Mountain Dew WWA Wakeboard National Championships Make Waves In Orlando

Orlando, FL - Wakeboarders from all age groups, some hoping to be future pros, others out to prove themselves next to their peers, kicked off the first two days of the Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding Mountain Dew WWA Wakeboard National Championship at Orlando Watersports Complex.

The competition, beginning on Wednesday with amateur qualifying, allows wakeboarders from across the country to test out their game in one of the largest events of the year. It also provides competitors with an opportunity to ride behind one of the top wakeboarding boats in the world, the 2002 Team Edition Super Air Nautique.

Riders out to take home the title of National Champion run the gambit from six year old Conner Elward, competing in the Junior Boys division, to 39 year old, Pat McElhinney who qualified for the Masters Finals.

Some riders like Robert "Tadpole" Soven hope to use the Nationals as a proving ground for a jump to the next level. For most that would be the Boys division, one step up from the Jr. Boys division, in which Soven is the reigning World and National Champion.

But Soven, who hails from Longwood, FL, has even bigger dreams. He would like to follow in the footsteps of his older bother, Philip "Froggy" Soven who made the jump to the professional ranks this season at the age of 12.

Froggy Soven is the youngest professional to complete a full season of wakeboarding, following in the footsteps of top pros like Shane and Parks Bonifay, who turned pro at 14 and 15 respectively.

Some of Tadpole Soven's future competitors were tearing up the lake on Wednesday in the other seven divisions. Brian Francis, who owns and operates a wakeboarding school in Lake Havasu City, AZ, hopes that participating in the Open Men's competition will prepare him for a jump to the pro ranks in 2002.

"I was a little nervous out there today," said Francis, who finished third in the second heat of the Open Men's Semifinals. "But I think that with this competition and the World's in September, I should be ready to go pro full time in 2002."

For other competitors, the Mountain Dew WWA Wakeboarding National Championships are more than a stepping stone. The National Championships embody the top athletes in each division of wakeboarding, and provide a chance for riders who have day jobs to still compete on the national level.

Competitors like Jeff Barton, the Editor of WakeBoarding Magazine, can practice what they preach. Barton earned a spot in the Masters Finals by finishing second in his qualifying heat on Wednesday.

Wednesday's Results

Masters Semifinals (top four in each heat advance to finals)

Heat # 1
1. Jeff Crouch (SC) - 52.00
2. "J B" Jeff Barton (FL) - 46.11
3. Robert Moore (AR) - 43.78
4. Dave Briscoe (FL) - 40.33
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5. Ned Johnson (FL) - 30.33
6. Patrick Knutson (TX) - 21.78
7. Tommy Fambrough (TX)
8. C J Kelly (MA)

Heat # 2
1. Anthony Armstrong (AL) - 56.11
2. Mark Roberts (FL) - 54.44
3. Pat McElhinney (TX) - 53.89
4. Billy Garcia (TX) - 52.89
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5. Scott Harwood (FL) - 37.67
6. Todd Carrick (NC) - 31.67
7. Seth Olsen (FL) - 29.11
8. Bill Doster (FL) - 27.00
9. Victor Quintial (CAN)

Jr Women Semifinals (top three advance to finals)
1. Megan McNeil (WA) - 40.33
2. Marie Poteete (IL) - 39.56
3. Kimberly Cummings (FL) - 16.50
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4. Emily Young (FL) - 16.22

Amatuer Women Semifinals (top three advance to finals)
1. Tiffany Landry (MS) - 39.78
2. Tristan Seley (FL) - 30.00
3. DanaStarr Cubic (CA) - 29.89
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4. Hillary Levet (OR) - 18.22
5. Jeanne Whittington (TX) - 16.00

Jr Boys Semifinals (top four advance to finals)
1. Tadpole Soven (FL) - 56.89
2. Robert Southworth (LA) - 40.56
3. Casey Dorner (FL) - 35.44
4. Conner Elward (CA) - 20.00

Open Men Semifinals (top four in each heat advance to finals)

Heat # 1
1. Tim Clinton (FL) - 59.00
2. Austin Langston (NC) - 48.22
3. Matthew Gudeman (IN) - 44.22
4. Brad Holland (NC) - 41.44
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5. Juan Carreon (CA) - 39.00
6. Paul Sonnen (TX) - 38.22
7. Michael Fulton (AZ) - 36.11

Heat # 2
1. Kristopher Northrup (FL) - 53.44
2. Brandon King (NC) - 50.44
3. Brian Francis (AZ) - 50.00
4. Nick Ennen (WA) - 48.67
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5. Kevin Rohan (FL) - 34.78
6. Travis Engel (TX) - 25.89
7. Justin Mastrud (WA) - 23.78
8. Brad Hellerich (FL) - NS

Men II Semifinals (top four in each heat advance to finals)

Heat # 1
1. Geno Yauchler (FL) - 51.67
2. Damien Klaas (CA) - 50.44
3. Bradley Ward (TX) - 43.67
4. Michael Hook (KY) - 41.78
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5. Kevin Michael (FL) - 40.67
6. Brett Brinkerhoff (AZ) - 38.89

Heat # 2
1. Kurt Robertson (FL) - 61.33
2. Dayle Cartwright (FL) - 53.78
3. Rick Knott (ID) - 52.22
4. Bill Boston (MI) - 49.78
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5. Brent Anderson (MN) - 29.22
6. Scott Hareland (TX) - 27.44

Men I Quarterfinals (top four in each heat advance to semifinals)

Heat # 1
1. Chris Laske (MI) - 58.33
2. Brad Federspiel (FL) - 54.00
3. Nyker Sheldon (TN) - 53.11
4. Brian McBride Jr - 53.00
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5. Brian Davis (FL) - 52.11
6. Eric Williams (FL) - 48.44
7. Joe Budde (OH) - 47.44
8. Brandon Sizemore (TN) - 47.00
9. Adam Fields (NC) - 44.78
10. Nick Binkoski - NS
11. Brendan Findlay (TX) - NS

Heat # 2
1. Josh Sarkela (SC) - 60.78
2. Donald Shelbrick - 58.44
3. Eric Miller (PA) - 58.42
4. Evans MacDowell (FL) - 58.33
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5. Jeremy Baker (AR) - 57.44
6. Chris Martin (FL) - 56.44
7. Justin DeVos (AR) - 51.89
8. Dave Burstiner (CT) - 51.11
9. Ian Kirk (CA) - 48.11
10. Scott Starkweather (CA) - 43.00

Heat # 3
1. Brent Starr (WA) - 64.00
2. Spencer Smith (OH) - 58.44
3. Sam Wideman (UT) - 57.11
4. Matt Hickman (OR) - 53.11
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5. Robbie Kurzon (FL) - 51.44
6. Timothy Olson (MN) - 51.33
7. Bryan Born (WI) - 48.44
8. Mike McMillen (CA) - 40.89
9. Cody Ramsey - NS
10. Adam Shomer-Zook (CA) - NS