 28-29) and Reno, Nev. (July 11-13).

To catch all the wakeboarding action from home, tune in to Fuel TV. For exact air dates, visit www.prowakeboardtour.com.

Fuel TV is a 24/7 action-sports lifestyle network for wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX and freestyle motocross. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, Fuel TV was launched July 1, 2003, and is seen in 24 million U.S. homes. To subscribe to Fuel TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit fuel.tv.

MasterCraft is the exclusive tow boat for the Pro Wakeboard Tour, as it has been since the tour's wakeboarding events began in 1992. Indmar Marine engines will provide the power for MasterCraft's X Series line of competition tow boats.

Rockstar is the world's most powerful energy drink. Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, Rockstar Energy Drink is available in 10 flavors -- Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava, Pomegranate, Punched, Roasted Mocha, Roasted Vanilla Light and Roasted Latte -- at convenience stores and retail grocery outlets across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom.

WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. WakeBoarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.

The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour has the support of the following sponsors: MasterCraft, Rockstar Energy Drink, Mona Vie, the U.S. Air Force, Indmar, Billabong, Hyperlite, CWB, Gator Boards, Ronix, Oakley, Reef, Cire, wakeworld.com and theliquidcircus.com.

Sunday, May 18 – Final Results:

Pro Men
Finals Heat #: 01
1 Soven, Phillip USA 92.50
2 Webb, JD USA 84.00
3 Malinoski, Rusty CAN 83.50
4 Errington, Adam SCT 80.50

Pro Women
Finals Heat #: 01
1 Butler, Nicola UK 95.00
2 Wing, Amber AUS 89.50
3 Copeland Durham, Emily USA 82.50
4 Friday, Dallas USA 65.50
5 Kantar, Shelby USA 58.50
6 Smith, Haley AUS 49.00

Junior Men (14-18)
Finals Heat #: 01
1 Clifford, Harley AUS 68.33
2 LaRiche, Jimmy USA 58.33
3 Soven, Robert USA 48.33
4 King, Ryan USA 33.33

Junior Men (14-18)
Semifinals Heat #: 01
1 LaRiche, Jimmy USA 75.56
2 Soven, Robert USA 68.89
3 Cohen, Julian USA 56.67
4 Valdez, Eddie USA 51.11
5 Burnstein, Danny USA 41.11

Junior Men (14-18)
Semifinals Heat #: 02
1 Clifford, Harley AUS 67.22
2 King, Ryan USA 55.00
3 Lafferty, Steel USA 47.22
4 Derome, Raphael CDN 33.89
5 Racinelli, AJ USA 23.33

Pro Men
Semifinals Heat #: 01
1 Soven, Phillip USA 93.75
2 Errington, Adam SCT 85.50
3 Watson, Shawn USA 81.00
4 Harris, Randall USA 79.75
5 Ruck, Erik USA 46.50

Pro Men
Semifinals Heat #: 02
1 Malinoski, Rusty CAN 92.75
2 Webb, JD USA 82.50
3 Derom, Olivier CAN 77.50
4 Sharpe, Chad CAN 76.50
5 Bonifay, Shane USA 57.25

Pro Men
Quarterfinals Heat #: 01
1 Watson, Shawn USA 97.25
2 Ruck, Erik USA 85.00
3 Fields, Adam USA 85.25
4 Mckee, Jeff USA 85.25

Pro Men
Quarterfinals Heat #: 02
1 Errington, Adam SCT 95.00
2 Derome, Olivier CAN 89.00
3 Weatherall, Jeff NZL 80.25
4 Rattray, Kyle CAN 75.75

Pro Men
Quarterfinals Heat #: 03
1 Webb, JD USA 95.75
2 Bonifay, Shane USA 89.75
3 Carter, Robby USA 80.00
4 Hutton, Bryan USA 74.50

Pro Men
Quarterfinals Heat #: 04
1 Sharpe, Chad CAN 89.00
2 Harris, Randall USA 88.75
3 Hansen, Trevor USA 82.00
4 Santori, Tino USA 80.50

Pro Men
Quarterfinals Heat #: 05
1 Malinoski, Rusty CAN 100.00
2 Soven, Phillip USA 88.50
3 Greenwood, Ben USA 77.25
4 Sanders, Josh AUS 74.25