DALLAS, TEXAS (February 12, 2007) – The 2nd Annual Boardshorts, Bulls and Bikini’s pro wakeboard rail jam, presented by Malibu Boats, was definitely the highlight event surrounding the Dallas Winter Boat Show. It was stop number one of the 2007 Texas Wakeboard Tour and it took place last Saturday night at Gilley’s Honky-Tonk just south of downtown Dallas.

Several top pro and local riders gathered at the boat show at Dallas Market Hall on Saturday afternoon for a meet and greet with local water sports fans. They also went head-to-head with some of the local crowd playing Shaun Murray’s Wakeboarding Unleashed video game. The top scoring fan took home an Omega Wakeboard and bindings – courtesy of Liquid Force.

At 6:00pm, the riders all headed a few minutes down the road to Gilley’s to participate in the rail jam, followed by a round of bull-riding on Gilley’s legendary mechanical bull. The rail jam kicked-off at around 7:30pm and although there was a chill in the air, it was at least 20 degrees warmer then last years winter freeze that left ice on the rail. The pool and rail set-up, provided by Dallas based Ridin Rails, was much larger for 2007 and included a new thirty-five foot monster rail that towered five feet above the slider platform and a good eight feet off the ground. The set-up also included a thirty-five foot kinked rail.

Thirteen riders prepared to brave the cold temperatures, ten wakeboarders and four wakeskaters (Rathy competed in both wakeboard and wakeskate), for a shot at the custom Lucky Devil “Best Trick” trophies and a share of the $1500 in prize money provided by local Malibu dealer, Waterski America. It was a party atmosphere as the crowd gathered under the heaters on two huge balconies overlooking the pools/rails. The Red Bull DJ kept the tunes pumping, the beverages were flowing and pro tour announcer Dano-the-Mano joined TWT regular Justin Keifer as they prepared to call the action.

First up were the wakeboarders who were split into two heats of five riders each with the top two advancing to the final round. Heat #1 featured Malibu Pro Team rider Chad Sharpe and Liquid Force Pro and 2006 “King of Wake” Champion - Tino Santori. They were joined by local riders Dustin Shows, Danny Sherrill and Joe Lemberg. Sharpe attacked…and slayed…the big rail on his first pull to make it through to the finals. Santori also advanced with a smooth Board Slide Back Lip to 270 out.

Heat #2 featured Orlando based Pro Aaron Rathy, Tom Fooshee and Kyle Reed out of Austin Texas, plus 2006 Texas Wakeboard Tour Champion Andrew Dyrhood from Springdale Arkansas and 2006 WWA World Champion Andrew Adkison…both representing for CWB Wakeboards. Like Sharpe, Rathy went straight for the tall rail and got one clean hit that advanced him to the finals. The Andrews, Dyrhood and Adkison, both did FS Board Slides to 270 out, but the judges nod went to Adkison.