Harley Clifford Wins the Nautique Wake Open Presented by Rockstar
Energy and the Opening Round of the WWA Wakeboard World Series

Wake Open - Day 1 | Wake Open - Day 2 | Wake Open - Video

Lake Alfred, Fla. - The Wakeboard World Series kicked off Saturday with the Nautique Wake Open presented by Rockstar Energy at BSR Cable Park in Waco, Texas. Following two days of amateur divisions and pro qualifying as the second stop of the Nautique Wake Series, the riders stepped it up for the final rounds with six amateur division champions taking home titles, including Nic Rapa winning the Jr. Pro Men division. In the pro divisions, Danny Hampson won the Pro Wakeskate final and Nautique team rider Meagan Ethell won the first ever WWA Wakeboard World Series Pro Women division. In the Pro Men, it was Harley Clifford who put together the most consistent and progressive run as he won his semifinal heat and advanced to take the final heat win with a 89.00 score. The Wake Open wrapped up with the Rockstar Energy Big Air Kicker final with Josh Twelker taking the win.
 
The top six riders in the WWA World Rankings were seeded into the semifinal round on Saturday, which put Clifford in the water for the first time of the weekend. He put together a solid run to score a 87.67, giving him the first seat for the finals. The final round format gives each rider two runs, in which their best run counts. The Australian crashed in his first run, which meant he needed a flawless second attempt to get on the podium. With two 900's, he stuck a clean run to claim the Nautique Wake Open title.
 
"I was pretty nervous going into today," said Clifford. "But the day couldn’t have gone any better. All day the guys were sending it, which made for a stacked final. I was a little bit shaken up after a big crash in my first run, but I knew what I needed to do in my last run and couldn’t be happier with the result."
 
The pro women made their debut with the WWA Wakeboard World Series behind the Billabong Super Air Nautique G23. Nautique’s Ethell won her semifinal heat on Friday and carried that momentum into Saturday’s final round. Nervous about her run, she made a last minute decision to switch her last trick to a different backside 360, only to stick both her roll and her backflip backside 360 as her Wild Card trick.
 
"This weekend was one to remember," said Ethell. "Having Pro Women now part of the Wakeboard World Series has helped further women’s wakeboarding and Nautique did a great job to include all the amateur women divisions as well. I really had to stay focused to nail all my tricks and landing my Wild Card was a bonus. I originally had my Wild Card trick, the Moby Dick, in my run, but I switched it for a KGB at the last second."
 
Before the pros took to the water behind the custom Billabong Super Air Nautique G23, the amateur finals wrapped up behind the award-winning Super Air Nautique G21 and G23. Hollie Waldrop dominated the Girls 13 and under division, Tyler Worrall won the Boys (10-13), Kevin Michael took the Masters (30-39) title, Jack Guenther won the Men 1 final and Mexico’s Jorge Alberto Perez Gordillo won Junior Men (14-18).
 
"The core of Nautique Boats has always been family boaters," said Nautique President Greg Meloon. "The Nautique Wake Series incorporates amateur riders on the same stage as the pros to provide a clear path of progression in the sport. The Super Air Nautique G-Series has proven to be the best wake for riders of all levels and allowed them to deliver their best performance on the water."
 
Capping off the Nautique Wake Open was the Rockstar Energy Big Air Kicker Final with Nautique Rockstar Energy rider Josh Twelker taking the win. After missing the cut on Friday in the Pro Men division, Twelker got his redemption by sending over the Rockstar Unit Parktech kicker.
 
Results Day 3 of 3
 
Pro Men Final
1. Harley Clifford – 89.00
2. JD Webb – 85.67
3. Bob Soven – 82.67
4. Phil Soven – 78.33
5. Shota Tezuka – 53.67
6. Austin Hair – 38.33
 
Pro Women Final
1. Meagan Ethell – 81.67
2. Raimi Merritt – 73.33
3. Dallas Friday – 69.33
4. Erika Lang – 63.33
5. Melissa Marquardt – 60.00
6. Nicola Butler – 50.00
 
Pro Wakeskate Final
1. Danny Hampson – 81.67
2. Reed Hansen – 66.67
3. Brian Grubb – 63.33
4. Austin Polterock – 38.33
 
Rockstar Big Air Kicker Final
1. Josh Twelker
2. Stephen Pierce
3. Adam Errington
 
Jr. Pro Men Final
1. Nic Rapa – 86.67
2. James Loisel – 82.67
3. Jason Soven – 75.00
4. Mac Schramm – 70.00
5. Juan Mendez – 59.33
6. Lewy Watt – 56.67
 
Junior Men (14-18) Final
1. Jorge Alberto Perez Gordillo – 80.00
2. Elliot Digney – 76.67
3. Tyler Sommer – 63.33
4. Cody Wahl – 46.67
 
Men’s 1 (19-24) Final
1. Jack Guenther – 76.67
2. Sean Weidner – 70.00
3. Nolan Savage – 53.33
 
Masters (30-39) Final
1. Kevin Micheal – 83.33
2. Francisco Cabezas – 65.00
 
Boys (10-13) Final
1. Tyler Worrall – 66.67
2. Daniel Johnson – 61.67
3. Kevin Duffy – 57.67
4. Rocker Steiner – 50.00
 
Girls (13 and under) Final
1. Hollie Waldrop – 85.00
2. Sofia Mendez – 71.67
3. Zoe Luquette – 56.67
 
About Nautique
Celebrating 90 years of excellence in the marine industry, Correct Craft is the owner of Nautique Boat Company, Inc., Aktion Parks, and Pleasurecraft Marine Engine Company. Nautique manufactures the highest quality, most innovative ski and wake-sports boats available worldwide and provides exceptional customer service experiences. To learn more about Nautique and its complete product line, visit nautique.com. Also find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Rockstar
Rockstar Energy Drink is designed for those who lead active lifestyles – from Athletes to Rockstars. Available in over 25 flavors at convenience and grocery outlets in over 30 countries, Rockstar supports the Rockstar lifestyle across the globe through Action Sports, Motor Sports, and Live Music. For more information visit RockstarEnergy.com. Also find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
 
About the WBWS
The Wakeboard World Series will offer the largest payout the sport has seen in its 26-year history with a total of $425,000 to be handed out to the men and women throughout the series. This increase is just one of many avenues that the WWA have stepped up to further legitimize wakeboarding along with an increased focus on attracting media, sponsors, and consumers. This year’s Wakeboard World Series is the largest World Series in recent years, making it the only true global wakeboard series. The 2015 Wakeboard World Series will travel to four rounds within the United States as well as Mexico, Brazil, Canada, a return to Japan, and for the first time, the WWA World Championships will be held in Portugal. 
 
About the WWA
The World Wakeboard Association is the global leader in wake sports sanctioning. The WWA owns and operates the WWA Wakeboard World Series, WWA Wake Park World Series, WWA Wakeboard National Championships, WWA Wake Park National Championships, WWA Wakeboard World Championships, WWA Wake Park World Championships, WWA Wake Park Triple Crown, WWA Pro Card and WWA Rider Experience. With 27 affiliate countries worldwide, the WWA is a rider-formed organization dedicated to promoting and growing wake sports worldwide. It is the primary source for riders, event organizers and competitive standards. For more information on the WWA and its events, check out thewwa.com.

Wake Open - Day 1 | Wake Open - Day 2 | Wake Open - Video