BY July 11, 2008 14:07
Malibu Boats Pro Men’s, Women’s Expression Session & Athlete Profiles
The Pro Expression Session is the main event at Wakestock. It is part of the World Wakeboarding Association (WWA) World Series, a five-stop global wakeboard tour featuring the top wake athletes in the world. Forty of the best pro men and 15 of the best pro women wakeboarders, from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand will compete for the Wakestock titles and valuable points in the chase for the WWA World Series overall. The Expression Session is comprised of wakeboarders performing jump trick s off of the wake of Wakestock’s official towboat, the Malibu VLX , as well sliding over obstacles, or “rails”, that are built into the water course close to the shore.
This year a new scoring system will be unveiled at Wakestock comprised of five different categories with a separate judge assigned to score each respectively. The categories are technical tricks (inverts, flips, rolls or mobius tricks - any inverted move combined with a 360 degree rotation); spins (360 degree rotations or greater), straight airs (jumps with less than 180 degree of rotation and non-inverted); rail slides; and overall impression (amplitude intensity, grabs, execution and style). The scores of the five judges are combined for the rider’s final score. This new format allows for a greater diversity of tricks to be performed in a rider’s run and places a higher emphasis on style than previous judging formats. To break it down in simple terms, this year’s Expression Session is going to showcase even more amazing riding from the top wakeboarders in the world.
Malibu Boats Pro Men’s, Women’s Expression Session & Athlete Profiles
The Pro Expression Session is the main event at Wakestock. It is part of the World Wakeboarding Association (WWA) World Series, a five-stop global wakeboard tour featuring the top wake athletes in the world. Forty of the best pro men and 15 of the best pro women wakeboarders, from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand will compete for the Wakestock titles and valuable points in the chase for the WWA World Series overall. The Expression Session is comprised of wakeboarders performing jump tricks off of the wake of Wakestock’s official towboat, the Malibu VLX , as well sliding over obstacles, or “rails”, that are built into the water course close to the shore.
This year a new scoring system will be unveiled at Wakestock comprised of five different categories with a separate judge assigned to score each respectively. The categories are technical tricks (inverts, flips, rolls or mobius tricks - any inverted move combined with a 360 degree rotation); spins (360 degree rotations or greater), straight airs (jumps with less than 180 degree of rotation and non-inverted); rail slides; and overall impression (amplitude intensity, grabs, execution and style). The scores of the five judges are combined for the rider’s final score. This new format allows for a greater diversity of tricks to be performed in a rider’s run and places a higher emphasis on style than previous judging formats. To break it down in simple terms, this year’s Expression Session is going to showcase even more amazing riding from the top wakeboarders in the world.
Billabong Pro Men’s Railslide & Athlete Profiles
Wondering what a wakeboarding railslide contest looks like? Think of a snowboard park or a skateboard park on steroids on the water. Riders are towed behind the Malibu VLX and slide over the rails. Pretty straightforward, right?
The Wakestock Billabong Pro Railslide is one of the most prestigious rail contests in the world. What makes Wakestock’s rail contest unique is the fact that the rails are custom built specially for this event only, which in turn attracts all of the best wakeboard rail riders in the world. The rails are designed and built by the world’s leading rail guru, Patrick Panakos from aBox Productions and the Projects Wakeboard and Wakeskate Camp just outside of Orlando, Florida.
Riders are judged on the difficulty of their tricks as well as variety and overall composition. For a rider to win the Billabong Pro Rail at Wakestock he’ll have to not only stay on the rails, but he will also have to throw down a variety of technical slides.
Wakestock’s railslide event is a highlight for the massive crowds. The rails are only 25 feet from the shoreline making it the closest on-water action you’re going to see the entire weekend. Be prepared for amazing riding as well as some spectacular crashes.
Billabong Pro Men’s Wakeskate & Athlete profiles
What is wakeskating you ask? Wakeskating is to wakeboarding as what skateboarding is to snowboarding. Wakeskates are considerably smaller than wakeboards and there are no bindings to keep you attached to the board; just gravity. Wakeskaters wear skateboard or wakeskate-specific shoes and the top decks of the board either have skateboard-style grip tape or EVA foam for traction.
Wakeskating has become one of the fastest growing watersports during the past few years and the progression level of the top riders has been skyrocketing. Because wakeskaters aren’t attached to the board they can both jump off the wake of the towboat, as well as flip or spin the board with their feet similar to many skateboarding tricks. While wakeskating may not have the high-flying maneuvers of it’s wakeboarding counterpart, it’s a much more technical sport.
Wakestock played host to the first pro wakeskating contest in 1999 and today the best riders from around the world come to compete in Wakestock’s prestigious Billabong Pro Wakeskate title. Look for riders to throw down numerous grabs,180’s and 360’s behind the boat and mix it up with some technical railslides.
Oakley Pro Wakeskate Pool Jam & Athlete profiles
The Oakley Wakeskate Pool Jam is the most unique and progressive event at Wakestock because it’s the only one that takes place both on the land and on the water. Pool jams have become a popular part of the sport and Wakestock has played a major role in pioneering their direction over the last several years. Taking influence directly from skateboarding, pool jams were started by wakeskaters and then the wakeboarders wanted in on the fun. In a effort to take wakeskating back to its roots and reflect it’s phenomenal growth, the pool jam is designed specifically for wakeskaters this year for the first time.
For those who have never witnessed a pool jam the concept is pretty simple; think skateboard park on water. Riders will begin on a starting platform on shore, and then pulled through an above ground pool. At the end of the pool is a staircase featuring four different handrails. The wakeskaters will have to jump, or “ollie” out of the pool and slide across one of the four rails landing in Long Pond. The pool jam is always a crowd favourite because of how close spectators can get to the action, just 5-10 feet away from the spray.
The Oakley Wakeskate Pool Jam at Wakestock has been the benchmark pool event by which all other pool events are measured around the world. The Oakley Pool Jam has been shifted to the heart of the Wakestock site, located next to the beer garden, which typically boasts the biggest and most raucous crowds. Will debut a new portable cable system, that will pull the riders out of the pool, across Long Pond and back again. Designed by Sesitec Systems out of Germany, the System 2.0 cable will ensure rapid fire action on the Oakley Pool throughout the weekend. Don’t miss this event!
