(April 21, 2018) The final day of action at the 2018 Nautique Wake Open was nothing short of unbelievable. Riding behind the 5X Wakeboard and 4X Wakesurf Boat of the Year, the Super Air Nautique G23, the world’s best not only went bigger than ever but showed us that in a game of going trick for trick, finesse and style reign supreme. Today’s performances went far beyond simply who made it to the top of the podium. In the end, the entire sport won as these athletes came together to show everyone exactly where wakeboarding stands.
Today we witnessed one of the most intense final rounds in WWA Wakeboard Worlds Series and Nautique Wake Series history. Fists in the air and giant smiles ended nearly every run as riders laid down performances that built pressure with every pass. Nic Rapa (AUS) stomped a mute crow 540 right out of the gate before moving on to a combination of massive bangers to finish in third place with a score of 91.00. Nautique rider Mike Dowdy (USA) took advantage of the epic pull behind the legendary Super Air Nautique G23, hitting a double indy backroll on his first trick along with a KGB 540, double half cab and a T/S double backroll for second place, scoring 94.33. Cory Teunissen (AUS) looked flawless today, taking every trick to straight bolts. Landing a perfect T/S 1080 in his first pass, Cory put down a H/S 900, crow 540, B/S 720, KGB, two double flips, and two mobe 540’s for a winning score of 96.33.
“I’m stoked to take the win today at the Nautique Wake Open! That was one of the craziest finals I’ve ever been a part of and might be my best run ever. Everyone threw down and I knew it was super close between Dowdy and I. Thank you to everyone who made this event happen and I’m ready for the next one!” said 2018 Nautique Wake Open Champion Cory Teunissen.
In the Pro Women’s final, Nicola Butler (USA) made every trip look effortless, landing an indy crow, roll-to-blind, and a moby dick on her way to a third-place score of 76.00. Landing in second place, Team Nautique’s Meagan Ethell (USA) put down a big whirlybird, a moby dick, and a clean KGB for a score of 79.00. Taking the win today, Nautique rider Zahra Kell brought a new confidence to the water, scoring 86.00 with a big indy tantrum, whirlybird, KGB and Dum Dum.
“I’ve been training hard for this one and I’m just so happy I landed my run today. I knew I had to be on my game after watching all the girls step it up out there. You know everyone is going to ride their best behind the G23 and I was confident all week that I could get the win if I stayed focused. Thank you to Nautique and the WWA for giving us the best event series in the world to compete and push the sport forward!” said Nautique athlete Zahra Kell.
Ulf Ditsch (ARG), Luca Kidd (GBR) and Lorenzo Soprani (ITA) threw down behind the award-winning Super Air Nautique G23 in an insanely close Jr. Pro Men’s final. Ditsch was on-point all week, landing a dum dum 540 and B/S 720 to finish on top of the podium with a score of 87.00. Luca continues to refine his unique style, putting his signature touch on technical tricks that earned him a second-place score of 83.33 followed by Lorenzo Soprani (ITA) in third with 80.00.
In the Boys final Alex Albin (USA) went for it, landing a KGB, Dum Dum, and Moby Dick to take the win with a score of 92.67. In second Igor Colombo (ITA) shredded his way to an 84.67 score, followed by the amazing Brett Powell (USA) in third with 78.00.
The always exciting Men’s 1 final got the crowd jumping with Woody White (USA) throwing a big tantrum to blind and B/S 360 for the win scoring 86.33. In second Jorge-Alberto Perez (MEX) brought some style to his run landing a stale B/S 180 and a Dum Dum to score of 68.33. The third place spot went to Daniel Simon (MEX) with a score of 52.33.
“After years of success, it’s great to see the Nautique Wake Open taken to this beautiful venue in Mexico,” said Nautique President Greg Meloon. “The G23 has once again delivered the wakes that make dreams come true, pulling Wake Open titles for amateurs and pro’s alike.”
CLICK HERE to Download Results from Day 3 of the Nautique Wake Open.
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.
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 wakesports. 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 12,500 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.
