Elizabethtown, Ky. – The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour kicked off its forth stop of the 2009 season today in Elizabethtown, Ky., where the top pro wakeboarders from throughout globe hit the waters of Freeman Lake for the opening rounds of the two-day-long contest.

Fans packed the shores of Freeman Lake today to catch the pros in action during their first day in Elizabethtown, where riders hit the water for their qualifying round. The qualifiers featured 38 riders competing in ten heats, with only the top two athletes in each heat advancing on to tomorrow’s quarterfinals. Among the 20 riders to qualify in to the quarterfinals was Kentucky native Bryan Hutton.

Hutton, 22, of Versailles, Ky., finished second in his four-man heat today, behind four-time X Games gold medalist Danny Harf, to advance in the contest. Both Hutton and Harf will hit the water again tomorrow, where they will look to earn a spot in to the semifinals and eventually the finals later in the day.

 Should Bryan Hutton win on his home state waters this weekend, the Woodford County High School graduate would become the first Kentucky native to win a Pro Tour stop.

 In the Jr. Pro Men division, 20 amateur rippers hit the water today for their quarterfinals, looking to advance past the opening round. Riders competed in five heats of four, with only the top two athletes from each heat moving on to tomorrow’s semifinals. Among the ten semifinalists is top-seeded rider Bob Soven, who has won all three previous tour stops this season.

Soven, 17, of Longwood, Fla. will look to capture his fourth consecutive win on tour this season, with a first-place finish in Elizabethtown, but faces a tough field of competitors in the semifinals, including Aussie Mitch Langfield, who posted the high score of the day with a 98.50. Langfield, Soven and the eight other semifinalists will battle it out on the water tomorrow in two heats of five, with only the top two riders in each heat advancing on to the four-man final later in day.

 The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour wraps-up tomorrow, Sunday, July 19, running from 9:30am to 3:30pm.
 
Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10 (general admission), $5 (ages 6-12) or free (ages 5 and under).
 
In addition to all the action on the water, on land, spectators will enjoy great food and music; athlete autograph signings; chances to win freebies; and shopping at the most cutting-edge stores for water-sports equipment including boats, wakeboards, wakeskates, sunglasses and the latest in wakeboarding and surfing fashions.
 
For daily schedules, results, standings, photos, videos, athlete bios and more, please visit www.allisports.com .
 
Following Elizabethtown the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour heads to Sparks/Reno, Nev., August 14-16, for the fifth and final stop of the season. Additional venues for the 2009 Pro Tour, includes Fort Worth, Tex., Pleasant Prairie, Wis. and Knoxville, Tenn.
 
The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour is organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Fla. The Pro Tour has the support of the following sponsors: MasterCraft, Rockstar Energy Drink, Mona Vie, the U.S. Air Force, Indmar, Billabong, Hyperlite, CWB, Ronix, Liquid Force, Gator Boards, Oakley, Ride the Wake, FUEL TV and Allisports.com.
 
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. Enhanced with the potent herbal blend of Guarana, Ginkgo, Ginseng and Milk Thistle, ROCKSTAR is formulated to provide an incredible energy boost for those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles – from athletes to rock stars.ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK is available in eleven amazing flavors: Original, Sugar Free, Zero Carb, Juiced Mango Orange Passion Fruit, Juiced Guava, Juiced Pomegranate, Tropical Punched, Punched Citrus, Roasted Mocha, Roasted Latte, and Roasted Light Vanilla. ROCKSTAR ENERGY SHOTS are available in Wild Berry and Tropical Punch flavors.ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK is available at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Spain, The Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, and throughout the United Kingdom.
 
Media Partners
To catch all the high-flying, rail-sliding, water-sports action of the King of Wake series, tune in to FUEL TV – the official television partner of the King of Wake. WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the King of Wake series. Read about all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and news.
 
King of Wake
Viewed as the world’s elite pro wakeboarding circuit, the King of Wake series has attracted the sport’s top athletes from throughout the globe. With more than $300,000 in prize money over the eight-event season, athletes compete during the course of the year to be named the “King of Wake” – an award based on points accumulated at each stop of the series. Events include the Wake Games, the WWA Wakeboard National Championships, the WWA Wakeboard World Championships and all five stops on the Pro Wakeboard Tour. The King of Wake is organized by World Sports & Marketing – the leading wake events producer since 1988.
 
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, Maloof Money Cup, AMA Motocross Championship, King of Wake series, and the Free Flow Tour; Alli Productions, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. More information can be found at www.allisports.com .
 
SATURDAY, JULY 18 – PWT: ELIZABETHTOWN RESULTS:
 
Pro Men: Qualifier #1
1. Dean Smith                AUS        93.25
2. Adam Errington        SCT        92.50
3. Shaun Murray            USA        82.00
4. Derek Grasman           USA        72.25
Pro Men: Qualifier #2
1. Trevor Hansen          USA        97.75
2. Nick Jones                 USA        87.25
3. Austin Hair                 USA        81.25
4. James Hindes             USA        73.75
Pro Men: Qualifier #3
1. Danny Harf                USA        93.25
2. Bryan Hutton             USA        88.00
3. Robby Carter              USA        79.50
4. Randall Harris             USA        79.25
Pro Men: Qualifier #4
1. Jim LaRiche              USA        94.50
2. Kyle Alberts              USA        92.75
3. Brad Smeele                NZL         82.75
4. Anthony Hollick        USA        70.00
Pro Men: Qualifier #5
1. Olivier Derome         CAN        94.25
2. Zane Schwenk           USA        88.50
3. Danny Thollander     USA        87.25
4. Troy Mackey              AUS        70.00
Pro Men: Qualifier #6
1. Rusty Malinoski       CAN        97.25
2. Chad Sharpe              CAN        92.75
3. Nick Weinacker          USA        75.75
4. Jeff House                   USA        74.25
Pro Men: Qualifier #7
1. Phillip Soven             USA        95.75
2. Corey Bradley           USA        89.25
3. Dustin O’Ferrall         CAN        82.75
4. Kirby Liesmann          USA        72.25
Pro Men: Qualifier #8
1. Shawn Watson          USA        93.50
2. Andrew Adkison       USA        92.00
3. Jeff Weatherall           NZL         83.00
4. Alex Brown                 USA        71.50
Pro Men: Qualifier #9
1. Harley Clifford          AUS        97.00
2. JD Webb                     USA        89.25
3. Sam Thomson            AUS        83.75
Pro Men: Qualifier #10
1. Aaron Rathy              CAN        94.50
2. Kyle Rattray              CAN        92.75
3. Alex Hamrick              USA        82.75
Jr. Pro Men: Quarterfinal #1
1. Daniel Powers           USA        96.00
2. Jarrod Askew            AUS        95.00
3. Joshua Twelker          USA        78.00
4. Kyle Evans                 USA        72.00
 
Jr. Pro Men: Quarterfinal #2
1. John Jeffries             USA        90.25
2. Steel Lafferty            USA        89.25
3. Johnny Tobaben       USA        83.75
4. Gunnar Shuler            USA        76.75
 
Jr. Pro Men: Quarterfinal #3
1. Phillip Aslinger        USA        95.75
2. Jacob Valdez              USA        90.00
3. Stephen Pierce           USA        82.25
4. Pierce Homsey           USA        72.00
 
Jr. Pro Men: Quarterfinal #4
1. Mitch Langfield        AUS        98.50
2. Raphael Derome       CAN        89.25
3. Steven Cahail             USA        79.50
4. Alex Graydon             USA        72.75
 
Jr. Pro Men: Quarterfinal #5
1. Bob Soven                   USA        98.00
2. Danny Burnstein      USA        88.25
3. Nick Galotifore           USA        81.75
4. Freddie Wayne          USA        72.00