BILLABONG WAKESTOCK PRO WAKEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP
WWA World Series of Wakeboarding
Presented by Malibu Boats & Monster Energy

The Billabong Pro Men’s Wakeboard Championships is one of the main events at Wakestock. It is part of the World Wakeboarding Association (WWA) World Series, a five-stop global wakeboard tour featuring the top wake athletes in the world. Forty of the best pro men and 15 of the best pro women wakeboarders, from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand will compete for the Wakestock titles and valuable points in the chase for the WWA World Series overall title. The Pro Wakeboard division is comprised of wakeboarders performing tricks off of the wake of Wakestock’s official towboat, the Malibu VLX , as well sliding over obstacles, or “rails”, that are built into the water course close to the shore.

The scoring system for the event is comprised of five different categories with a separate judge assigned to score each respectively. The categories are technical tricks (inverts, flips, rolls or mobius tricks - any inverted move combined with a 360 degree rotation); spins (360 degree rotations or greater), straight airs (jumps with less than 180 degree of rotation and non-inverted); rail slides; and overall impression (amplitude intensity, grabs, execution and style). The scores of the five judges are combined for the rider’s final score. This format allows for a greater diversity of tricks to be performed in a rider’s run and places a higher emphasis on style than previous judging formats. To break it down in simple terms, this year’s Expression Session is going to showcase even more amazing riding from the top wakeboarders in the world.

Aaron Rathy (above) from Canada is the defending Wakestock champion and will be back to defend his title. Roth photo

TOP CONTENDERS – BILLABONG PRO MEN’S WAKEBOARD

AARON RATHY
Age: 21
Hometown: Nanaimo, British Columbia

Sponsors: Oakley, Nautiques, Byerly Wakeboards, Rockstar, Polk Audio

Career Highlights: 2007 Wakestock Billabong Pro Rail 2nd, 2006 & 2005 Wakestock Oakley Pool Wakeskate Best Trick Champ, 2008 Carnival 3rd,, 2006 US Pro Tour Rookie of the Year, 2004 WWA Junior World Champion, 2008 Wakestock Railslide Champion, 2008 Wakestock Expression Session 3rd, 2009 PWT Fort Worth 2nd, 2009 PWT Wisconsin Champ, 2009 PWT Tennessee Champ, 2009 Wakestock Champ, 2009 King of Wake Champ, 2009 WWA World Champ, 2009 WBM Rider of the Year

Aaron Rathy is the hottest rider in the world at the moment. Rathy had a huge year in winning almost everything in site including the King of Wake Series and WWA World Champioships. Rathy always rides well at Wakestock; he won a total of 6 different Wakestock belts in only 3 years of competing at the event. He also the defending champion and the odds on favourite to take home the Pro Men’s title this year.

PHILLIP SOVEN

Age: 20

Hometown: Longwood, Florida

Sponsors: Malibu, Liquid Force, No Fear, Body Glove, Guru

Career Highlights: 2007 & 2006 Wakestock Malibu Expression Champion, 2007 WWA World Champion, 2007 PWT Overall Champion, 2006 Gravity Games Champion, 2004 X-Games Champion, 2008 WWA World Series Champion, 2008 King of Wake Champion, 2008 PWT Overall Champion, 2009 WWA World Series Champ

The two-time Wakestock champion has huge bag of technical tricks he can stomp with ease and should never be counted out. The fact that he went undefeated on the Mastercraft Pro Tour in 2008 shows how good he really is. Considering Phillip trains behind a Malibu VLX, Wakestock’s official tow-boat, he almost has a home field advantage over other riders in the field.

RUSTY MALINOSKI

Age: 26
Hometown: Humboldt, Saskatchewan

Sponsors: Hyperlite, Mastercraft, Fox, Rockstar Energy, Body Glove, Roswell, Ogio, Kicker

Career Highlights: 2005 Wakestock Malibu Expression Champ, 2006 Wakestock Malibu Expression 2nd, 2008 Wake Games Champion, 2007 WWA World Series Overall runner-up, 2007 WWA US National Champ, 2006 WWA World Championships 2nd, 2008 Wakestock Champion, 2008 WWA World Champion, 2009 Wake Games Champion

Rusty is one of the best all round riders in the world with past Wakestock and WWA World Championship titles under his belt. Look for him to step up as he returns to Canada. He’s incredibly poised under pressure and thrives on big crowds — Wakestock has some of the biggest crowds in the world!

ANDREW ADKISON

Age: 27
Hometown: Panama City, Florida

Sponsors:  CWB, Mastercraft

Career Highlights: 2007 Wakestock Malibu Expression 2nd , 2006 WWA World Champ, 2004 WWA World Series Overall Champion, 2006 Wake Games Champ, 2006 Boardstock Champ, 2009 Fort Worth PWT 3rd place, 2009 Wisconsin PWT 3rd place, 2009 PWT Tennessee 3rd place.

Andrew Adkison is one of the most popular riders in the world, not only because he’s amazing rider, but he’s also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Don’t let the nice guy persona fool you though; when it comes to competing, he’s one of the fiercest competitors around. Andrew never seems to flinch under pressure and can hold his own with the best riders in the world. Look for a strong technical display from Andrew to nail down a Wakestock podium spot.

HARLEY CLIFFORD
Age: 15
Hometown: Gold Coast, Australia
Sponsors: Monster Energy, Liquid Force, Mastercraft, Oakley, Body Glove, Billabong
Career Highlights: 2009 Australia PWT Champion Stop #1, 2009 Fort Worth PWT Champion, 2009 Wisconsin PWT 2nd place, 2009 Tennessee PWT 2nd place, 2009 Overall PWT Champ

At the age of 15, Harley Clifford should still be riding in the Jr. Men’s division against riders his own age, but he’s shocked the pro division in 2009 by blowing his competition out of the water. Harley became the youngest rider in history to win the overall Mastercraft Pro Wakeboard tour title.

MALIBU WAKESTOCK PRO WAKESKATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Presented by Billabong & Monster Energy

What is wakeskating you ask? Wakeskating is to wakeboarding as what skateboarding is to snowboarding. Wakeskates are considerably smaller than wakeboards and there are no bindings to keep you attached to the board; just gravity. Wakeskaters wear skateboard or wakeskate-specific shoes and the top decks of the board either have skateboard-style grip tape or EVA foam for traction.

Wakeskating has become one of the fastest growing water sports during the past few years and the progression level of the top riders has been skyrocketing. Because wakeskaters aren’t attached to the board they can both jump off the wake of the towboat, as well as flip or spin the board with their feet similar to many skateboarding tricks. While wakeskating may not have the high-flying maneuvers of their wakeboarding counterparts, it’s a much more technical sport.

Wakestock played host to the first pro wakeskating contest in 1999 and today the best riders from around the world come to compete in Wakestock’s prestigious Billabong Pro Wakeskate title. The wakeskate event at Wakestock remains unique because it’s the only contest in the world that combines riding behind the boat with sliding rails in one contest. Look for riders to throw down numerous grabs, 180’s and 360’s behind the boat and mix it up with some technical railslides.

The Wakestock defending champ is Brian Grubb (above) from the USA. Roth photo

THE TOP CONTENDERS – MALIBU PRO WAKESKATE

BRIAN GRUBB

Age: 28
Hometown: Nashua, New Hampshire

Sponsors: Malibu, Billabong, Hyperlite, Von Zipper, Red Bull

Career Highlights: 4-time Wakestock Billabong Wakeskate Champ (01, 02, 03, 07), 2007 Wake Games Champ, 2006 US Pro Tour Champ, 2004 WWA World Wakeskate 2nd, 2008 Byerly Toe Jam Boat Champion, 2008 Wakestock Billabong 2nd place, 2009 Byerly Toe Jam Winch Jam 2nd, 2009 Byerly Toe Jam Boat Champ, 2009 Wakestock Champ

Brian Grubb is one of the most dominant wakeskaters behind the boat in the sport of wakeskating. Brian will feel at home behind the Malibu VLX, the official towboat of Wakestock, because it’s the same boat that’s parked at his dock. Brian is the defending champion and always one of the favourite’s to win the Malibu Pro Wakeskate year after year.

REED HANSEN

Age: 19
Hometown: Groveland, Florida

Sponsors: Ronix, World Wakeboard Center, Fox, Supra, Roswell

Career Highlights: 2006 Wakestock Billabong Pro Wakeskate Champ, 2007 WWA World Champ, 2007 WWA U.S. Nationals Champ, 2008 Byerly Toe Jam Overall Champ, 2009 Byerly Toe Jam Overall Champ

Reed is leading the charge of the next generation of super-talented wakeskaters. Reed won the Pro Wakeskate event at Wakestock three years ago and easily has the talent to walk away with the title again. He is known as one of the most consistent wakeskaters on the planet and can stomp the hardest tricks. Reed has won the overall title from the Byerly Toe Jam series for the past two years (2008-2009).

NICK TAYLOR

Age: 20
Hometown: Anna Maria Island, Florida

Sponsors: Oakley, Nike 6.0, Integrity, O’Neill, Freestyle

Career Highlights: 2007 Wakestock Billabong Pro Wakeskate 2nd, 2007 Byerly Toe Jam, Boat 2nd, 2008 Byerly Toe Jam Stop #1, Rail Champ, 2008 Byerly Toe Jam Stop #1, Boat 2nd, 2009 Byerly Toe Jam Rail Champ

Nick Taylor is part of the next generation of wakeskaters helping to push and re-define the sport. Bringing a true skateboard style to wakeskating, Nick has a huge bag of technical tricks, which he can stomp on a consistent basis. Nick is a strong bet for at least a podium spot and maybe the win.

JAMES BALZER

Age: 25
Hometown: Langley, British Columbia

Sponsors: Liquid Force, Body Glove, Nike 6.0, Von Zipper

Career Highlights: 2006 Canadian National Wakeskate Champ, 2007 Byerly Toe Jam Stop #4, Boat 3rd, 2007 Byerly Toe Jam Winch 3rd.

A former wakeboarder turned wakeskater, James is known for his big, smooth wake-to-wake tricks. Just like Brian Grubb, he regularly trains behind a Malibu VLX, so he will feel right at home during Wakestock.