In early June the Pro Wakeboard contest scene bustled at two different ends of the globe with the finals of the Red Bull Wake Duel 2021in Lithuania’s 313 Cable Park concurring with the first stop of the PWT Men’s Tour in Katy, Texas.
At the Red Bull Wake 2ELn in the Pro Women’s event, the big win was for Italy’s Claudia Pagnini who upset the reigning World Champion Julia Rick, from Cologne Germany in an exciting head to head battle in the duel’s contest format. Jamie Lopina from the USA placed third and Sanne Meijer from the Netherlands came in fourth.
In the Pro Men’s division, British rider Liam Peacock won the contest defending his title from 2019 (the contest was postponed in 2020) Pedro Caldas from Brazil placed second and Austrian rider Timo Kapl came back to the podium after an injury winning third place.
At the PWT Stop #1 in Katy Texas, it was a 1-2-3 for Australia. 19-year-old underdog Sam Brown won his first Pro Tour standing up both passes and landing a “Whirly-Dick”. Brown defeated last years’ defending champion Nick Rapa and fellow Aussie Corey Teunissen who placed third.
On July 5th, the Moxie Pro Series International Cable Digital Event was completed and for the second time it was a great success for the Pro Ladies. The event is sponsored by Body Glove, Supra Boats, Indmar and Alliance Wake. Last year’s winner Germany’s Julia Rick took the crown for the second year in a row edging out Best Trick winner Anna Nikstad from Texas who took the best trick honors with a stylish Nose Press BS 540. French rider Maryh Rougier came in third place with Russian phenom Lisa Baloo trailing close behind in fourth.
Honorary mention to ten-year-old Anastasia Syrova from Russia who made it into the final round and placed 8th with spectacular riding skills and won the Fan Vote Award.
To watch the event visit moxie-pro.com.
Ladies No Limits
The one of a kind pro women’s event is organized and judged by women. The contest is sponsored by Tommy’s Boats, Malibu Boats, Foundation for Women’s Wake and Go Pro. A much anticipated Final Round is stacked with an international field of the world’s best female riders and has a growing purse of $16,500. The event is being judged by an expert panel of legendary riders including Amber Wing from Australia, Melissa Marquardt from the USA and Larisa Morales from Mexico.
The six finalists who made it through the Wild Card Qualifiers and the Semifinal Rounds are : Meagan Ethell USA, Zahra Kell Australia, Bec Gange Australia, Mary Morgan Howell USA, Tarah Mikacich USA and Japanese 14-year-old up and coming talent Hinano Kishida.
The last round of digital video edits will be posted at the end of July. To watch the contest go to gettommys.com/ladies-no-limits.
The Men’s Pro Wakeboard Tour PWT Stop #2 went down the weekend of July 10th in Birmingham, Alabama. Another first time winner Guenther Oka from the USA, who recently won his first US Masters Title, is on a roll. Oka defeated Australian Nic Rapa who placed second and Teunissen who rounded the podium in third place. Sam Brown came in fourth. In the Junior Pro Men’s division Jamie Huser from Switzerland won first place again continuing with his triumphant winning streak.
Catch the action and replays at the Pro Wakeboard Tour YouTube Channel. The final stop of the PWT Tour is scheduled on August 21st in Gainesville, Georgia in conjunction with the Moxie Pro Series Women’s Boat Event Finals presented by Supra Boats.
The Moxie Pro Series Wake Park Finals will run Live the following day, on August 22nd at Terminus Wake Park in Georgia a few miles away.
At the Texas Wake & Surf Series, Wake the Canyon and Wake the Desert it was a “repeat-feat” for winners Tarah Mikacich and Japan’s Shota Tezuka. Mikacich and Tezuka took top honors in both events in the Outlaw divisions. At Wake the Canyon it was a 1-2 for Japan. Tezuka won the event followed by fellow countryman Mizuki Takahashi, who returned to the podium after an ACL reconstruction placing second and Junior Pro rider Parker Swope from the USA in third place. In the Outlaw Women’s final Tarah Mikacich placed first with Bec Gange from Australia in 2nd and Chelsea Clark from the USA in third.
Wake the Desert took place in San Angelo, TX the weekend of July 16-18. The event was sponsored by Malibu Boats and Family Powersports. In the Outlaw Men’s Final there was another win for Shota Tezuka, Victor Sanchez from the USA came in second and Mizuki Takahashi in third.
Honorary mention to Junior Pro riders Jamie Huser from Switzerland and Kira lewis from the USA who have been dominating the Junior Pro scene with a “clean sweep” of all major events this year. Both Huser and Lewis have won the Nautique US Junior Masters and all The Malibu Rider Experience Contests they’ve entered plus Jamie Huser has taken top honors in the Junior Pro Men’s division at both stops of the PWT.
Upcoming Live Events
- 2021 Malibu Rider Experience EAST/WAKEFEST hosted by TNT WATERSPORTS JULY 23-25
- 2021 Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships July 28-31
- 2021 Nautique WWA Wake Park National Championships Aug 01-04
- 2021 PWT Finals August 21 Georgia
- 2021 Moxie Pro Boat Event Finals presented by Supra Boats August 21 Georgia
- 2021 Moxie Pro Cable Event Finals August 22 Georgia
- 2021 Nautique WWA Wakeboard Wold Championships Aug 25-28 Callaway Gardens Georgia
- 2021 Wake Park World Championships presented by Nautique Boats September 09-11 Florida
- 2021 Wakeboarding Hall of Fame Inductions – Live Celebration, September (during the Surf&Wakeboard Expo in Florida) Dates/Venue TBA
Online Events
- Moxie Pro Boat Event voting starts on JULY 26
- Ladies No Limits Finals videos posting at the end of July
- Wakeboarding Magazine Wake Awards TBA
