PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WI – With friends and family in attendance, Wisconsin natives Laura Lohrmann and Erik Ruck moved closer to the ultimate goal of any professional wakeboarder, the Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championship presented by Verizon Wireless.
Both Lohrmann from Elkhorn, and Ruck from Twin Lakes, took on the top pro men and women in the world on Saturday at Lake Andrea in Pleasant Prairie, WI to advance to the final day of the WWA Wakeboard National Championship.
Lohrmann became one of only four women to move into Sunday’s Pro Women’s final round, guaranteeing Lohrmann a top four finish. Ruck was one of 16 Pro Men to advance to Sunday’s Pro Men’s Semifinal round.
Lohrmann finished in second place in her Women’s Semifinal heat behind defending Women’s National Champion Dallas Friday. Ruck won his Pro Men’s Quarterfinal heat to advance.
Both Ruck and Lohrmann are no strangers to the national stage. Lohrmann has a number of top 10 finishes at the national championships over the past few years, highlighted by 4th place finish at the 2003 national championship. Ruck is a former Pro Wakeboard Tour and World Champion and is ranked in 9th place in the current King of Wake World rankings.
The road to the National Championship will be difficult for both riders because they will have to take on the world’s best to win. Lohrmann will have to outride the three most consistent female riders in 2005, Friday, Melissa Marquardt and Emily Copeland Durham who have all won major competitions.
For Ruck, the road is even more difficult. First he will have to survive his Semifinal heat on Sunday morning which will include a number of the world’s top Pro Men as well as former National Champions including Danny Harf, Parks Bonifay and the defending National Champion Tino Santori. There will be only four out of 16 riders competing in the semifinals who will advance to the Pro Men’s final.
While the Pro Men’s and Women’s titles at the Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships will be the biggest titles awarded on Sunday with nearly $30,000 on the line, there will be an additional five national titles decided on the day. Riders will be competing for the Pro Wakeskate, Junior Boys (9 years old and under), Boys (ages 10-13), Junior Men (14-18) and Junior Women (14-18).
The WWA Wakeboard National Championship is a world-renowned event created by the World Wakeboard Association. The event is organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Florida. 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., U.S. Air Force, Infinity Marine Audio, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels, Liquid Force, Gator Boards, CWB, J – Star, O’Brien, Double-up, Oakley, Reef, Body Glove, UGP, Love Sac, Capix Helmets, Indo Boards, Execute, Mikker.com, Wakeworld.com, Wakeboarder.com, Monster Towers, Say I Won’t, Ten-80 and One Percent Design.
Wake Boarding, published by World Publications, is the official magazine of the Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championship. Wake Boarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.
Contact: Patrick Wampler
Phone: 407-405-0124
e-mail: Patrick.Wampler@worldpub.net
RESULTS
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 01
1 Parks Bonifay USA 95.50
2 Tino Santori USA 91.50
3 Nick Weinacker USA &nb; 80.00
4 Matt Lockwood USA 68.00
5 Derek Grasman USA 60.00
6 Rob Corum USA 55.00
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 02
1 Rusty Malinoski CDN 100.00
2 Mikey Ennen USA 84.00
3 Nick Heaney GBR 83.50
4 Trevor Hansen USA 72.50
5 Hunter Hanson USA 57.00
6 Matt Clendenin 53.00
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 03
1 Erik Ruck USA 97.00
2 JD Webb USA 93.00
3 Shane Bonifay USA 80.00
4 Rob Jacques USA 66.00
5 Chris Law USA 64.00
6 Scott Hopkins USA N/S
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 04
1 Danny Harf USA 100.00
2 Gabe Lucas USA 87.00
3 Corey Bradley USA 81.50
4 Loren Levine USA 70.00
5 Travis Propst USA 59.00
6 Gabe Fowler USA 52.50
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 05
1 Brett Eisenhauer AUS 94.00
2 Ricky Gonzales USA 83.00
3 Kevin Henshaw CDN 79.50
4 Brian Francis USA 77.00
5 Philip Combs USA 58.50
Jimmy Wolf USA 58.00
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 06
1 Phillip Soven USA 100.00
2 Jonathan Nadolski USA 87.50
3 Nick Ennen USA 82.50
4 Dean Smith AUS 65.50
5 Ben Greenwood USA 63.00
6 Travis Rowe 51.50
7 Rob Struharik USA NS
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 07
1 Daniel Watkins AUS 97.00
2 Jeff Weatherall NZL 85.50
3 Wes Brisco USA 77.00
4 Troy Mackey AUS 75.50
5 Adam Wensink USA 60.00
6 Chris Laske USA 55.00
7 Collin Harrington USA NS
Men’s Professional – Quarter Finals Heat 08
1 Josh Sanders AUS 96.00
2 Keith Lidberg USA 94.00
3 Keith Lyman USA 74.00
4 Tim Keepers USA 66.50
5 Matt Sims USA 64.50
6 Tyler Killingsworth USA 52.00
7 Mark Weikel USA 43.00
Women’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Emily Copeland Durham USA 60.83
2 Melissa Marquardt USA 55.33
3 Lauren Loe USA 51.67
4 Cathy Williams USA 32.67
Women’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Dallas Friday USA 61.67
2 Laura Lohrmann USA 47.67
3 Barrett Perlman USA 45.00
4 Cheryl Newton USA 37.44
Professional WakeSkate – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Phillip Basino USA 79.00
2 George Daniels USA 74.17
3 Brian Grubb USA 66.67
4 Joshua Steele USA 43.33
5 Chase Gregory USA NS
Professional WakeSkate – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 C. Wright USA 61.83
2 Brandon Thomas USA 58.83
3 A. Hair USA 54.17
4 Silas Thurman USA 46.67
5 David Hanson USA 40.00
Junior Boys (9 and under) – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Cody Coffey USA 61.67
2 Kyle Mack USA 53.33
3 Joseph Jr. Martella 46.67
4 Paulie Koch 33.89
Junior Boys (9 and under) – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Ben Ferguson 55.00
2 Jason Soven USA 45.11
3 Gus Shuler USA 44.78
4 Blake Merritt USA 41.89
5 Zachary Brownals Heat 08
1 Josh Sanders AUS 96.00
2 Keith Lidberg USA 94.00
3 Keith Lyman USA 74.00
4 Tim Keepers USA 66.50
5 Matt Sims USA 64.50
6 Tyler Killingsworth USA 52.00
7 Mark Weikel USA 43.00
Women’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Emily Copeland Durham USA 60.83
2 Melissa Marquardt USA 55.33
3 Lauren Loe USA 51.6
7
4 Cathy Williams USA 32.67
Women’s Professional – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Dallas Friday USA 61.67
2 Laura Lohrmann USA 47.67
3 Barrett Perlman USA 45.00
4 Cheryl Newton USA 37.44
Professional WakeSkate – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Phillip Basino USA 79.00
2 George Daniels USA 74.17
3 Brian Grubb USA 66.67
4 Joshua Steele USA 43.33
5 Chase Gregory USA NS
Professional WakeSkate – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 C. Wright USA 61.83
2 Brandon Thomas USA 58.83
3 A. Hair USA 54.17
4 Silas Thurman USA 46.67
5 David Hanson USA 40.00
Junior Boys (9 and under) – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Cody Coffey USA 61.67
2 Kyle Mack USA 53.33
3 Joseph Jr. Martella 46.67
4 Paulie Koch 33.89
Junior Boys (9 and under) – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Ben Ferguson 55.00
2 Jason Soven USA 45.11
3 Gus Shuler USA 44.78
4 Blake Merritt USA 41.89
5 Zachary Brown 38.89
Boys (10-13) – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Raphael Derome CDN 72.56
2 Jacob Valdez USA 70.22
3 Ben Kaiser USA 64.33
4 Gunnar Shuler USA 52.78
Boys (10-13) – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Steel Lafferty USA 57.22
2 Mitchell Connell USA 49.44
3 Braxton Tomlinson 35.56
4 John Jeffries USA 29.44
Boys (10-13) – Semi Finals Heat 03
1 Robert Soven USA 60.00
2 Julian Cohen 52.22
3 Daniel Powers USA 45.00
4 Michael Dowdy USA 36.67
Brown 38.89
Boys (10-13) – Semi Finals Heat 01
1 Raphael Derome CDN 72.56
2 Jacob Valdez USA 70.22
3 Ben Kaiser USA 64.33
4 Gunnar Shuler USA 52.78
Boys (10-13) – Semi Finals Heat 02
1 Steel Lafferty USA 57.22
2 Mitchell Connell USA 49.44
3 Braxton Tomlinson 35.56
4 John Jeffries USA 29.44
Boys (10-13) – Semi Finals Heat 03
1 Robert Soven USA 60.00
2 Julian Cohen 52.22
3 Daniel Powers USA 45.00
4 Michael Dowdy USA 36.67
