CANADIANS CHARGE TO VICTORY AT 2008 WAKESTOCK WWA WORLD SERIES!

(Toronto, ON) July 29, 2008 – Home country favourites Rusty Malinoski and Aaron Rathy charged through to epic wins over defending champions Philip Soven and Keith Lidberg in the Wakestock 2008 Malibu Expression Session and Billabong Rail Championship events respectively. The wins capped an unbelievable four days of intense action both on and off the water at Wakestock, an event known equally for its challenging, world leading rails and demanding party schedule.

The hotly contested Wakestock Malibu Expression Session presented by Gordon Bay and Paris Marine, part of the WWA World Series, featured Malinoski, Soven, Rathy and Andrew Adkison in a four man super charged final. Malinoski, Soven and Rathy each stood up strong runs and double-ups making the scoring tight. Malinoski stuck a Backside 7 off the double-up, while Soven stomped a Toeside 9 and Rathy hit a Heelside 9. The difference though was Wakestock’s big, technical rail course which played to Malinoski and Rathy’s strengths. Both posted smooth, impressive slides over the three massive 100-foot rails. Malinoski was able to stay close to Soven with big wake tricks to take the win by a decisive 12.5 point margin, while Soven nosed out Rathy by 3 points. Andrew Adkison struggled with a fall off of the big Double-Kinked A-Frame rail and was never able to get back into contention. Thailand’s “Bomb”, Jaemjan Padwat tied for 5th with American Trevor Hansen while Australians Dean Smith and Daniel Watkins tied for 7th to round out the top eight.

The Wakestock Billabong Railslide Championship presented by SBC Wakeboard Magazine featured Aaron Rathy in his second final four appearance of the weekend, up against rail course destroyer and the three-time defending champion Keith Lidberg, the hard charging JD Webb and the ultra-smooth Colin Harrington. Lidberg had been ruling the Wakestock rails all through the preliminary rounds, but in the finals struggled to hold his slides over the entire length of the big rails. That left the door open for Rathy, Harrington and Webb. In the end it came down to two-pass consistency on the five rail course which demanded a three foot ollie onto the 100 foot Roof Top Step-Up rail; Rathy was just that much more consistent than the others to grab his first ever Wakestock Rail title, followed by Harrington, Webb and Lidberg. Shane Bonifay and Raphael Derome tied for 5th and Rusty Malinoski and Jimmy Lariche tied for 7th to round out the top eight. Wakeskaters had two dedicated events to contest at Wakestock for the first time: the Billabong Wakeskate boat contest presented by Monster Energy, and the Oakley Wakeskate Pool Jam.

The Oakley Wakeskate Pool Jam presented by SBC Wakeboard Magazine was once again the most innovative event of the weekend incorporating an all-new pool and rail layout designed by Pat Panakos from aBox Productions and featuring the world debut of the new Sesitec System 2.0 portable cable system from Germany. This year’s Oakley Pool launched wakeskaters down a three-rail, 10-stair set into the main water course. The reversible System 2.0 cable system pulled the riders 500 feet across the water course and then back to the pool allowing for a series of additional flatwater wakeskate tricks after stomping the rails.

The Oakley Wakeskate Pool Jam contest consisted of four different, $1250 best trick contests, all uniquely rider judged. Reed Hansen stomped a Backside Lipslide to win best trick on the challenging Down-Flat Rail. Chase Gregory landed a Backside Boardside to Switch Frontside Boardslide to 90 out win best trick on the Step-Down Ledge. Ben Horan styled out a locked-in Backside Noseslide to win best trick on the Down Rail. Matt Manzari stomped a Varial Flip down the 10-set staircase to win the best trick down the Stair Gap.

The Billabong Pro Wakeskate four man final featured defending Wakestock champion Brain Grubb up against Reed Hansen, the 2007 Wakestock champion, Danny Hampson, who is enjoying a strong come-back year and Stuart Shinn, one of the sport’s rising talents. Despite being the first rider off the dock, Shinn threw down an incredibly technical run including a wake-to-wake Heelside Shuv-it to Mute, a wake-to-wake Heelside Late Shuv and wake-to-wake Frontside 360 and a wake-to-wake Backside Bigspin for the last trick in his run. Hampson, Hansen and Grubb all had falls in their runs and ended up fourth, third and second respectively.

The TELUS Music Stage presented by Monster Energy delivered what had to be Wakestock’s most exciting and diverse music line-up ever. Highlights included; cousins RZA and GZA of the Wu Tang Clan, one of the most critically acclaimed and celebrated hip hop groups of all time; Florida’s reunited post-hardcore legends Hot Water Music; Cavalera Conspiracy, the new project by brothers Igor and Max Cavalera of Sepultura fame; and Canada’s pop rock superstars Metric.

RZA and GZA delivered a blistering performance Saturday evening mixing truncated versions of Wu Tang classics such as Shadowboxing and 7th Chamber with selections from RZA’s recent release, Digi Snacks and GZA’s acclaimed solo album, Liquid Swords. RZA’s relentless energy kept the crowd pumped including a call out to all the skaters to raise their decks to the sky. A highlight of the RZA and GZA show was undoubtedly when two of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s kids took to the stage to perform Shimmy Shimmy Ya in a tribute to their late father!

Metric capped an incredible Sunday afternoon of live music that featured Canadian new-wave rockers Dragonette and Brooklyn, NY indie rockers We Are Scientists playing their only Canadian date of the summer. Metric didn’t disappoint their hometown fans playing an inspired performance that included favourites Live It Out, Poster Girl and as an encore Monster Hospital!

Wakestock’s famed music and party program was elevated by Monster Energy this year. Monster threw down for two swank pro athlete receptions featuring killer DJs Matt The Alien and Vinyl Ritchie, the Monster Girls, Monster boat shuttles and limos and plenty of flow with food and drinks.

Add to that three Bud Light After-Parties, plus the Bud Light Bikini Contest, and it was all-time on the party front at Wakestock this year. The highlight party, Wakestock’s annual Bud Light Boarder’s Bash went down at Toronto’s biggest nightclub, the Sound Academy conveniently located on Toronto Harbour allowing access by boat for a number of party-goers. Entertainment featured two of the Canada’s biggest DJs, K-os and Lil’ Jazz, plus an exclusive acoustic performance by Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music, the Bud Light Bikini Re-Wind, and Canada’s biggest outdoor party patio.

Other Wakestock highlights included skate demos and autograph sessions by the Zoo York Skate Team and the Globe International Skate Team including Chris Haslam and Paul Machnau at the RGX skatepark and Milk Mini-Ramp; as well as the Schick Xtreme 3 Freestyle Moto-x, Canada’s largest freestyle moto-x showcase.

For amateur athletes, Wakestock featured the Malibu Amateur Wakeboard Championship, Canada’s biggest am event presented by Billabong, Gordon Bay and Paris Marine; and the Island The Ams Skateboard Contest also one of Canada’s biggest, presented by Milk, RGX, Eye Weekly and SBC Skateboard Magazine. Ams also enjoyed autograph sessions throughout the weekend from the Billabong Pro Wake Team, Oakley Pro Wake Team and Liquid Force Pro Wake Team.

Wakestock will be broadcast nationally in Canada in a one hour Much Music special next month. Stayed tuned to www.wakestock.com for exact times.

For photos and video footage of Wakestock wakeboarding, skateboarding, fmx, bikini contest, live bands and nightly parties check www.sbcwakeboard.com and www.wakestock.com. Media Inquiries: media@wakestock.com

Wakestock is presented by Bud Light and TELUS; in association with Monster Energy, Billabong, Oakley, Malibu Boats, Right Guard Xtreme (RGX), Milk (Dairy Farmers of Canada), PlayStation, Schick Xtreme 3, Yamaha, Gordon Bay Marine, and Paris Marine in partnership with Much Music, 102.1 the Edge, Eye Weekly, The Score, Live Nation, SBC Skateboard Magazine and SBC Wakeboard Magazine.

For all WakeStock Results, please visit www.wakestock.com

Wakestock™ is owned and produced by SBC Events Inc, an independent Canadian production company specializing in action sport & youth lifestyle marketing, in association with SBC Media Inc., publisher of leading action sports magazines SBC Skateboard, SBC Wakeboard, Snowboard Canada, SBC Surf, SBC Skier, Snowboard Women’s Annual, SBC Ski & Snowboard Resort Guide, SBC Kiteboard, Windsport, SBC Action Sports Business magazines. “Wakestock™”, "Wakestock Festival™” and “Wakestock Action Sports & Music Festival™” are trademarks of SBC Media Inc. in Canada, the United States and/or other countries.