Phllip Soven, Nicola Butler Win at First Stop of Pro Wakeboard Tour

Phllip Soven continued his winning ways Sunday, defending his PWT title by taking the first stop of this year’s tour in Acworth, GA.  For the women, the UK’s Nicola Butler edged Amber Wing for the victory, marking her first PWT victory and the second in the “Queen of Wake” tour this season.

Check out the full set of results and a breakdown of action below.

Soven Defends His Tour Title in Acworth-
Butler Captures First Pro Tour Win
Acworth, Ga. – Over the past three days, the world’s top pro wakeboarders battled it out on the waters of Dallas Landing Park in Acworth, GA to compete for the first win the 2008 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour season.

Four rounds and three days later, the top-four riders in the Pro Men’s Division took to the water for the final heat of the contest, where all eyes were on Rusty Malinoski (CAN), Phillip Soven (USA), Adam Errington (SCT) and JD Webb (USA).

All four rippers had a killer showing in the finals, but in the end reigning MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour champion Phillip Soven posted a 92.50 to claim the top spot in the contest and became the first rider on Tour to win back-to-back contests in Acworth. Webb, Malinoski and Errington rounded out the competition respectively.

“All those guys stomped some killer tricks out there, not making it easy on me at all,” said Soven. “I was just dialed-in on my final run and came out with a win.”

Although Rusty Malinoski didn’t win in Acworth today, the “Bone Crusher” did pick-up some extra cash thanks to Rockstar Energy Drink. The Canadian ripper was named the winner of the Rockstar Best Trick Award, a $1,000 cash bonus for landing the most impressive trick of the contest, a Heelside Frontside Switch 720 off of the U.S. Air Force Kicker.

In the Pro Women’s Division, six of the top female riders took to the water today for their finals. All eyes were Emily Copeland Durham (USA), as the two-time women’s wakeboard world champion was looking to repeat in Acworth. However, in the end Copeland Durham only manage to finish third, as Nicola Butler (UK) took the top spot, followed by Amber Wing (AUS).

Today’s win marks Butler’s first-ever MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour victory and her second consecutive win in the Queen of Wake series. Nicola Butler’s success continued in Acworth today, as the second-year pro ripper claimed the MONA VIE Best Trick Award. The award is a $250 bonus for the female rider landing the most impressive trick of the contest, a Moby Dick.

Harley Clifford (AUS) took the top spot in the Jr. Men’s finals today, followed by Jimmy LaRiche (USA) and Robert Soven (USA) respectively. Clifford now paces all Jr. Men riders in the Indmar Performance Standings.

Acworth was the first of five stops on the 2008 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. The Tour’s next stop will be held in Forth Worth, Tex. (May 30-June 1), followed by Twin Cities, Minn. (June 7-8), Phoenix, Ariz. (June 28-29) and Reno, Nev. (July 11-13).

To catch all the wakeboarding action from home, tune in to Fuel TV. For exact air dates, visit www.prowakeboardtour.com.

Fuel TV is a 24/7 action-sports lifestyle network for wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX and freestyle motocross. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, Fuel TV was launched July 1, 2003, and is seen in 24 million U.S. homes. To subscribe to Fuel TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit fuel.tv.

MasterCraft is the exclusive tow boat for the Pro Wakeboard Tour, as it has been since the tour’s wakeboarding events began in 1992. Indmar Marine engines will provide the power for MasterCraft’s X Series line of competition tow boats.

Rockstar is the world’s most powerful energy drink. Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, Rockstar Energy Drink is available in 10 flavors — Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava, Pomegranate, Punched, Roasted Mocha, Roasted Vanilla Light and Roasted Latte — at convenience stores and retail grocery outlets across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom.

WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. WakeBoarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.

The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour has the support of the following sponsors: MasterCraft, Rockstar Energy Drink, Mona Vie, the U.S. Air Force, Indmar, Billabong, Hyperlite, CWB, Gator Boards, Ronix, Oakley, Reef, Cire, wakeworld.com and theliquidcircus.com.

Sunday, May 18 – Final Results:

Pro Men
Finals                Heat #: 01
1  Soven, Phillip                       USA    92.50
2  Webb, JD                               USA    84.00
3  Malinoski, Rusty                   CAN    83.50
4  Errington, Adam                     SCT     80.50

Pro Women
Finals                Heat #: 01
1  Butler, Nicola                        UK     95.00
2  Wing, Amber                          AUS    89.50
3  Copeland Durham, Emily      USA    82.50
4  Friday, Dallas                         USA    65.50
5  Kantar, Shelby                       USA    58.50
6  Smith, Haley                          AUS    49.00

Junior Men (14-18)
Finals                Heat #:   01
1  Clifford, Harley         AUS  68.33
2  LaRiche, Jimmy           USA  58.33
3  Soven, Robert               USA  48.33
4  King, Ryan                   USA  33.33

Junior Men (14-18)
Semifinals             Heat #: 01
1  LaRiche, Jimmy                   USA    75.56
2  Soven, Robert                       USA    68.89
3  Cohen, Julian                          USA    56.67
4  Valdez, Eddie                         USA    51.11
5  Burnstein, Danny                   USA    41.11

Junior Men (14-18)
Semifinals             Heat #: 02
1  Clifford, Harley                   AUS    67.22
2  King, Ryan                            USA    55.00
3  Lafferty, Steel                        USA    47.22
4  Derome, Raphael                    CDN    33.89
5  Racinelli, AJ                           USA    23.33

Pro Men
Semifinals             Heat #: 01
1  Soven, Phillip                       USA    93.75
2  Errington, Adam                  SCT    85.50
3  Watson, Shawn                      USA    81.00
4  Harris, Randall                       USA    79.75
5  Ruck, Erik                              USA    46.50

Pro Men
Semifinals             Heat #: 02
1  Malinoski, Rusty                 CAN    92.75
2  Webb, JD                               USA    82.50
3  Derom, Olivier                       CAN    77.50
4  Sharpe, Chad                          CAN    76.50
5  Bonifay, Shane                       USA    57.25

Pro Men
Quarterfinals           Heat #: 01
1  Watson, Shawn                    USA    97.25
2  Ruck, Erik                             USA    85.00
3  Fields, Adam                          USA    85.25
4  Mckee, Jeff                            USA    85.25

Pro Men
Quarterfinals           Heat #: 02
1  Errington, Adam                  SCT    95.00
2  Derome, Olivier                   CAN    89.00
3  Weatherall, Jeff                      NZL    80.25
4  Rattray, Kyle                         CAN    75.75

Pro Men
Quarterfinals           Heat #: 03
1  Webb, JD                               USA    95.75
2  Bonifay, Shane                    USA    89.75
3  Carter, Robby                        USA    80.00
4  Hutton, Bryan                        USA    74.50

Pro Men
Quarterfinals           Heat #: 04
1  Sharpe, Chad                       CAN    89.00
2  Harris, Randall                    USA    88.75
3  Hansen, Trevor                      USA    82.00
4  Santori, Tino                          USA    80.50

Pro Men
Quarterfinals           Heat #: 05
1  Malinoski, Rusty                 CAN    100.00
2  Soven, Phillip                       USA    88.50
3  Greenwood, Ben                    USA    77.25
4  Sanders, Josh                          AUS    74.25