Colorado River News

Australians Sanders and Watkins Lead KING OF WAKE

Orlando, FL -- Following the Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin on August 28 Australians Josh Sanders and Daniel Watkins now sit tied for the top spot in the KING OF WAKE wakeboard world rankings. Both Sanders and Watkins have 595 points to share the World’s NO. 1 Ranking.

Sanders has held on to the NO. 1 ranking in the KING OF WAKE standings since the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour stop in Reno, Nevada on June 5. Heading into the National Championships Sanders held a 20 point lead over Watkins. But, Watkins closed the gap by finishing in fifth place at the Nationals while Sanders finished in ninth.

Still within striking distance for the KING OF WAKE title are two Americans, Phillip Soven (560 points) and Danny Harf (554) who are in third and fourth place respectively. Harf has been on a tear of late, winning the last three KING OF WAKE events in a row including the Pro Tour finale in Portland, the X Games and the National Championships. Soven has been right on Harf’s heels, finishing second to Harf at the X Games and Nationals.

Another Australian, Brett Eisenhauer holds down fifth place with 540 points. American Erik Ruck is in sixth place with 461 points. Andrew Adkison, the 2004 WWA Wakeboard World Champion is in seventh place with 435 points. The top Canadian on the list is Rusty Malinoski (425) who finished in third place at the U.S. Nationals. Rounding out the top 10 are Americans Tino Santori (420) and Parks Bonifay (360) the defending World Cup Champion.

The quest for the best in professional wakeboarding takes on a whole new meaning in 2005 with the expansion of the Wakeboard World Cup title, to create a $10,000 winner take all prize, the KING OF WAKE award that will be given to the top professional rider in the world. World Sports & Marketing created the prestigious Wakeboard World Cup standings list eight years ago, but 2005 marks the first year for the $10,000 KING OF WAKE award.

Future events in the KING OF WAKE Wakeboard World Cup and the NO. 1 position:
Air Nautique Pan American Championships in Orlando, Florida September 22-25
2005 Tige U.S. Pro-Am Wakeboard Championship in Marathon, Florida Keys October 21-23

2005 Men's KING OF WAKE Standings as of 8/28/05
1 Daniel Watkins 595
1 Josh Sanders 595
3 Phillip Soven 560
4 Danny Harf 554
5 Brett Eisenhauer 540
6 Erik Ruck 461
7 Andrew Adkison 435
8 Rusty Malinoski 425
9 Tino Santori 420
10 Parks Bonifay 360
11 Chad Sharpe 310
12 Trevor Hansen 282
13 JD Webb 279
14 Gabe Lucas 241
15 Keith Lidberg 208
16 Jeff Weatherall 207
17 Brian Francis 193
18 Keith Lyman 185
19 Dean Smith 184
20 Jonathan Nadolski 172