Making Waves on Day One of Pro-Am Championships in Portland
 
Portland, Ore. — The world’s top professional wakeboarders and wakeskaters mixed it up out on the waters of Blue Lake Park in Portland today with some of the best amateur riders from around the globe for the first of three days at the 2008 Tigé Pro-Am Wakeboard Championships, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink.
 
Day one of the contest featured four of the nine divisions competing at the Portland event and gave riders the opportunity to make waves and set the tone early-on in the three-day-long contest.
 
The top pro wakeboarders from around the globe battled it out on the water today in the Pro Men’s Division qualifying round. Only the top-three riders from each of the six heats advanced past the opening-round and onto tomorrow’s quarterfinals. The 18 quarterfinalists will go up against the top-six riders in the current King of Wake standings, where all 24 riders will vie for one of the 12 spots in Sunday’s semifinals.
 
Among the 18 riders advancing past today’s qualifiers were heat leaders Austin Hair (Tega Cay, SC), Josh Sanders (Nowra, Australia), Aaron Rathy (Nanaimo, B.C.), Erik Ruck (Twin Lakes, WI), Trevor Hansen (Groveland, FL) and Jimmy LaRiche (Boca Raton, FL).   
 
The top wakeskaters in the world hit the water today for the Pro Wakeskate Division quarterfinals. Divided into two heats of five, these talented shredders each battled for a spot in tomorrow’s semifinals. Among the nine wakeskaters advancing past opening round were today’s heat leaders Reed Hansen (Groveland, FL) and Brain Grubb (Nashua, NH).  
 
After leading his heat today, Hansen appears to be well on his way towards capturing his second consecutive Pro-Am title, after winning the event in Cancun, Mex. last year.
 
Wakeboarding’s future superstars, ages 14-18, took to the water today’s for the Jr. Men’s Division quarterfinals. These talented, young amateur standouts competed in three heats of four today for a spot in tomorrow’s semifinals. Among the 10 riders advancing past the quarterfinals were heat leaders Julian Cohen (Windermere, FL), Jacob Valdez (Canyon Lake, CA) and Gunnar Shular (Janesville, WI).
 
Elizabeth Talansky (Longwood, FL) took the top spot in today’s Women’s Wakeskate Division semifinals and will advance onto tomorrow’s finals.
 
The event will feature all nine divisions tomorrow, June 21 from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and will conclude and on June 22, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
 
The Tigé Pro-Am Wakeboard Championships, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink is a three-day carnival of water-sports action. But not all of the action takes place on the water. On land, fans will experience tons of great food and music; athlete autograph signings; chances to win free giveaways; 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.
 
Tickets can be purchased at Blue Lake Park, June 21-22 for $10 (general admission), $5 (ages 6-12) or free (ages 5 and under).
 
For more information regarding the event, visit www.kingofwake.com .
 
Tigé is the official tow boat for the Tigé Pro-Am Wakeboard Championships, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink.
 
Pleasure Craft Marine engines is the official marine engine of the event. Since 1976, PCM has been the constant innovator of features and benefits designed specifically to improve water-sports power.
 
Rockstar is the world’s most powerful energy drink. Developed to improve 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.
 
To catch all the wakeboarding action from home, tune in to Fuel TV. For exact air dates, visit www.kingofwake.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.
 
The Tigé Pro-Am Wakeboard Championships is organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Fla. The Pro-Am has the support of the following: Tigé Boats, Rockstar Energy Drink, PCM, Mona Vie, Nike 6.0, Oakley HDO, U.S. Air Force, Hyperlite Wakeboards, Ronix Wakeboards, CWB Wakeboards, Gator Boards, Cire, wakeworld.com and theliquidcircus.com.
 
Friday, June 20 – Day 1 Results:
 
Pro Men
Qualifying Round – Heat  01
1 Austin Hair                 USA    93.00
2 Tino Santori               USA    91.50
3 Josh Palma                 USA    83.50
4 Nick Weinacker           USA    56.25
 
Pro Men
Qualifying Round – Heat  02
1 Josh Sanders              AUS    89.50
2 Dustin O’Ferrall       CAN   87.75
3 Marcelo Giardi           BRZ    82.50
4 Kyle Alberts                USA    80.25
 
Pro Men
Qualifying Round – Heat  03
1 Aaron Rathy               CAN   92.25
2 Nick Jones                  USA    90.00
3 James Hindes             USA    87.75
4 Randall Harris              USA    NS
 
Pro Men
Qualifying Round – Heat  04
1 Erik Ruck                   USA    93.75
2 Dean Smith                 AUS    92.25
3 Rhett Whatley            USA    84.00
4 Kyle Rattray                CAN  NS
 
Pro Men
Qualifying Round – Heat  05
1 Trevor Hansen           USA    93.75
2 Bradley Smeele          NZL    92.25
3 Robby Carter              USA    84.00
4 Hunter Hanson           USA    NS
 
Pro Men
Qualifying Round – Heat  06
1 Jimmy LaRiche          USA    97.25
2 Danny Thollander      USA    83.25
3 Daniel Watkins         AUS    81.25
4 Bryan Hutton              USA    78.25
5 Tony Carroll                USA    60.00
 
 
Professional Wakeskate
Quarter Finals – Heat  01
1 Reed Hansen               USA    70.00
2 Stuart Shinn               USA    60.00
3 George Daniels          USA    50.00
4 Evan Park                    CAN   40.00
5 Silas Thurman           USA    30.00
 
Professional Wakeskate
Quarter Finals – Heat  02
1 Brian Grubb               USA    73.33
2 Grant Roberts                        60.00
3 Brandon Thomas       USA    43.33
4 James Balzer             CDN   40.00
5 Gib Gibbons                 USA    N/S
 
Jr. Men (14-18)
Quarter Finals – Heat  01
1 Jacob Valdez               USA    94.25
2 Daniel Powers            USA    79.50
3 Joshua Twelker         USA    75.25
4 Alex Scagliotti           USA    64.75
 
Jr. Men (14-18)
Quarter Finals – Heat  02
1 Gunnar Shuler           USA    97.00
2 Erik Nikstad               USA    91.50
3 Justin Payton             USA    81.50
4 Stephen Cahail            USA    NS
 
Jr. Men (14-18)
Quarter Finals – Heat  03
1 Julian Cohen              USA    95.75
2 Ben Albright              USA    92.00
3 Thomas Olson            USA    82.25
4 Johnny Tobaben        USA    NS
 
Women Wakeskate
Semi Finals – Heat  01
1 Elizabeth Talansky  USA       100.0