Shaun Murray, Brad Smeele, and Dean Smith check-in to recap Saturday’s action on the water from stop number two of the WBWS at the 2017 Nautique Wake Open presented by Rockstar Energy Drink US in this episode of the WWA World Series Rundown.
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Orlando, FL (April 27, 2017) –Sunny skies and the perfect wakes of 4X wakeboard and 3X wakesurf boat of the year, the Super Air Nautique G23 kicked off the Nautique Wake Open presented by Rockstar Energy today at the Orlando Watersports Complex with Pro Men’s qualifying and Pro Women’s quarterfinal rounds.
Team Nautique athlete Raimi Rutledge had an amazing opening run, dominating her way into the semifinals with a heat-winning score of 75.00 going huge with a nose grab 540 and a double grabbed 360. Taylor McCullough took the win in heat two, throwing down a massive wrapped KGB in her run for a score of 76.67.
“The Super Air Nautique G23 was dialed as always today and I’m pumped to take the heat win today. All of the girls were going big and I’m excited to see what everyone brings this weekend,” said Raimi Rutledge.
The judges have their work cut out for them this week as the entire field showcased solid, progressive riding in each heat. Nautique and Rockstar Energy team rider Dean Smith had the attention of the entire Pro Men’s division during his run, throwing a massive backside 540 into the flats to qualify to the next round scoring 87.00. Nautique athlete Danny Harf looked legendary today with a heat-winning score of 79.33, landing a moby dick 540 and wrapped backside 720 to set the bar high heading to Saturday’s Pro Men’s quarterfinal.
“Every time we get the chance to compete behind the Super Air Nautique G23 the level of riding goes crazy,” said Nautique rider Dean Smith. “I felt right at home out there today and hope to keep this momentum going all the way to the final.”
The second day of the Nautique Wake Open begins at 8:00 a.m. ET on Friday, April 28th featuring all amateur semifinals, Jr. Pro quarterfinals, and Pro Wakeskate semifinals.
CLICK HERE to download results from day 1 of the Nautique Wake Open.
CLICK HERE to view the daily schedule.
Dedicated to progressing the sport from the ground up, the Nautique Wake Series puts riders first, developing the stars of tomorrow and showcasing the top athletes of today with every major event held behind the Super Air Nautique G23. The Nautique Wake Series is the only event series that gives riders of all ages, gender and skill level the opportunity to compete at an elite level.
For more information on the Nautique Wake Series Click Here.
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About Nautique Boat Company: Celebrating 92 years of excellence in the marine industry, Nautique is a subsidiary of Correct Craft and has been on the waters of the world with a passion for innovation since 1925. Nautique is known to push the envelope of possibility on the water, and our owners have come to expect nothing but the absolute best. The Ski Nautique 200 has changed waterskiing with 22 world records, the G-Series has won numerous awards for wakeboard boat and wakesurf boat of the year while unlocking new possibilities in wakeboarding and wakesurfing, and our Sport Series has given families endless days on the water without compromise. Through our Nautique Cares initiatives we’re dedicated to not only making a difference on the water, but to people in need around the world. The world’s best ski boat, world’s best wake boat, and a company that cares. To learn more visit Nautique.com.
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: http://ift.tt/18oEiwP
About The WWA: Developed for riders by riders, the World Wake Association stands as a global network of passionate representatives dedicated to the growth of towed boardsports. Since 1989 our mission and values remain true to the core of our community. Our position as the authority on competitive standards has been earned through consistent development; sanctioning and producing more than 6,000 worldwide events and counting. We are the only organization solely focused on the best interests of the sport, spearheading a collective movement on the journey to discover where wake takes you. 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. For more information on the World Wake Association, check out www.thewwa.com.
IMPORTANT – All riders under 18 must have a FL Minor Waiver Signed by their guardian. Please click HERE to fill out the form in advance if a guardian will not be present at the event.
Check-In for all athletes will be at Performance Ski & Surf (details listed below). All athletes are highly encouraged to check-in the night before they ride. If you do not check-in with us that night, you MUST be on-site at least one hour before the posted time for your division to begin with Event Registration, Current 2017 WWA Membership, FL Minor Waiver (under 18) and Bio Sheet COMPLETED.
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE BIO SHEET
CLICK HERE FOR THE FL MINOR WAIVER
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE 2017 WWA MEMBERSHIP
CLICK HERE FOR THE DAILY SCHEDULE WITH TIMES
Check-in Location:
Performance Ski & Surf
1355 W Sand Lake Rd #1, Orlando, FL 32809
Check-in Times:
Wednesday, April 26th 5-7 PM EST
Thursday, April 27th 5-8 PM EST
Riding Format
Amateur divisions, Jr. Pro and Pro Women: 2 Falls (1 Pickup)
WAKESKATE & ADAPTIVE DIVISIONS: Will have 3 Falls (2 Pickups)
Pro Men’s Division: .
The top 8 Pro Men on the 2017 WBWS Ranking will be prequalified into the Quarterfinal round. Click HERE for the 2017 WBWS Ranking
4 tricks per pass in all rounds
2 Falls (1 Pickup)
With the best riders in the world all in Orlando gearing up for the second stop of the WWA Wakeboard World Series, we had the chance to sit down at Shaun Murray’s house to get and inside look at the state of competitive wakeboarding with Brad Smeele and three of the sport’s best athletes.
Meagan Ethell, Mike Dowdy, and Harley Clifford go in-depth on the 2017 season and what it takes to stay at the top of the game in our first ever WWA World Series Rundown.
Look for more episodes throughout the season as the WWA Wakeboard World Series travels the globe with seven events remaining to find out who will take the overall 2017 WBWS title!
Back in December of 2014 I was interviewed by Chris Hawkins for WakeboardingHallOfFame.com
It’s quite an honor to be a part of this sport and community as it continues to reach new heights of excitement and success.
I’ll always remember the good times we had in the early days of the sport, and I look forward to being an active part of this community.
Thanks to my sponsor, REVO, for providing the best gear and eye wear any active girl could want. Check them out!
(WHOF) Dana, take us back to the beginning of your wake career and where you started?
(DP) I started waterskiing on Klinger Lake in Michigan when I was 3 years old. From that time on, I spent just about all day every day of the summer playing on the water. With family and friends, we did everything from slalom, trick, tubing, kneeboarding, and the “disc” to new and inventive activities. We began toying with a homemade ramp, skiing on canoe paddles, and made a backwards slalom ski just to name a few.
I began competing in three-event competitions at about age 12. In 1991, I enrolled at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL with the water ski team being one of my main priorities. Of course, there was no such thing as a wakeboard at that time. However, we spent a lot of time playing around on the skurfer! I was fortunate to have Kidder as my ski sponsor and during my sophomore year Denny Kidder sent me what he called a “water board” to test out. I loved it immediately and was doing tricks including flips in no time. I trained with Russell Gay and a house full of “enthusiastic guys” that summer. They pushed me to do anything remotely possible on the “water board”, and being an aggressive and adventurous person, I listened to them. We had so much fun and ridiculously great times – young and fearless! Before I knew it, I was on the starting dock at the Cypress Gardens Pro Tour Stop. It was a three-event ski and wakeboard tournament. I was the only and first girl to ever compete in wakeboarding and was up against the men. Little did I know that was the beginning of a new career and life long passion.
(WHOF) Who were your early heroes?
(DP) Growing up, ALL of the top professional water-skiers from the 80’s were my heroes because my dream was to be a professional water-skier. Looking back, it seems so funny because I ended up competing at the same tournaments and became friends with most of them! Dreams can come true.
However, Russell Gay would be my true hero! He took me “under his wing” when I was 17. He made it possible for me to move from Pittsburgh to Orlando when I was only 17 to train year-round. He helped me advance my skiing greatly and sharpened my boat driving skills. Dedicated and always ready to get on the water, he coached and mentored me for the rest of my career. Russell was one of the first and greatest men to ride a wakeboard, and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.
(WHOF) What year and what event did you first enter?
(DP) My first event was during the glorious summer of 1993 at the Cypress Gardens Pro Tour Stop. Although it was intimidating to be the first woman ever to compete, I had lots of support from the guys I trained with. I can’t remember exactly where I placed, but I did quite well against the men. It may have been 14th?
(WHOF) What were the challenges of being one of the female pioneers of wake?
(DP) The biggest challenge was the fact that women’s wakeboarding didn’t exist. I had to compete against the men in the beginning until a couple other girls and I started promoting women. Even then, it was a tough challenge and difficult to be taken seriously. After a lot of tenacity and negotiating with the event organizers, we had a separate women’s division, but without prize money. So, Andrea Gaytan and I set out to raise prize money for the women by ourselves. We also recruited women to compete since there weren’t very many of us stepping up to the challenge. Eventually, and I mean years later, the tour gave us a very small amount of prize money.
I had come from the waterski side of the sport. There was a huge separation between skiers and wakeboarders. As a three-eventer AND wakeboarder, I was caught in the middle. While still friends with skiers and supporting skiing, my passion was wakeboarding! The riders that came straight into wakeboarding made it difficult for me to fit into the sport initially. Unfortunately, it caused a lot of problems with judging, sponsorship, and friendships!
For a couple of years, I was three-event skiing and wakeboarding, so it was extremely difficult to train in all four events. I was riding or skiing four or five times a day that eventually led to total exhaustion and injuries. I believe it was 1996 when I won all three ski events at the Nationals and then went on to win the Wakeboard Nationals. At that point, I decided to hang up my skis and wakeboard exclusively!
The question of how to make wakeboarding a career and support myself was a challenge for sure. I had just graduated from college when wakeboarding took off. I needed to support myself, but wanted to wakeboard full time. Instead of beginning a career using my degree, I had random jobs that allowed me to train. Russel’s brand, MasterLine, gave me a position in marketing and sales that also allowed me to train and be involved in the industry. In the meantime, I was promoting myself and approaching potential sponsors for more financial help. MasterCraft Boats and Blind Side Wakeboards were my main and wonderful sponsors that helped me tremendously. With their support and several other smaller sponsors, I made enough money to wakeboard full time. That was a great day!!!
(WHOF) Take us through your decision making on new tricks that you learned and how you prepared your runs? Who was your biggest rival?
(DP) I initially learned the basic inverts and spins. After that, I was on a mission to learn Air Raley, which was a bit painful but worth it. After being the first girl to land a Raley, I quickly realized I could really push myself to land many more tricks that only the guys were doing. So, I observed the men closely to see what looked possible for me to land. I’d pick a new trick or two and work on it until I got it. I put my runs together so they flowed and could fit into one pass with a combination of inverts, grabs, and spins. One pass always started with a big Raley. From there, I would do all the tricks I could do absolutely consistently and new tricks at the end. I always had a good, huge double up planned at the end. My biggest rivals were Tara Hamilton and Andrea Gaytan. They were both great riders with different styles and personalities!
(WHOF) Your sponsors played a big part of your wakeboarding career. Tell us how you worked with them and who you sought out?
(DP) My sponsors were SO important – I could never have ridden professionally without them! Initially, a lot of board companies were approaching me. I decided to stay loyal to my current ski sponsor, Kidder (Blindside). Besides boards, I sought after sponsors until I created a name for myself and the women of wakeboarding. For me, sponsorship was more than just using their equipment and products. It meant riding in all tournaments, participating in as many photo shoots as possible, attending boat shows, trade shows, teaching clinics and lessons, prepress, and exhibitions.
Blind Side was my primary board sponsor. I helped them shape boards and came up with new ideas from day one. I worked closely with them to make my Dana Preble Pro Model. Many times, I was on the end of the dock myself with a saw and some type of sealant. It was fun and turned into an awesome board! Besides that, I traveled a lot constantly promoting their boards and working with sales, marketing, and R&D.
MasterCraft was one of my essential sponsors, as they provided me with a new boat every year. I loved my X-Stars and helped them come up with new ideas every year. The greatest project with them was creating a ballast system. When I started riding, I put sand bags, lead weights, even a cement table in the back of the boat to create bigger wakes. Then, the fat sack was invented, which made things easier. Finally, MasterCraft came up with the possibility of actually creating the ballast system – genius. There was also the Skylon/Ten Foot Pole, which eventually became the tower.
I had a sponsor for just about everything I would use or wear on a daily basis. G-Bolt Fins, Flojos shoes, MasterLine Ropes and Handles, Point Conception swim suits, wetsuits, sunglasses, and even Gravity Skateboards to name a few. They spoiled me with the latest and greatest of their products and equipment. Have to say, I sure do miss that. I’m still so grateful for all of my sponsors throughout the years!
(WHOF) What was the best thing about being a pioneer of our sport?
(DP) It has been great to watch the sport grow with all the incredible changes throughout the years. To watch the girls ride at the level they do is awesome. So proud of the girls! I especially love that they are acknowledged, respected, and have a division of their very own. I also look back and see how lucky I was to be able to travel all over the world so easily before 9-11. I had the opportunity to meet wonderful people all over the world, and so many people welcomed me in their towns, lakes, shops, and homes. There was always an adventure, and usually an amazing experience!
