MALIBU BOATS PRO MEN & WOMEN EXPRESSION SESSION
Presented by Gordon Bay Marine and Paris Marine
The Pro Expression Session is the main event 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. The Expression Session is comprised of wakeboarders performing jump 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.
This year a new scoring system will be unveiled at Wakestock 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 new 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.
Phillip Soven from the USA and Amber Wing from Australia are the defending Wakestock champions and will be back to defend their titles.
TOP CONTENDERS – MALIBU PRO EXPRESSION SESSION
PHILLIP SOVEN
Age: 19
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 US Pro Tour Champ, 2006 Gravity Games Champ, 2004 X-Games Champion.
The two-time defending Wakestock champion, Phillip has been on fire this season; winning nearly every contest he’s entered. He started off his season winning the first three stops of the U.S. Pro Wakeboard Tour (PWT); the first rider to do so in history. He owns one of the biggest and most technical bag of tricks, so when he’s on his game, he’s nearly impossible to beat. Phillip has a solid shot at defending his Wakestock title.
RUSTY MALINOSKI
Age: 25
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.
Rusty is regarded as the best all round rider in the world. He has been tearing up the competition this year with a couple of wins and several podiums. He has finished second or third to Phillip Soven on several stops of the US Pro Wakeboard Tour and would love to exact some revenge of his home turf. Rusty won the Wakestock Malibu Expression Session event back in 2005 and easily has the tricks and determination to win it again. He’s incredibly poised under pressure and thrives on big crowds. Wakestock has the biggest crowds in the world!
ANDREW ADKISON
Age: 26
Hometown: Panama City, Florida
Sponsors: Oakley, 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.
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.
DANNY HARF
Age: 24
Hometown: Visalia, California
Sponsors: Billabong, Monster Energy, Ronix, Nautiques, Reef, Fox, Spy Optics
Career Highlights: 4 Time X-Games Champion (01, 02, 03, 05), 2006 US Pro Tour Champ, 2004 Masters Champ.
Don’t let Danny’s laid-back persona fool you, his natural, easy-going style translates into moves performed bigger than most. He is regarded as one of the best riders in the world, combining a smooth style with incredible technical tricks. Danny has been off to a slower start than usual this year due to a lingering back injury, but has been riding strong at the last few contests. While he’s won numerous times around the world including the X-Games and the US Pro Tour, Danny’s never scored a Wakestock win: this may be his year.
BILLABONG PRO MEN RAILSLIDE
Presented by SBC Wakeboard Magazine
For those new to wakeboarding and wondering what a wakeboarding railslide contest looks like, think of a snowboard park or a skateboard park on steroids on the water. Riders are towed behind the Malibu VLX and slide over the rails. Pretty straightforward, right?
The Wakestock Billabong Pro Railslide is one of the most prestigious rail contests in the world. What makes Wakestock’s rail contest unique is the fact that the rails are custom built specially for this event only, which in turn attracts all of the best wakeboard rail riders in the world. The new rail designs keep Wakestock fresh, progressive and challenging as the premier railslide event in the world. The rails are designed and built by the world’s leading rail guru, Patrick Panakos from aBox Productions and the Projects Wakeboard and Wakeskate Camp just outside of Orlando, Florida.
Riders are judged on the difficulty of their tricks as well as variety and overall composition. For a rider to win the Billabong Pro Rail at Wakestock he’ll have to not only stay on the rails, some of the biggest in the world, but he will also have to throw down a variety of technical slides.
Wakestock’s railslide event is a highlight for the massive crowds. The rails are only 25 feet from the shoreline making it the closest on-water action you’re going to see the entire weekend. The riders themselves love this because they feed off of the energy of the crowd to push themselves. Be prepared for amazing riding as well as some spectacular crashes.
Keith Lidberg from the USA has won this event for the past three years and is the odds on favourite to take the title again.
TOP CONTENDERS – BILLABONG PRO RAILSLIDE
KEITH LIDBERG
Age: 27
Hometown: Twin Lakes, Minnesota
Sponsors: J Star, Nautiques, O’Neill, Marine Products, Freestyle, The Projects
Career Highlights: 2007, 2006, 2005 Wakestock Billabong Pro Rail Champion, 2004 Wakestock Billabong Pro Rail 3rd, 2005 Pan American Champion, 2007 Carnival 2nd.
Keith Lidberg is the three-time defending Wakestock Billabong Pro Railslide Champ. Keith is a former coach at the legendary Projects Wakeboard and Wakeskate camp in Orlando, Florida giving him access to the world’s best rail park on a daily basis. Last year Keith won the prestigious Rail Rider of the Year award making him the top athlete is this discipline. He recently placed fourth at The Carnival, the groundbreaking railslide event and is looking to improve on that result by completing the four-peat this year. If there’s one contest that Keith wants to win, it’s Wakestock because it’s considered the most prestigious rail event in the world.
KEVIN HENSHAW
Age: 22
Hometown: Sidney, British Columbia
Sponsors: Malibu, Billabong, Monster Energy, Liquid Force, Nike 6.0
Career Highlights: 2007 Wakestock Billabong Pro Rail 3rd, 2006 Wakestock Billabong Pro Rail 2nd, 2005 Wakestock Malibu Expression 4th, 2005 US Pro Tour Rookie of the Year.
Kevin Henshaw is another Canadian with tonnes of talent and loads of style. For the last two year’s in the Billabong Pro Railslide final, Kevin went blow for blow with the champ, Keith Lidberg, and narrowly missed capturing his first Wakestock title. If Kevin can deliver the runs like he has the past two years, he will be returning to the Wakestock podium again.
AARON RATHY
Age: 20
Hometown: Nanaimo, British Columbia
Sponsors: Oakley, Xcel, Nautiques, Hyperlite, 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
Aaron Rathy is one of the most multi-talented riders in the world. He’s the only athlete to compete in all four one of Wakestock’s pro events. The Billabong Pro Railslide is Rathy’s strongest discipline having been on the podium for the past two years. Rathy is coming off an impressive performance at The Carnival this past May where he eliminated Keith Lidberg, the three-time defending Wakestock champion.
PARKS BONIFAY
Age: 26
Hometown: Winter Haven, Florida
Sponsors: Ronix, Mastercraft, Fox, Red Bull, Spy Optics
Career Highlights: 2-time Wakestock Billabong Pro Rail Champ, 07 Carinval Champ, 3-times X-Games Champ, 2-time Gravity Games Champ, 5-time US Pro Tour Champ
Parks Bonifay is one of the sports living legends but had been sidelined for the past few years with serious knee injuries. Parks made his triumphant comeback at The Carnival last May at The Projects by defending his title against the best rail riders in the world. Parks doesn’t compete on the U.S. Pro Tour anymore, but always makes Wakestock a priority each year. Always a fan favourite, Parks thrives on the crowds at Wakestock; look for him to put on an impressive performance and climb back onto the podium.