Pros Hit the Water at Wakeboard World Championships

The waters of the Orlando Watersports Complex served as the world stage today for the top pro wake athletes on the planet, as the 2009 ROCKSTAR WWA Wakeboard World Championships, presented by Supra hosted its third day of action in Orlando, Fla.

The 2009 Worlds, which kicked off Thursday and runs through Sunday, August 30, is a four-day-long event featuring pro and amateur wakeboarders and wakeskaters from throughout the globe, vying for world titles in 20 different divisions, separated by age and skill level.

Orlando’s own Dallas Friday is looking to make waves this weekend on her hometown water and win her first world title since 2006. Friday is the top-seeded rider in the contest and paced her heat today in the Pro Women’s division semifinals, with the highest score of the day 94.50. Should Friday take first place in tomorrow’s six-woman final, she will claim her fourth world title.

The Pro Men’s division took to the water today for their qualifying rounds, where 40 riders battled it out in ten heats of four, with only the top two riders in each heat advancing on to tomorrow’s quarterfinals. Among the 20 quarterfinalists is 15-year-old Australian rookie phenom Harley Clifford, who posted a perfect score of 100 points during his run today.

The Pro Wakeskate division hit the water today for their semifinal round, with Groveland, Fla. native Reed Hansen posting the high score of the day with 70.00 points to pace his heat. Hansen will be joined by Brandon Thomas, Brian Grubb, Stuart Shinn and Canadian shredder James Balzer in tomorrow’s finals. Should Hansen top the competition in the finals, he will claim his third consecutive world title, the most won by any pro wakeskater.

The event will wrap-up tomorrow, Sunday, August 30, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In addition to all the action of the water, on land, fans will experience tons of great music and food, athlete autograph signings, chances to win freebies, and shopping at the most cutting-edge stores offering water-sports equipment, including boats, wakeboards, wakeskates, sunglasses and the latest in wakeboarding and surfing fashions.