Orlando, FL – Keith Lidberg, a relative unknown in the world of competitive wakeboarding, made a name for himself on Sunday at the Orlando WaterSports Complex, winning the Pro Men’s division of the Air Nautique Pan American Wakeboard Championships.
The Pro Women’s division was a different story with Orlando native Dallas Friday, considered the best women’s rider in the world adding a Pan American Championship to her resume.
Air Nautiques sponsors a number of riders: Danny Harf, Phillip Soven, Shaun Murray. Many of these riders are thought to be the best in the sport of wakeboarding. Now Lidberg hopes to put his name next to those great riders.
“I really love riding behind the Air Nautique,” said Lidberg. “And I feel really comfortable riding here at Orlando WaterSports Complex. It’s like my second home.”
The Pro Men’s Finals featured four riders, Lidberg, Rusty Malinoski, Josh Sanders and Brett Eisenhauer. The four-man final represents one of the toughest cuts in the sport where 16 riders go into the Pro Men’s Semifinals, but only four move into the final. Of the four riders in the final, only Malinoski had tasted victory in the United States.
Lidberg was the first rider in the heat, after his run the rest of the finalists tried to catch him. Sanders, an Australian, came the closest, finishing in second. The placing for Sanders will keep him in the lead of the KING OF WAKE standings as the world’s NO. 1 ranked rider. Fellow Australian Eisenhauer finished third and Canadian Malinoski rounded out the top four.
After Friday in the Pro Women’s Final it was Tara Hamilton taking second place. Maeghan Major finished in third and Emily Copeland Durham rounded out the top four.
In the Pro Wakeskate Division Central Florida riders swept the competition. Phillip Basino of Orlando won the Pan American Championship and was joined by fellow Orlando wakeskater George Daniels who finished in second and Reed Hansen of Groveland finished third.
Early in the day, four of the top amateur divisions in wakeboarding handed out Pan American titles.
In the Junior Men’s division Nick Jones of Kirkland, Washington won the Pan American Championship. Danny Thollander of Orlando finished second and Kyle Alberts of Plattsmouth, Nebraska finished third.
In the Junior Women’s division Shawna Hoffman of Butte Valley, California won the Pan American Championship. Megan Blaschka of Verona, Wisconsin finished second and Wiss Brinkman of Ocklawaha, Florida finished third.
In the Boys division Robert Soven of Longwood, Florida won the Pan American Championship. Steel Lafferty of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida finished second and Ben Kaiser of Orlando finished third.
In the Junior Boys division Gus Shuler of Janesville, Wisconsin won the Pan American Championship. Ben Ferguson of Bend, Oregon finished second and Cody Coffey of Medinah, Illinois finished third.
The Air Nautique Pan American Wakeboard Championships is a world-renowned event. The event is organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Florida and Sanctioned by USA Wakeboard. Competitors will be pulled by the Correct Craft Super Air Nautique wakeboard boat. The event has the support of the following: Verizon Wireless, Perfect Pass, Hyperlite, Fox Riders Co., Vans, U.S. Air Force, Infinity Marine Audio, Liquid Force, Gator Boards, CWB, J – Star, O’Brien, Double-up, Oakley, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels, Love Sac, Execute, Mikker.com, Wakeworld.com, Wakeboarder.com, Say I Won’t, O-Boys Real Smoked Bar-B-Q and One Percent Design.
Wake Boarding, published by World Publications, is the official magazine of the Air Nautique Pan American Wakeboard Championships. Wake Boarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.
Relts Sunday September 25, 2005
Men’s Professional – Finals Heat 01
1 Keith Lidberg USA 97.00
2 Josh Sanders AUS 90.00
3 Brett Eisenhauer AUS 79.00
4 Rusty Malinoski CDN 74.00
Women’s Professional – Finals Heat 01
1 Dallas Friday USA 68.33
2 Tara Hamilton USA 58.33
3 Maeghan Major USA 53.33
4 Emily Copeland Durham USA 36.67
Professional WakeSkate – Finals Heat 01
1 Phillip Basino USA 78.67
2 George Daniels USA 70.00
3 R. Hansen USA 64.67
4 Jeff Engen USA 39.00
Junior Women (14-18) – Finals Heat 01
1 Shawna Hoffman USA 53.67
2 Megan Blaschka USA 50.00
3 Wiss Brinkman USA 42.33
4 Brittney Arruda USA 41.44
Junior Boys (9 and under) – Finals Heat 01
1 Gus Shuler USA 57.44
2 Ben Ferguson USA 57.11
3 Cody Coffey USA 50.56
4 Jason Soven USA 41.11
Boys (10-13) – Finals Heat 01
1 Robert Soven USA 80.00
2 Steel Lafferty USA 75.00
3 Ben Kaiser USA 66.78
4 Jacob Valdez USA 59.44
5 Gunnar Shuler USA 57.78
6 Julian Cohen USA 36.11
Junior Men (14-18) – Finals Heat 01
1 Nick Jones USA 68.89
2 Danny Thollander USA 65.00
3 Kyle Alberts USA 61.33
4 Alex Hamrick USA 60.56
5 Bryan Hutton USA 59.22
6 Eddie Valdez USA 53.56
7 Alex Scagliotti USA 52.56
8 Kristian Kastari 42.78
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Brett Eisenhauer AUS 97.50
2 Erik Ruck USA 92.50
3 Jonathan Nadolski USA 76.00
4 Corey Bradley USA 74.00
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Keith Lidberg USA 96.00
2 Phillip Soven USA 94.00
3 Tino Santori USA 77.00
4 Kyle Rattray CDN 73.00
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 03
1 Josh Sanders AUS 100.00
2 Parks Bonifay USA 87.00
3 Chad Sharpe CDN 81.50
4 Adam Wensink USA 71.50
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 04
1 Rusty Malinoski CDN 94.00
2 Jeff Weatherall NZL 88.50
3 Daniel Watkins AUS 85.00
4 Scott Hopkins USA 72.50
p; 42.78
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Brett Eisenhauer AUS 97.50
2 Erik Ruck USA 92.50
3 Jonathan Nadolski USA 76.00
4 Corey Bradley USA 74.00
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Keith Lidberg USA 96.00
2 Phillip Soven USA 94.00
3 Tino Santori USA 77.00
4 Kyle Rattray CDN 73.00
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 03
1 Josh Sanders AUS 100.00
2 Parks Bonifay USA 87.00
3 Chad Sharpe CDN 81.50
4 Adam Wensink USA 71.50
Men’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 04
1 Rusty Malinoski CDN 94.00
2 Jeff Weatherall NZL 88.50
3 Daniel Watkins AUS 85.00
4 Scott Hopkins USA 72.50
