Fans packed the shores of Texas MasterCraft today for the final rounds of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour stop in Fort Worth, Tex. Riders in the Pro Men, Women and Jr. Pro Men divisions, threwdown their best runs of the contest to try to win the first Tour stop of the 2009 season.

The one reoccurring theme throughout this weekend’s contest in the Pro Men’s division was upsets created by rookie riders, and today was no different. Harley Clifford of Thornlands, Australia, shocked everyone in Fort Worth today, when the 15-year-old rookie was called to the top of the Pro Men’s podium. Clifford, posting a 94.75 in his final run, beat out Olivier Derome, Aaron Rathy and two-time wakeboard world champion, Andrew Adkison for the top spot.

“I’m just stoked… there are no other words,” said Clifford. “Making it to the Finals was huge for me, but winning my first U.S. Pro Tour stop is just unreal.”

As unreal as it may seem to Clifford, the rookie rider now sits at the top of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour standings list, making him the top-seeded rider in the next contest.

Incidentally, another rookie rider, England’s Nick Davies, claimed the ROCKSTAR Best Trick Award with his massive Toe-9 off of the U.S. Air Force kicker. The Award is a $1,000 cash prize.

Continuing her success from 2008, England’s Nicola Butler took first-place today in the Pro Women’s division Finals. Butler, 17, who captured the win in Fort Worth last year, faced off in a stacked six-woman Final. Former wakeboard world champ Amber Wing and four-time X Games gold medalist Dallas Friday rounded out the women’s podium, respectively.

The top amateur riders in the Jr. Pro Men’s division hit the water today for their four-man Final. The heat was tight between most of the riders, but Bob Soven (Longwood, Fla.) stood out from the competition to take the first Tour stop win of the season with nearly a 15-point differential from his next closest competitor. Phillip Alsinger, Mitch Langfield and Steel Lafferty rounded the Final, respectively. 

The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour will make its next stop of the season in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., on June 19-21.

For results, standings, photos, videos, athlete bios and more, visit www.allisports.com.



SUNDAY, MAY 31 – PWT FINAL RESULTS:

Pro Men: Finals – Heat 1
1. Harley Clifford              AUS        94.75
2. Aaron Rathy                   CDN        89.50
3. Andrew Adkison           USA        79.25
4. Olivier Derome               CDN        76.50

Pro Women: Finals – Heat 1
1. Nicola Butler                 UK           98.50
2. Amber Wing                   AUS        84.75
3. Dallas Friday                  USA        79.00
4. Raimi Merritt                   USA        72.25
5. Meagan Ethell                USA        60.50
6. Raequel Hoffman           USA        55.00

Jr. Pro Men: Finals – Heat 1
1. Bob Soven                       USA        96.50
2. Phillip Aslinger              USA        81.75
3. Mitch Langfield             AUS        81.50
4. Steel Lafferty                  USA        80.25

Pro Men: Semifinals – Heat 1
1. Andrew Adkison           USA        89.75
2. Olivier Derome             CDN        82.75
3. Adam Errington             SCT         79.75
4. Nick Davies                    GBR         75.00
5. Rusty Malinoski            CDN        72.75

Pro Men: Semifinals – Heat 2
1. Harley Clifford              AUS        90.25
2. Aaron Rathy                  CDN        89.25
3. Phillip Soven                  USA        86.00
4. Kyle Alberts                   USA        68.75
5. Austin Hair                     USA        65.75

Jr. Pro Men: Semifinals – Heat 1
1. Steel Lafferty                USA        90.00
2. Phillip Aslinger            USA        88.50
3. Jarrod Askew                 AUS        84.50
4. Danny Burnstein           USA        73.25
5. Johnny Tobaben           USA        63.75

Jr. Pro Men: Semifinals – Heat 2
1. Bob Soven                       USA        93.75
2. Mitch Langfield            AUS        92.75
3. Raphael Derome             CDN        83.50
4. Daniel Powers                USA        70.00
5. Pierce Homsey               USA        46.50

Pro Men: Quarterfinals – Heat 1
1. Aaron Rathy                  CDN        98.00
2. Olivier Derome             CDN        88.25
3. Dean Smith                     AUS        81.75
4. Danny Thollander         USA        72.00

Pro Men: Quarterfinals – Heat 2
1. Andrew Adkison           USA        96.00
2. Austin Hair                    USA        86.25
3. Danny Harf                     USA        83.25
4. Bryan Hutton                 USA        74.50

Pro Men: Quarterfinals – Heat 3
1. Adam Errington            SCT        97.75
2. Kyle Alberts                  USA        86.50
3. Josh Palma                      USA        82.75
4. Dylan Miller                    CDN        53.75

Pro Men: Quarterfinals – Heat 4
1. Harley Clifford              AUS        94.25
2. Rusty Malinoski           CDN        89.00
3. Trevor Hansen               USA        86.75
4. Jimmy LaRiche               USA        70.00

Pro Men: Quarterfinals – Heat 5
1. Phillip Soven                 USA        96.25
2. Nick Davies                   GBR        87.00
3. Tino Santori                    USA        82.75
4. Kirby Liesmann              USA        74.00


Via Press Release ...