CRYSTAL LAKE, IL (August 5, 2018)– The 2018 Nautique WWA Wake Park National Championships and Wake Park World Series (WPWS) celebrated its 10th anniversary in style at the new and beautiful Quarry Cable Park this week. Riders and teams came in from all over North America, bringing intense competition and the best wake park showdown ever experienced. History was made at the Quarry, with Tom Fooshee the “King of the Cable” announcing a refocus from the series to some of the youngest competitors making contest firsts. Everyone in attendance had the opportunity to witness a level of riding unlike anything this event has seen before.
The Groms kicked off the final day with the top four riders making it through to the final round of action. Taking the win, Cameron Flinkingshelt (Shark), threw a tantrum off the kicker for his winning score of 95.70. Alejandro Adib-Samii (H9) came up in second going super technical on all the rails scoring 90.30, just ahead of Gavin Doody (TSR) who showed total composition the entire heat to earn 82.00.
The Boys Features division showed just how far and quickly our amateurs are pushing the sport with two competitors throwing double flips. Parker Swope laid down the first ever double cab roll in Boys wake park contest history, followed by Fynn Bullock as the youngest competitor to land a double cab roll in a WWA wake park contest. The top two competitors of the Boys semifinal went in to a stacked final round where Jadon Scures (Revo) had multiple spins off the kickers, including a super stylish indy 3-2-1 a for the top spot scoring 89.50. Liam Brearley (Rose) executed super techy rail hits on both the transfer box and the pool, taking second with 87.30 points. Fynn Bullock (Shark) showed his versatility off the kickers and on the rails scoring 86.20.
Collin Haas (USA) took the Pro Wakeskate title with solid rail hits, plus an impressive kickflip in the flats and officially completing the win with the wildcard H/S B/S 360 off the XL kicker. Rockstar athlete, Nick Taylor (USA) took second with a 95.00 hitting a backside ollie 360 in the flats and a frontside flip out of the pool, followed by Sam Langley (OWC) in third scoring 80.00 sticking a frontside shove off the kicker.
Two-time WWA Wake Park World Series champion, Guenther Oka (USA) continued to go absolutely huge with multiple air tricks, mobes, and spins using the transition curb as a kicker to seal the deal with his wildcard T/S B/S 180 to stalefish mobe scoring 93.00 taking the Pro Mens Traditional top spot. The legend, Tom Fooshee (TSR) rode through the entire event for a second place finish of 84.00, throwing a nose grab fat chance 540. Pedro Caldas (BRA) had another solid run to score 82.00 rounding out the podium in third.
In the Open Women Features final, the top two riders of each semifinal heat went on to compete in the afternoon final round. In the final, Shannon Stuckey (OWC) excelled on all the rails, going super technical on the pool to take the National title with a 91.50. Rounding out the podium, Mattie Armer (Term) took second scoring 91.20 with a clean H/S F/S 540 off the XL kicker, followed by Piper Harris (OWC) in third with 83.80. The Open Men Features semifinal saw the top two riders of each heat moving on to the four-man final. Bruno Ulott (Mayan) owned the top spot absolutely destroying the pool with a switch back lip 270 transfer to score 90.20. Kyle Payne (Rose) smashed the kickers, placing him in second with 87.80, followed by Drew Glickman (Trophy) with a score of 82.20.
Taking first place in the Masters division, Scot Ferwerda (Action) put up a score of 96.80 with a H/S F/S 270 on to the ledge, to pretzel 450 out and a clean H/S mute roll to revert off the kicker. Jorge Garizurieta (Mayan) placed second absolutely crushing the double elbow rail with a front lip to fakie for a score of 85.10. Gavin Fisk (Rose) scored 82.20 to round out the podium in third. Jason Stuckey (OWC) took the Veterans Features win with a 94.20, landing a H/S F/S 540 with a late stalefish off the kicker. Shannon Stuckey (OWC) made a second podium appearance with her signature rail game, sticking a transfer to 50/50 to B/S 180 out for a score of 89.90, followed by Dayle Cartwright (Revo) in third nailing a tantrum to blind off the kicker to score 85.90.
The Jr. Men put up a good fight in the morning hour with only one rider from each semifinal heat making it on to the four-man battle for the National title. Gavin Giglio (OWC) came away with the National title annihilating the transfer box with a H/S F/S 360 to 50/50 to B/S 180 out, along with a T/S B/S 720 for 96.00. Riley Hackworth (Revo) landed a massive T/S F/S 900 off the kicker to earn the second place spot with 86.60, followed by Garrett Coleman (OWC) who took third with a 82.10 landing a big H/S F/S 900.
The Pro Women’s final proved that the ladies have been on fire this season, showcasing their insane level of riding throughout the entire round. Taking the 2018 National title, Anna Nikstad (USA) couldn’t be stopped with a massive B/S 450 transfer on the transfer box to seal the deal with a winning score of 92.80. Courtney Angus (AUS) took second with a transfer 270 to back lip popping it around the front board on the pool to score 88.70. Jamie Lopina (OWC) took the podium in third landing a super clean H/S B/S 540 off the kicker for a score of 81.90.
With the top rider from each Pro Men’s Features semifinal heat advancing to the final round, we witnessed a top of the line round of wake park competition with Busty Dunn (AUS) sending it for the winning score of 87.60. Dunn threw down a B/S T/S 1080 on the kicker and a 50/50 to gap B/S 540 to decline on the transfer box. Guenther Oka (USA) landed a T/S B/S 900 late stalefish off the kicker, going very stylish on all the rails for second with 87.20. Taking the podium in third, John Dreiling (OWC) scored 86.40 bringing a style of his own to all the rails with a super technical T/S B/S 540 transfer to 50/50 on the transfer box.
The Orlando Watersports Complex (OWC) team won the 2018 Points Chase title in both Traditional and Features Only divisions for the second consecutive year. Shark Wake Park (Shark) took second place in the Features Only Division, followed by TEAM in third to round out the Features Only. Shark Wake Park (Shark) took another second place finish in Traditional, with TEAM finishing closely behind them in third.
For a full list of results from the 2018 Nautique WWA Wake Park National Championships Click Here.
For final Team results from the 2018 Nautique WWA Wake Park National Championships Click Here.
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