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MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #5
Aug 18 2006 / Los Angeles, CA
Stop #5 – Reno, Nevada/ August 4-6, 2006
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Pro Women riders were back in action and a young Australian ripper was able to make her mark. Amber Wing put together several great runs, including moves like a whirlybird, toeside 540 and solid rail riding. WakeBoarding Magazine’s annual Readers Poll results just came out and Wing was in second place. She matched that ranking in Reno and came in second, nearly catching veteran rider Emily Copeland-Durham, who rode flawless through rough conditions, also landing a toeside 540 as well as a heelside off-axis frontside 360 for the win. Taking third was Dallas Friday, who is usually the most dominant womens rider, however Friday still managed to win the points race and the Indmar Performance Award.
Wakeskater Brian Grubb was able to clinch the Sea-Doo Pro Wakeskate Season Title on Saturday, after placing first in his quarterfinal heat. As the final arrived, the packed crowd was able to witness a great showdown between two of today’s best competitive wakeskaters, Grubb and his roommate Brandon Thomas, who won all three events at wakeskating’s premier event, the Byerly Toe Jam, last April. But after linking up a 360 shove-it, frontside big spin and shove-indy over the Performance barrel, Grubb proved why he is the points leader and rode away to a double win – champion of both the Reno Pro Tour stop and the Indmar Performance Award.
Uncharacteristically quiet this year on tour was 18-year-old Phillip Soven, who is one of the most deadly riders with a consistent run of hammer moves. After taking second in Portland, Soven rode hungry, but tweaked his back in the semi-final, still making it through to face Danny Harf in the final. Even though Soven put up a decent run, it was Harf’s toeside frontside 900 and heelside frontside 720 that sealed the deal, capping off Harf’s third Pro Tour stop victory of the year and he also earned the Indmar Performance Award for the coveted season title.
Staying at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel & Casino allowed for a lot of gaming fun and
poker rounds, and the ballroom would host the Pro Tour season awards party on Sunday night, with plenty of drinks, food and highlight videos of the whole season. Immediately following was the premiere of Bent Felix, the new 16mm film by Sean Kilgus, concluding with great sections of Danny Harf and Rusty Malinoski.
2007 will be another huge year on Tour and the riders will be charging it all winter to get back in the points race next season. For more, check out prowakeboardtour.com.
Reno Results: Sunday, July 30, 2006 Results
Pro Men Finals (seeds in parenthesis)
1 Danny Harf (1) 100.00
2 Phillip Soven (4) 90.00
Pro Men Semifinals
1 Danny Harf (1) 97.50
2 Daniel Watkins (3) 92.50
1 Phillip Soven (4) 97.00
2 Rusty Malinoski (2) 93.00
Pro Women Finals
1. Dallas Friday 70.0
2. Melissa Marquardt 52.67
3. Lauren Loe 50.0
4. Emily Copeland Durham 45.00
Jr. Men Finals
1. Adam Errington 71.33
2. Rhett Whatley 59.67
3. Jimmy Lariche 59.22
4. Bryan Hutton 55.00
5. Alex Hamrick 51.67
6. Bradey Price 39.44
7. Brett Lee 33.89
8. Ryan Anderson 28.33
Pro Wakeskating Finals
1. Reed Hansen 98.67
2. Brian Grubb 56.67
Indmar Performance Award
(Season Title Final Results)
Pro Men
Danny Harf 450
Rusty Malinoski 401
Daniel Watkins 351
Pro Women
Dallas Friday 190
Emily Copeland 175
Junior Rip It JX Series
1.) Adam Errington
2.) Jimmy LaRiche