1st International CWC Open Lives Up To Expectation

For Immediate Release - May 31, 2007

The long awaited and first-ever International CWC Open has come and gone but it will not be soon forgotten.  The Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) in the provincial capitol of Camarines Sur in the Philippines hosted one of the best competitions in wake park history.  With a cash pot of $34,000 US and a field of 84 riders from all over the world, the spectacular event will without a doubt be a conversation piece for years to come. 

The CWC Open adopted the new World Wakeboard Association (WWA) wake park format.  The new one-pass format forces riders to plan a unique run that includes riding rails, hitting kickers and executing flats tricks with good overall course management.  Composition is almost half of the score so a well-planned, creative and difficult run is essential. Wakeboarders got two falls and were picked up after their first drop, which allowed competitors to throw more risk into their passes. Matt Hickman, editor of WakeBoarding magazine said, “this format determines who the best overall rider is the day of the contest, not just the rider with the largest arsenal of tricks.” Difficulty and strategy are key points to placing high.  The final round of competition in the Pro Men’s division included an eight man head-to-head format similar to WWA pro boat events in Australia and the U.S.  The consensus has been highly favorable with most of the riders easily accepting the overdue changes. 

Riders from Austria, Germany, UK, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, USA and the Philippines congregated at the latest state-of-the-art wake park facility to partake in the 9-day long Kaogma Festival and one-year anniversary of the opening of the CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC).  Alongside the CWC Open was the 1st annual Kaogma Bike Rally, 4x4 trail competition, grand opening of the Camsur Skate and bike parks, Buruntolan (boxing), Ms. Kaogma Beauty Pageant, over a dozen bands, and much more. Besides the riders, there was an all-star cast of judges that included Matt Hickman of WakeBoarding magazine, Shawn Perry and Mike McComb of the WWA, Flo Meeh, Hardy Tunnisen,  Donald Shelbrick, Johnny Henson, and Bruce Robson of the WWAA. Special guests included announcer extraordinaire Clint Liddy, Pat Panakos of the world-famous Projects Wakeboard and Wakeskate Camp in Orlando, and the Legendary Scotty Byerly.

Local Filipino riders, Julian Mari Lavadia and Luigi Villafuerte wowed their many fans on home turf, taking 1st and 2nd respectively, in the Grom’s division.  Sebastian Dunn of Australia rounded out the top 3. Special mention goes to Takiah Lani Buchanan for being the youngest competitor in the history of the WWA at a mere 3 years old. The next generation Junior Men’s division saw some incredible talent with top Aussie riders Scotty Wilkings winning 1st followed by Matthew Denittis in 2nd. Christian “CK” Koester placed 3rd to bring home the only podium win for the UK riders. The Pro Women’s division had Australia’s Lauren Ormsby taking top honors, followed by Heather Johnson of the US and Kinga Horvath of Hungary in 3rd.  Stand out tricks in the women’s division included roll-to-blinds, front-to-blinds, tootsie rolls, and a smooth transfer to nose press on the fun box by Johnson.

U.S. riders dominated the Pro Wakeskate division, taking the top 4 spots.  John Ruark of Orlando, FL won the division with highly technical tricks on both the obstacles and on the flats that had even the untrained eyes cheering. Bret Little of San Marcos, TX was right behind him with his aggressive rail riding and spins off the kickers.  Huge names in the boating world, Brian Grubb and Brandon Thomas, rounded out 3rd and 4th, respectively, proving they can compete in any format whether it’s boat, pwc, cable, or winch riding. 

The Pro Men’s wakeboard finals had everyone on their feet as the final 4 riders battled it out in the head-to-head format. Peter Pascal Schmidt, “P2” of Germany edged out Chad Forrest of the US for 3rd place, leaving Chad with a respectable 4th place finish. The final battle between Tom Fooshee of the U.S. and Australia’s top rider, Sam “Bobo” Collins, proved to be the best match of the day. Bobo was first off the dock and threw down a solid run highlighted by a TS FS 900 to the inside kicker and a grabbed TS BS 720 on the outside kicker.  The pressure was on for Fooshee to step up and meet the challenge.  Tom started off the dock with a Pete Rose 5 on the inside kicker, followed up by a BS 5 gap over the entire pyramid obstacle.  An uncharacteristic fall on the fun box handed Bobo the win and the $5000 cash prize. 

For many, the CWC Open was a reunion of international friends - for others, it was a dream spot to form new lasting friendships. But for everyone, it was a memorable experience that will go down in history as one of the best events ever held at a wake park, raising the bar for the future.

If you’re not living under a rock, then you’ve probably heard all the hype, seen the photos, or watched the Statement video. Under the leadership of Governor Lray Villafuerte, CWC and its many sport parks will undoubtedly be a prime destination for action sports fanatics.  You just have to see it to grasp what it’s all about - CWC is the place to be.
 
We’d like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support of the 1st International CWC Open: H20 Republic, Ten-80, Intel, San Miguel Corporation, Solar Sports, Liquid Force, the World Wakeboard Association, and WakeBoarding magazine.