Date: 4/28/01
Author: WS&M Press Release

Related Items:
Pensacola Triple Crown - Friday's Results
Pensacola Triple Crown - Sunday's Results

Pensacola, FL -The Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding(tm), kicked into high gear on Saturday at Pensacola's Bayview Park with the Ford Ranger Wakeboarding Pro. The world's top wakeboarders fought for positions in Sunday's final rounds with $50,000 on the line.

The event provides the most diverse days of wakeboarding with competition taking place in amateur as well as professional divisions. Of the nearly 100 riders who competed on Saturday, the outcome of the last rider's run was the most significant.

Shaun Murray, defending Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding Champion, failed to qualify for the finals on Sunday. Murray, who has had a disappointing season, also missing a qualifying opportunity at the Norelco Open, leaves a big opening in the competition.

It is difficult to pick a favorite in the competition with Murray out of the picture. The riding on Saturday was very good, one of the reasons why Murray is making an early exit. Certainly, Darin Shapiro must be given consideration. Shapiro is on a roll, winning both of the first two Pro Tour events in the 2001 season.

But, with a lot of riding to come on Sunday, the event is up for grabs. One rider to watch will be Parks Bonifay, who has a strong local following in Pensacola. His riding electrified the crowds on Saturday, and he may be primed for a major championship.

From the time the first women's professional left the dock it was evident that the Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding would bring out the best in the field. One of the largest women's fields of the season attempted to qualify for eight spots in the finals.

Top honors again went to Dallas Friday. Her intensity and fearless performance electrified the crowd and her fellow competitors as both cheered Friday on while she lifted her performance to the next level. For her efforts, Friday will earn the top spot in Sunday's finals, and secure the last position off the dock. Friday qualifying score was 67.56, putting a lot of distance between herself and the rest of the field.

Friday will be joined in the finals by a cast of professional wakeboarding's best who will be gunning for the Ford Ranger Wakeboarding Pro title. Emily Copeland, who is the defending champion of the event, finished second behind Friday in Heat #1 with a 55.67. Heat #2 went to Marie Botved Studd who has been hot on Friday's heels throughout 2001. Defending Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding Champion, Maeghan Major, came in second in the heat with a 49.33.

The Vans Triple Crown of Wakeboarding is made possible through the proud support of Vans, Mountain Dew, Ford Ranger, Right Guard Xtreme Sport, PlayStation, Rolling Stone, NBC Sports, G-Shock, Fox Sports Net, Wake Boarding Magazine and the World Wakeboarding Association. For more information on Vans and the Vans Triple Crown (tm) Series, please visit www.vans.com.

Saturday's Results

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

Heat # 1
1. Parks Bonifay (FL) - 65.11
2. Erik Ruck (WI) - 63.56
3. Shawn Watson (FL) - 61.11
4. Josh Sanders (AUS) - 58.44
5. Froggy Soven (FL) - 48.78
6. Chad Sharpe (CAN) - 48.67
7. Bryan Kennedy (FL) - 44.44
8. Gregg Necrason (FL) - 42.56
9. Trevor Hansen (FL) - 39.78

Heat # 2
1. Darin Shapiro (USA) - 66.40
2. Shane Bonifay (FL) - 62.89
3. Chris Law (FL) - 60.00
4. Joel Cahill (FL) - 57.78
5. Greg Falzon ((AUS) - 55.22
6. Daniel Harf (FL) - 54.33
7. Matt Lockwood (FL) - 53.11
8. Kyle Schmidt (FL) - 45.22
9. Ryan Wynne (FL) - 44.00

Heat # 3
1. Collin Harrington (FL) - 72.22
2. Rob Struharik (OH) - 66.33
3. Zane Schwenk (FL) - 66.33
4. Brett Eisenhauer (AUS) - 65.78
5. Shaun Murray (FL) - 64.78
6. Daniel Watkins (AUS) - 57.44
7. Gerry Nunn (FL) - 56.11
8. Evan Kennedy (FL) - 53.00
9. Justin Evans (CA) - 40.33

Pro Women Semifinals (top four in each heat advance to finals)

Heat # 1
1. Dallas Friday (FL) - 67.56
2. Emily Copeland (CO) - 55.67
3. Cheryl Newton (CA) - 43.11
4. Melissa Marquardt (CA) - 42.56
5. Cathy Williams (FL) - 42.33
6. Laura Lohrmann (FL) - 37.11
7. Sonja Scheffler (FL) - 33.00
8. Leslie Kent (FL) - 31.56

Heat # 2
1. Marie Botved Studd (DEN) - 51.00
2. Maeghan Major (FL) - 49.33
3. Christy Smith (AR) - 45.00
4. Lauren Loe (TX) - 44.67
5. Jaime Necrason (FL) - 36.89
6. Lauren Harf (FL) - 32.89
7. Lauren Bowman (FL) - 32.36
8. Tina Bessinger (FL) - 31.11

Amateur Women Semifinals (top four advance to finals)
1. Tiffany Landry (MS) - 42.01
2. Liquid Liz Gardner (FL) - 27.74
3. Louise Moore (ENGLAND) - 23.07
4. Tristan Seley (FL) - 18.68
5. Chelsea Szegidewicz (GA) - 16.78

Jr Boys Semifinals (top four advance to finals)
1. Tadpole Robert Soven (FL) - 53.35
2. Robert Southworth (LA) - 45.05
3. Casey Dorner (FL) - 31.70

Super Grom Boys Semifinals (top four advance to finals)
1. J D Webb (FL) - 58.35
2. Devin Rogers (FL) - 51.70
3. Ian Reid (FL) - 48.40
4. Corey Miner (FL) - 46.70
5. Jeff House (TN) - 43.35
6. Hank Carter (TX) - 38.35
7. Reed Hansen (FL) - 30.36

Jr Men Semifinals (top three in each heat advance to finals)

Heat # 1
1. Joey Bradley (TX) - 60.36
2. Robin Friday (FL) - 57.03
3. Justin Sellers (NC) - 55.36
4. Wes Brisco (FL) - 55.00
5. Matt Sims (AL) - 48.35
6. Drew Hallberg (FL) - 45.69
7. Joey Northup (FL) - 45.36
8. Andrew Rich (FL) - 44.34
9. Chris Kolb (MO) - 37.39
10. Mike Schwenne (CA) - 36.70

Heat # 2
1. Joey Arcisz (TX) - 59.01
2. Jonathan Nadolski (FL) - 57.68
3. Brad Allen (TX) - 52.67
4. Scot Ferwerda (MI) - 52.50
5. R Blake Watson (FL) - 52.01
6. Stehpen Sims (AL) - 37.02
7. Caleb Johnson (CA) - 34.70
8. Tim Kovacich (FL) - 33.68
9. Cris Amaro (FL) - 21.34
10. Joshua Galbreath (GA) - 19.67

Heat # 3
1. Keith Lyman (FL) - 62.03
2. Kyle Murphy (CA) - 59.34
3. Robert Bonifay (FL) - 58.66
4. Duston Swafford (TX) - 55.69
5. Chris Andrews (FL) - 50.01
6. Derek Grasman (MI) - 49.01
7. Andrew Adkison (FL) - 48.35
8. Mike Brady (FL) - 41.65
9. Jeff Solie (FL) - 31.70

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