**25th Annual Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships
Opens Competition in Waco**
Waco, TX. — Celebrating its 25th year as one of the country’s most prestigious action sports competitions, the Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships presented by Rockstar opened competition in Waco, TX. for the first time in the event’s history. Taking to the lake at BSR today were a collection of the world’s top male and female amateur wakeboarders ranging in age from pre-teen to over 40 years old.
Some of the day’s stiffest competition came courtesy of the Men’s 1 division, who had the opportunity to showcase their riding behind the award winning Super Air Nautique G23, the official towboat of Nationals. The athletes did not shy away from the boat’s massive wake.
Going biggest were Morgan Pederson and Cameron Steiner, who both coupled huge rotating aerials with stylish grabs to claim first place in their heats and earn a spot in tomorrow’s finals.
“With its perfect water conditions, BSR is an ideal venue to host the Nautique WWA Nationals, “said Chris Bischoff, competition director. “The amateurs looked great behind both Nautique towboats today and have set the bar high for the level of riding at Nationals this year.”
Top-notch wakeskating was also on display today at Nationals. In the Amateur Wakeskate division, Tyler Sommer, winner of today’s Junior Men’s division at the Wake Park National Championships, continued his dream day with a first place finish in his heat. Sommer will look to have another impressive run behind the Super Air Nautique G21 in tomorrow’s finals and complete the rare feat of earning national championships in multiple disciplines.
Women riders also dazzled the crowd with exciting performances during the first day at Nationals. Perhaps most notable run came from Team Nautique athlete Erika Lang. The three-time world trick record holder cruised to victory in her Junior Women semifinals heat with a super stylish run behind the G21.
The Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships is stop number five on the 2014 King of Wake Series. Additionally, it serves as stop number two on the Nautique Wake Series, a four-event professional and amateur wakeboard and wakeskate series.
Online adult tickets are available for $7 (46% off the gate price) Gate prices are: $13 (adult); $5 (ages 6-12); free (ages 5 and under). For more event information, including daily schedules, tickets, results, standings, photos, videos, athlete bios and more, visit www.kingofwake.com.
Day One Results:
Jr. Men Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 2 advance)
**1. Bryson Hancock 73.33
2. Grady Eaton 48.33**
3. Mikhale Johnson 40.00
4. Blake Daniel 30.00
Jr. Men Semifinals Heat 2
1. Clayton Holladay 80.00
** 2. Guenther Oka 71.67**
3. Collin Dye 38.33
Jr. Men Semifinals Heat 3
**1. Ethan Rau 81.67
2. Jordan Plummer 20.00**
3. Gus Reed
Veteran’s Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 5 advance)
**1. Steve Jones 70.00
2. Matt Vermillion 63.33
3. Darren Holsey 53.33
4. Billy Garcia 46.00
5. Christopher Full 37.67**
Men’s 2 Heat 1 (Top 4 advance)
**1. Same Cole 61.67
2. Rob Corum 55.00
3. Corbin Blanton 45.00
4. Tyler Heinz 30.67**
Men’s 1 Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 2 advance)
**1. Cameron Steiner 66.67
2. Sean Weidner 50.00
3. Trevor Duncan 41.67
4. Caden Welch 33.33**
Men’s 1 Semifinals Heat 2 (Top 2 advance)
1. Morgan Pederson 66.67
** 2. Woody White 53.33**
3. Robbie Culp 41.67
4. Chad Payton 36.67
Veteran Women Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 4 advance)
**1. Joy Manning 68.33
2. Kat Laird 51.67
3. Susan Sheehan 43.33
4. Paula Fay 21.67**
Masters Women Semifinals Heat 1
1. Natalie Graham 48.33
Jr. Women Semifinal Heat 1 (Top 2 advance)
1. Erika Lang 66.67
** 2. Sofia Dinatale 40.00**
3. Abigail Prowse 40.00
4. Jamie Lopina 15.67
Boy’s Semifinals Heat 1
**1. Kevin Duffy 83.33
2. Thomas Herman 75.00**
3. Dylan Sexton 68.33
4. Tyler Worrall 61.67
5. Hunter Henderson 46.67
6. Zach McCauley 33.33
Boy’s Semifinals Heat 2
**1. Mitch Kappler 80.00
2. David Stever 56.67**
3. Rocker Steiner 53.33
4. Benjamin Brown 43.33
5. Garrett Coleman 38.33
Boy’s Semifinals Heat 3
**1. Jaden Reichl 68.33
2. Tyler Brooks 55.67**
3. Kai Stidham 44.00
4. Jackson Kent 36.67
5. Kenny Prowse 34.00
Girls Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 2 advance)
**1. Shannon Sahinbas 78.33
2. Mary Morgan Howell 70.00**
3. Piper Harris 46.67
4. Marla Fay 36.67
Girls Semifinals Heat 2
1. Hollie Waldrop 73.33
** 2. Sarah Deary 60.00**
3. Sofia Mendez 46.67
4. Skylar Holladay 30.00
Jr. Girls Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 3 advance)
1. Kyla Hendricks 73.33
** 2. Palmer Howell 60.00**
** 3. Sydney Deary 43.33**
4. Kaitlyn Adams 35.00
5. Bailey Brown 26.67
Jr. Boy’s Beginner Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 2 advance)
**1. Karson Prowse 70.00
2. Pierce Ralston 56.67**
3. Kaiden Powell 46.67
4. Laird Stidham 25.00
Jr. Boys Beginner Semifinals Heat 2
**1. Brett Powell 68.33
2. Alexander Albin 61.67**
3. Kien Shapiro 46.67
4. Christian Kent 38.33
5. Keithen Burns 31.67
Jr. Boy Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 2 advance)
**1. Daniel Johnson 61.67
2. Fynn Bullock 51.67**
Adaptive Sitboarding Semifinals
1. Connor Aguilar-Poggetto 70.00
Boy’s Beginner Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 2 advance)
**1. Rocco Ralston 50.00
2. Drew Drennan 40.00**
Amateur Women Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 3 advance)
**1. Rebecca Miller 56.67
2. Nicole Steele 46.67
3. Staci Cross 28.33**
Women’s Wakeskate Semifinals Heat 1
1. Kaitlyn Adams 63.33
Amateur Wakeskate Semifinals Heat 1 (Top 3 advance)
**1. Tyler Sommer 65.00
2. Jake Kappler 53.33
3. Michael Fay 43.33**
4. Brendon Thibodeau 33.33
5. Drew Drennan 25.00
