“The WWA has been taking chances and trying new things in a continuous effort to grow the sport,” said WWA President Shannon Starling. “We’ve just completed the largest wakeboard event in history with the 2016 Nautique WWA Wakepark National Championships pulling nearly 600 entries. It’s extremely satisfying to see that 54% of all participants are first time competitors at the Nautique WWA Wakepark National Championships.”
A star-studded field emerged for the highly anticipated final showdown in the Pro Wakeboard Traditional division that would ultimately watch the incredibly talented riders uncork the biggest tricks of the entire weekend. Rising star Guenther Oka (IND) meticulously navigated his way around the technical OWC course design, consistently nailing each trick combination en route to the win at the opening round of the 2016 Wakepark World Series with an 89.50. A valiant effort by five-time Wakepark World Series Champion Tom Fooshee (TSR) helped him secure the runner-up position, narrowly missing out on the overall win as judge’s credited him with an 86.50. The final podium position went to Joe Battleday (JB Ski – GB) with a 63.00.
Local hero George Daniels (OWC) relied on his home park advantage to pull a variety of tech rail hits and flats tricks to keep the crowd on the edge of their seats as he cruised to the Pro Wakeskate victory and was awarded with an 86.50. The battle for the second and third positions was an all out war between Nick Robinson (IND) and Andrew Pastura (IND), however, Robinson used a clutch performance on his final tricks to score 77.50 and outduel Pastura’s 74.50.
In the Grom Features Finals, Gavin Stuckey (OWC) performed flawlessly as fans lined the perimeter of the park to take the top spot and win on the weekend in convincing fashion with a 97.50. Just behind Stuckey, Toby Jacobsen grabbed a score of 84.10 to complete the one-two sweep for OWC at their home park. Hydrous rider Cameron Reeves carried his momentum from earlier in the week to land himself on the podium in third with 73.30.
Perhaps the closest riding of the day took place in the Boys (10-14) Features Only competition, which featured massive tricks from the up-and-comers who battled for the weekends bragging rights. At the conclusion of the Finals, Riley Dillion’s (Roseland) 93.70 earned him the National Championship, just ahead of Trent Stuckey’s (OWC) 91.70. A hard-fought effort by Gavin Giglio (OWC) landed him in third, giving OWC two out of the top three positions and further proving the parks strength in nearly every division regardless of age or skill level.
“It’s been an incredibly successful back-to-back weekends of events on the water for the Nautique WWA National Championships,” said WWA Executive Director Corrie Wilson. “The weekend could not have ended on a better note as rider’s in all divisions displayed such a high level of riding across the board. From Julia Rick’s perfectly executed highside-backside 7’s in the women’s features to Cody Hesse’s mute double cab mobe and Max Van Helvoort’s double cork, I’m walking away stoked on the state of competitive wakeboarding.”
Defending park champions Orlando Watersports Complex (OWC) were the early favorites heading into the weekend as they boasted a strong lineup and prepared to compete with the home park advantage throughout the four-day event. The Orlando-based squad proved to be the team to beat yet again in 2016 as they captured the team titles in both, Traditional Cable and Features Only, for the second year in a row.
As the organizer and sanctioning body of the 2016 Nautique WWA Wake Park National Championships presented by Rockstar Energy, the World Wakeboard Association would like to thank all of its partners for their support in making the event possible, including Nautique Boat Company, Rockstar Energy Drink and the National Points Chase.
Check out the highlights from Sunday’s action with the recap video HERE
Results
Nautique WWA Wake Park National Championships Presented by Rockstar Energy
Orlando Watersports Complex – Orlando, Florida
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Click Here to view the full results from Sunday’s Finals
About Nautique Boat Company: Celebrating 91 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 19 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: www.RockstarEnergy.com
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 www.thewwa.com