LAKE ALFRED, FL (January 30th, 2023) – The World Wake Association (WWA) and Malibu Boats are excited to announce the return of the world’s premier amateur development event series with five stops of action for the 2023 Rider Experience Series. Participants will experience a top-notch weekend in wake through family-friendly instruction, education, and approachable competition open to all interested. The WWA and Malibu are excited to continue to showcase the sport’s new and growing talent and continue the sport’s exponential growth as the Rider Experience series heads into its eleventh season.
“The Malibu Rider Experience series is where it all begins for so many new riders each season,” said WWA President Shannon Starling “whether it’s learning to get up on a board or entering their first contest, so many riders find community and a new passion through this series. We look forward to being a part of that alongside Malibu Boats.”
Since 2013 the Malibu Rider Experience has hosted thousands of riders, from first timers to those making the transition from amateur to pro, while building local and national wake communities that fully encompass the spectrum of the sport. The highlight of each WWA Regional Championship event will be Jr. Pro Women and Men’s divisions. These young, up-and-coming riders will compete at each stop of the series for a piece of the $20,000 in travel scholarships towards the WWA Wakeboard National Championships for the top overall series finishers in each division.
Each weekend will kick off with ‘Shreddin’ Saturdays’ featuring freeriding for wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and foiling behind the Malibu Boats Wakesetter 25 LSV and other models, all featuring Surf Gate® and Power Wedge™ III technology. Participants can also take advantage of instruction from Malibu’s Pro Team of athletesand a Judge’s Experience to learn more about wakesports competition and judging. This fully inclusive day of all things wake will allow the entire family, friends, and neighbors alike to familiarize themselves with the course, receive tips on the water and in the boat, and test out the industry’s latest products, all while hanging out lakeside. The WWA Regional Championship will be held on the Sunday of each event, giving amateur riders a chance to have fun on the water and compete against riders in their region as well as qualify for the WWA Wakeboard National Championships.
The series’ final stop will finish in the eastern region in Smithville, TN, for the Rider Experience East in conjunction with Tennessee Wakefest. The top finishers from each region in all divisions will receive special invites to compete at Wakefest, which will serve as the grand finale of the 2023 Rider Experience series.
Malibu Boats dealers in each region will host the WWA Rider Experience events. Beginning in the Central region and working its way across North America. Information and registration can be found by visiting TheWWA.com/RiderExperience.
All athletes must compete in their respective WWA Regional Championship to be eligible for the 2023 WWA Wakeboard National Championships (wakeboard only).
2023 Malibu WWA Rider Experience Dates
Rider Experience Central
Host Dealer: Texas Malibu
Location: Lakeside Park, Marble Falls, Texas
April 15th-16th
Rider Experience South
Host Dealer: Rambo Marine
Location: Lake Guntersville, Guntersville, Alabama
April 22nd-23rd
Rider Experience West
Host Dealer: Taylor’s Boats
Location: Hurricane, Utah
June 2nd-3rd
Rider Experience North
Host Dealer: Eastcoast Flight Craft
Location: Laconia, New Hampshire
July 8th-9th
Rider Experience East @ Tennessee Wakefest
Host Dealer: TNT Watersports
Location: Pates Ford Marina, Smithville, Tennessee
July 21st-22nd
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 15,000 worldwide events and counting. We are the only organization solely focused on the sport’s best interests, 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.
About Malibu Boats, Inc.
Based in Loudon, Tennessee, Malibu Boats, Inc. (MBUU) is a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a diverse range of recreational powerboats, including performance sport, sterndrive, and outboard boats. Malibu Boats, Inc. is the market leader in the performance sport boat category through its Malibu and Axis boat brands, the leader in the 20′ – 40′ segment of the sterndrive boat category through its Cobalt brand, and in a leading position in the saltwater fishing boat market with its Pursuit and Cobia offshore boats and Pathfinder, Maverick, and Hewes flats and bay boat brands. A pre-eminent innovator in the powerboat industry, Malibu Boats, Inc. designs products that appeal to an expanding range of recreational boaters, fishermen, and water sports enthusiasts whose passion for boating is a key component of their active lifestyles. For more information, visit www.malibuboats.com, www.axiswake.com, www.cobaltboats.com, www.pursuitboats.com, or maverickboatgroup.com