Toronto, Ontario, Canada (August 27, 2017) – The remaining final rounds of Amateur competition concluded Saturday along with the Pro Women’s Final and Pro Men’s Quarterfinals at the 2017 Nautique WWA Wakeboard World Championships presented by Rockstar Energy. The CNE Waterfront provided perfect conditions once again as the world’s best riders amazed the crowd during every heat. The award-winning Super Air Nautique G23 transformed its wakes to perfection for each division, giving riders the ability to perform at the top of their game. Nautique athlete Meagan Ethell put down one of the best runs of her career to win her third World title. Nautique’s Raimi Rutledge finished second to stay on top of the rankings, taking home her second consecutive Nautique Wake Series Overall title.
“Nautique Wake Series events are the best in the world behind the best boat in the world. The riding has just been insane from all the girls and the rankings have been super close all year. I’m beyond excited to take home the Nautique Wake Series title and look forward to another amazing season in 2018!” said Nautique athlete and 2017 Nautique Wake Series Champion Raimi Merritt.
Adaptive Standing rider Jesse Deemer (USA) landed a backroll and a tantrum to become the 2017 World Champion with a score of 90.00. The Adaptive Sitboarding Final saw Rex Hawthorne (CDN) take the win, going huge off the Super Air Nautique G23 wake to score 87.67. Phil Kerr (CDN) had an outstanding run, mixing it up with some tweaked out grabs to take the podium in second place with 82.33.
“This year’s World Championships meant more than ever to me, getting to propose to my girlfriend with everyone here on the dock yesterday and landing my run to take the title! said Adaptive Standing 2017 Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Champion Jesse Deemer. “Competing behind the Super Air Nautique G23 is amazing and I can’t wait for next season. Thank you to Nautique, Rockstar, and the WWA for everything you do for our sport.”
Taking the top spot in heat one of the Pro Wakeskate Semifinals, Austin Polterock (USA) scored 84.33 landing a big B/S 360 and cab big spin. Placing second, Reed Hansen (USA) threw down a big indy shove for 80.33. Brian Grubb (USA) came in third, keeping it super clean moving into Sunday’s final with a stomped H/S shove off the wake.
Thomas Pazerunas (USA) won the Masters title with two stand up passes in a run that earned him 88.00 landing a KGB and big 720. The amazing Adam Fields placed second with a score of 83.33 and Nick Cankar (USA) rounded out the podium in third scoring 70.00.
The Jr. Pro Men are always on fire behind the industry-leading Super Air Nautique G23 and Saturday’s semifinal rounds saw some of the season’s best performances. Patricio Gonzales (MEX) stomped a 720, crow 540, and huge double backroll for the win in heat one to score 86.67 followed by Luca Kidd (GBR) who will advance on with 82.33. Heat two went to Tyler Higham (USA) who showed some west coast style with a mute cab 900, tantrum-to-blind, and double half cab roll scoring 89.67 just ahead of Kai Ditsch (USA) with 74.67. Elliot Digney (AUS) took down heat three to score 68.00 followed by Tyler Worrall (USA) in second with 56.00. Guenther Oka (USA) is coming for it out of heat four taking the win with style, landing two 720’s, a 900 and a mute mobe. Ulf Ditsch (ARG) scored 66.33 for second in heat four heading into the final.
The Pro Men’s Quarterfinal heats stacked up to force everyone to throw caution out the window. Riders had to remain near flawless to make the cut with the top two in each heat advancing on to the Semifinal round. In heat one, Nautique athlete Dean Smith (AUS) scored 85.67, throwing a wrapped indy 540 and a HUGE cab mute 360 to bolts. Taking the top spot in heat two, Parker Siegele (AUS) hit back-to-back 720’s, a moby dick 540 and a 900 to score 84.67. Shota Tezuka (JPN) won heat three with 85.67, going massive on a T/S 900, H/S 720 and crow 540. In heat four, Nautique rider Mike Dowdy (USA) is looking to take his first World title, winning the heat with a H/S double roll and KGB 540 to score 89.67.
Nautique athlete Noah Flegel (USA) is on a mission this weekend, winning heat five with a stand-up run that included a moby dick 540, crow 540, and an indy B/S 540 for 88.00. Cory Teunissen (AUS) went for broke to win heat six, earning 92.33 points throwing a massive KGB, two 900’s, B/S 720 and a front mobe 540. Heat seven went to Nic Rapa (AUS) with 83.33 points, landing two 720’s, an indy moby dick and a mute crow 540. Rounding out the division in heat eight, Harley Clifford (AUS) took the win with a flawless run that included two doubles, a slim 540 and a melon T/S 900.
Nautique rider Meagan Ethell (USA) was absolutely amazing in the Pro Women’s Final, taking the win with a run that couldn’t be touched, scoring 92.67. Her first pass consisted of two 540’s and a whirlybird before coming back on pass two with a KGB, moby dick, and melon 360, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that she had just won the title. In second Nautique athlete Raimi Rutledge (USA), scored 83.33 with a wrapped KGB and two 540’s. Rounding the podium in a very close third, Nicola Butler (USA) threw a roll-to-blind, and a moby dick for a score of 83.00.
“It has been a dream come true to come back this year and win both the National and World titles. The Super Air Nautique G23 is the best boat in the world and everyone’s riding this week proves it. All of the hard work on and off the water paid off and I can’t thank everyone who supported me enough,” said Team Nautique athlete and 2017 Wakeboard World Champion Meagan Ethell.
CLICK HERE to download results from day three of the Nautique WWA Wakeboard World Championships.
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About Nautique Boat Company: Celebrating 92 years of excellence in the marine industry, Nautique is a subsidiary of Correct Craft and has been on the waters of the world with a passion for innovation since 1925. Nautique is known to push the envelope of possibility on the water, and our owners have come to expect nothing but the absolute best. The Ski Nautique 200 has changed waterskiing with 25 world records, the G-Series has won numerous awards for wakeboard boat and wakesurf boat of the year while unlocking new possibilities in wakeboarding and wakesurfing, and our Sport Series has given families endless days on the water without compromise. Through our Nautique Cares initiatives, we’re dedicated to not only making a difference on the water, but to people in need around the world. The world’s best ski boat, world’s best wake boat, and a company that cares. To learn more visit Nautique.com.
About Rockstar: Rockstar Energy Drink is designed for those who lead active lifestyles – from Athletes to Rockstars. Available in over 25 flavors at convenience and grocery outlets in over 30 countries, Rockstar supports the Rockstar lifestyle across the globe through Action Sports, Motor Sports, and Live Music. For more information, visit: RockstarEnergy.com/
About The WWA: Developed for riders by riders, the World Wake Association stands as a global network of passionate representatives dedicated to the growth of towed boardsports. Since 1989 our mission and values remain true to the core of our community. Our position as the authority on competitive standards has been earned through consistent development; sanctioning and producing more than 6,000 worldwide events and counting. We are the only organization solely focused on the best interests of the sport, spearheading a collective movement on the journey to discover where wake takes you. The WWA owns and operates the WWA Wakeboard World Series, WWA Wake Park World Series, WWA Wakeboard National Championships, WWA Wake Park National Championships, WWA Wakeboard World Championships, WWA Wake Park World Championships, WWA Wake Park Triple Crown, WWA Pro Card and WWA Rider Experience. For more information on the World Wake Association, check out TheWWA.com.
