Colorado River News

Pro Wakeboard Tour
Bonifay is Top Rider of 2004
Watkins Best in Irvine with First Win

Irvine, CA (July 18, 2004) -- The final day of competition on the 2004 MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec engines was anything but ordinary. On Sunday, fans at Irvine Lake were treated to some next-level riding with the Pro Tour's top competitors laying everything out on the table in a last chance try for a victory in 2004.

At the end of the day, two men stood above the rest of the field with Parks Bonifay (Orlando, FL) laying claim to a second consecutive Pro Wakeboard Tour Season Championship and the $5,000 Indmar Performance Award that goes with it courtesy of Indmar Marine Engines.

While the season belonged to Bonifay as the most consistent rider, the day belonged to Daniel Watkins (Melbourne, Australia); the Australian claimed his first-ever Pro Wakeboard Tour victory on Sunday. To earn that victory, Watkins had to take the best the world of pro wakeboarding has to offer.

The day was marked by great performances. The double up alone set this event apart from other events. Watkins used his double up to land a double back flip, a move few other riders have in their bag of tricks. It was barely enough to keep Watkins just ahead of Trevor Hansen (Groveland, FL) who took second place on the day. Hansen's double up was the seldom seen backside blind 720.

Bonifay, who finished third on the day landed the double half cab in his double up. Danny Harf (Orlando, FL), the rider who occupied second place in the Indmar Pro Tour season standings entering this last event of the season landed a 900 in his double up to finish fourth on the day.

The placing for Bonifay and Harf were crucial to the overall standings because Bonifay had to finish within four places of Harf to keep his lead in the Indmar Pro Wakeboard Tour standings and take home the Pro Tour Title.

Some interesting facts came out of Sunday's competition. Watkins is the first Australian to ever win a Pro Wakeboard Tour event in the Tour's history. Watkins is the fifth different winner in five Pro Wakeboard Tour events in 2004. He is also the third first-time winner on the season, joining JD Webb (Kelowna) and Phillip Soven (Reno) as first-time winners in 2004.

In the MasterCraft Junior X Series, Scott Hopkins took home the title in Irvine, his second win of 2004 in the Junior X Series. Hopkins also won the event in Ft. Worth in May.

While Hopkins took home the top spot on the day, Canadian Kevin Henshaw took top honors in the Indmar Junior X season standings and is the Junior X Champion for 2004. Henshaw finished in second-place on the day with victories in Orlando, Reno to go along with his finish in Irvine.

Nick Jones finished third on the day, just ahead of Brett Lee whose fourth-place finish put him in third-place in the season standings.

In the SeaDoo watercraft Pro Wakeskate Series Phillip Basino took home double honors with a win in the event and the SeaDoo watercraft Season Championship. Aaron Reed and Brandon Thomas finished second and third respectively in the event. In the season standings Danny Hampson and Thomas Horrell took second and third respectively for 2004.

The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, presented by Chevrolet and GM Vortec Engines, is a five-event circuit organized by World Sports & Marketing of Orlando, Florida. Powered by Indmar Marine Engines, the Pro Tour has the support of the following: SeaDoo watercraft, Perfect Pass, Hyperlite, Toyo Tires, KMC Wheels, Verizon Wireless, Liquid Force, Gator Boards, CWB, Jobe, Double-up, Blindside, JoyRide, O'Brien, Cassette Wakeskates, 484 Wakeskates, Billabong, Reef, Body Glove, UGP, Epiphone Guitars, OJ Props, Chipper Beef Jerky, Bare Wetsuits, buywake.com, Love Sac, Capix Helmets, Indo Boards, Straight Line, Nevin, ten-80, Execute, Wakeworld.com, Wakeboarder.com, Monster Towers, Say I Won't and One Percent Design.

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