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Click here for Bill Doster’s photo gallery from this year’s Wake Awards.
“On Point” Wakeboarder
Amateur or pro, this up-and-coming rider had the most impact in the last year and has poised himself to become a major player in the future of wakeboarding. ‘06 Winner: Adam Errington / ‘07 Winner: Jimmy LaRiche / ‘08 Winner Harley Clifford
5. Steel Lafferty
4. Jacob Valdez
3. Nick Davies
2. Mitch Langfield
And The Winner Is: Bob Soven
Best Womens Rider
This female ripper kills it in all aspects including contests, exposure, photos, video sections and progressive riding. ’06 Winner: Dallas Friday / ’07 Winner: Amber Wing / ’08 Winner: Nicola Butler
5. Raimi Merritt
4. Melissa Marquardt
3. Nicola Butler
2. Amber Wing
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And The Winner Is: Dallas Friday
Rail Master
The Rail Master is a rider who stands out most on all kinds of rails by showing a good mix of technical and stylish riding. Consideration should be made for rail jam events and any other rail riding this past year.
5. Aaron Rathy
4. Shane Bonifay
3. Parks Bonifay
2. Kevin Henshaw
And the Winner is: JD Webb
Best Wake Rider
Best Wake Rider is one who kills it on wake-to-wake moves and double ups through ability, innovation and style without considering contest results or rail riding. ‘06 Winner: Danny Harf / ’07 Winner: Randall Harris / ’08 Winner: Danny Harf
5. Rusty Malinoski
4. Randall Harris
3. Chris O’Shea
2. Aaron Rathy
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And The Winner Is: Danny Harf
Photographer of the Year
Photographer of the Year is someone who captured innovative, creative and inspiring images on a consistent basis all year, including cover shots, editorial exposure, advertisements and catalogs. ’06 Winner: Josh Letchworth / ’07 Winner Joey Meddock / ’08 Winner: Josh Letchworth_._
_5. AARON KATEN
4. GARRETT CORTESE
3. JOSH LETCHWORTH
2. JOEY MEDDOCK
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And The Winner Is: Bryan Soderlind
Photo Of The Year
This is a new category for 2009! Pretty self-explanatory. The Photo of the Year is the best shot published considering composition, creativity, timing, style, etc.
_5. DOSTER / HANSEN – “Morning Pete”
4. DONOSO / GRUBB – “Back Tail”
3. SODERLIND / McKEE – “The Fog Shot”
2. CORTESE / MANZARI – “Sunset Poke”_
And The Winner Is: SODERLIND / HAMPSON – “The Fish Shot”
Best Video
The Best Video is chosen based on the quality of video, editing, creativity and the level of riding it showcases. ‘06 Winner: Hyperlite’s Counterfeit This / ’07 Winner: LF’s The Truth / ’08 Winner: Oakley’s Push Process
5. Fun Boots
4. Global Warning
3. Box of Fun
2. Rewritten
And The Winner Is: Billabong, Out of the Pond
Best Video Performance – Wakeboard
This is awarded to both the rider and producer, with consideration given to both the level of riding and filming/editing. ‘06 Winner: Danny Harf – Counterfeit This / ’07 Winner Randall Harris – Transgression / ’08 Winner: Danny Harf – Drive
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5. Jimmy LaRiche / A.V.E. / Rewritten
4. Chris O’Shea / Harrington / Box Of Fun
3. Erik Ruck / Billabong / Out Of The Pond
2. Aaron Rathy / Romero / Global Warning
And The Winner Is: Danny Harf / Billabong / Out Of The Pond
Best Video Performance – Wakeskate
This is awarded to both the rider and producer, with consideration given to both the level of riding and filming/editing. This is a new category for 2007. ’07 Winner: Aaron Reed / DVS – N.A.R.L.A. / ’08 Winner: Danny Hampson Volume Wakeskate Videos
5. Ben Horan / Scene One / Fun Boots
4. Nick Taylor / Scene One / Fun Boots
3. Brandon Thomas / A.V.E. / Rewritten
2. Andrew Pastura / Scene One / Fun Boots
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And The Winner Is: Brian Grubb / Billabong / Out of the Pond
The Legend Award
This rider has always pushed the wake industry, and consistently contributed in multiple aspects to the betterment of wake and its lifestyle. This rider has become synonymous with the sport and Scott Byerly, Shaun Murray, Darin Shapiro, Parks Bonifay and Zane Schwenk are already inducted.
And The Winner Is: Erik “Gator” Lutgert
Best Wakeskater
The Best Wakeskater is someone who is most dominant considering all aspects including lip tricks, wake moves, rails, contests, video sections and special events, with proficiency in PWC, boat, winch and cable riding. ‘06 Winner: Aaron Reed / ’07 Winner Brian Grubb / ’08 Winner: Nick Taylor
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5. Danny Hampson
4. Andrew Pastura
3. Nick Taylor
2. Brian Grubb
And The Winner Is: Reed Hansen
Best Wakeboarder
The Best Wakeboarder is someone who rides better than everyone else and excels in every aspect of wakeboarding, from wake moves to rails to double-ups. Consideration should also be made for magazine exposure, cover shots, contest results, video sections and overall commitment to the sport on a daily basis. ‘06 Winner: Danny Harf / ’07 Winner Rusty Malinoski / ’08 Winner Rusty Malinoski
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5. Adam Errington
4. Jimmy LaRiche
3. Rusty Malinoski
2. Danny Harf
And The Winner Is: Aaron Rathy
Oakley’s Move Of The Year: Wakeboarding & Wakeskating
This award is for the single most impressive, sickest, innovative and progressive move pulled all year, with categories for both wakeboarding and wakeskating, with a new category for women. The winner will be chosen by the WAKEBOARDING Magazine staff and the deadline for submitting video of new moves will be Tuesday, August 18. Please fill in moves that you think should be considered. Also, please help contribute video and/or photos for the moves you suggest. Below is a list of the runners up as well as the winner. The list isn’t especially descriptive, but a lot of the submissions were done down gaps or in some difficult situation that really must be seen, so we’re working on getting rights to the clips, so look for videos soon.
Wakeskate MOY Runners Up:
James Balzer – Toeside Wake-to-wake Kickflip
Russell Brightwell – 360 shove on Spillway Wall Ride
Russell Brightwell – Varial Flip
Travis Doran – Front Big
Justin Forest – Hard Flip
Brian Grubb – Bomb Drop Billabong Bus
Brian Grubb – Wake-to-wake Indy Back Big
Danny Hampson – Backside Big Spin
Reed Hansen – Wake-to-wake Heelside Frontside 540
Reed Hansen – Wake-to-wake Backside 540
Ben Horan – Backside Tail Slide to Backside Big Spin
Dieter Humpsch – Wake-to-Wake Frontside Flip
Kyle Hyams – Backside Big Spin Down Spillway
Chris Kallas – Wake-to-wake Backside Big Spin 360
Matt Manzari – Board Slide Varial Flip
Andrew Pastura – Backside 360 Kickflip
Andrew Pastura – Switch Grapeflip
Andrew Pastura – Switch Front Big Heel Flip
Grant Roberts – 360 Shove
Stu Shinn – Wake-to-wake Shove Catch Shove
Nick Taylor – Backside Big Spin
Nick Taylor – Switch Flats Backside Flip
And The Winner Is — Wakeskating: Matt Manzari, Boardslide backside flip
Wakeboard MOY Runners Up:
Shane Bonifay – Heelside Backside Wrapped Melon Off-axis 720
Adam Errington – Back lip, Backside 270 on Wake Lab Quarter Pipe
Danny Harf – Heelside Wrapped Nosegrab 900
Collin Harrington – High Reach Nose Press jib, 270 Out
Kevin Henshaw – 50-50 to Back Lip on C Rail
Vinny Knapp – Frontside 540 down spillway
Jimmy LaRiche – Switch Heelside 1080
Rusty Malinoski – First Contest 1080, Switch Toeside
Shaun Murray – Toeside Raley to Blind
Sean O’Brien – Toeside Nosegrab Osmosis 720
Chris O’Shea – Tail Grab Roll Backside 360
Aaron Rathy – Wrapped Heelside Backside wake-to-wake 900
Erik Ruck – Back Lip 270 Soccer Goal
Chad Sharpe – 100-foot glide over barge
Brad Smeele – Step Up on spillway
Dean Smith – Indy Tantrum Backside 360
Bob Soven – Heelside Frontside Nosegrab 360 to Backside 180
Shawn Watson – 50-50 on Ledge
Shawn Watson – Back Lip on Sea-Doo Rail
Tom Fooshee – Pete Rose 720
Steel Lafferty – Wake-to-wake 1080
Aaron Rathy – Heelside Backside ole’ 1080
Aaron Rathy – Melon Heelside Backside 1080
And The Winner Is — Wakeboarding: Aaron Rathy, Wrapped Melon Backside 1080
Women’s MOY Runners Up:
Dallas Friday – S Bend
Raimi Merritt – S Bend on Air Sling
