Henderson, NV (May 8, 2017) – The Malibu WWA Rider Experience Central event officially kicked off the regional series this weekend at Lake Las Vegas Marina in Henderson, NV with over 250 riders in attendance. Hosted by the amazing crew at Boulder Boats, riders were given first-class treatment behind Malibu’s world-famous Wakesetter and MXZ series towboats. Focused on rider development, the event began with Freeride Friday, giving competitors, family and friends the opportunity to hang out and learn from their favorite Malibu Pro athletes. Saturday’s WWA Central Regional Championships included all WWA amateur, Jr. Pro, and wakesurf divisions along with Malibu WWA Pro Card Qualifier #2. The weekend concluded with Surfgate Sunday, getting everyone behind the boat to experience the epic, endless, perfectly shaped wave behind Malibu’s world-class line of boats.

“What a great way to kick off the Malibu WWA Rider Experience season! Malibu and Boulder Boats once again pulled out all the stops to make this event over the top. We are privileged to work with such great partners and look forward to seeing everyone at the next stop in North Carolina,” said WWA Executive Director Corrie Wilson.

Windy conditions couldn’t stop the smiles during Saturday’s WWA Regional Championships as riders threw down in front of their hometown crowd for the chance to represent their region at this year’s WWA Wakeboard National Championships. Truly a family affair, we had parents, brothers, sisters, and best friends all proudly taking home hardware with podium finishes.

In the Jr. Boy’s Beginner division, five-year-old Hudson Haynie (AZ) returned for his second competition ever for the second weekend in a row taking first place with a score of 76.67. In second, Austin Nordgren (AZ) scored 66.67 followed by Candin Lawhon (CA) in third with 56.67..

The Girl’s division saw Oregon’s Ellie Patrick take the win with smooth grabs an a big cab 180, earning her a score of 87.67. Hannah Treml (WA) came in second with 81.67 followed by Elle Christensen (UT) in third scoring 74.17.

Veteran Women’s division superstars Kat Laird (TX) and Natalie Graham (AZ) battled it out behind the Malibu 22 MXZ with both ladies charging hard for the crowd. Multi-time defending world champ Kat Laird came out on top, going big with a 78.33 score followed by the entertaining Natalie Graham scoring 69.67.

The Wakesurf competition was all-time, taking the entire crew into the deep water to charge through the chop in a battle of skill and creativity. All levels were represented as runs included everything from bigoff-the-lip’s and carves to a juggling act. In the end it was Austin Nordgren’s (AZ) intensity and perfectly executed choreography that took the win with a score of 79.63. Coming in second was Vance Randall (NV), who killed it with a technical run that earned him 73.33 followed by Boulder Boat’s own Ryan Platt (NV) in third with 66.67.

The Jr. Pro Central Regional Championships attracted the world’s best including dual discipline worlds champ Guenther Oka, west coast style master Tyler Higham and Great Britain’s Luca Kidd. In the final, Higham (USA) threw down a huge backside 540 and a toeside 900 behind the Malibu M235 for the win scoring 91.67. Guenther Oka (USA) took a second place finish with a backside 720 and a Pete Rose to score 85.00 followed by Luca Kidd’s (GBR) technical wizardry in third with a score of 76.67.

A laid back Surfgate Sunday put a perfect end to the weekend, getting everyone out on the water with more than twenty first time surfers including Pro BMX rider and TV personality Ricardo Laguna. Beyond the progression on the water, the Malibu WWA Rider Experience Central weekend built a community, growing the bond between riders.

About the WWA

The World Wakeboard Association is the global leader in wake sports sanctioning. The WWA owns and operates the WWA Wakeboard World Series, WWA Wake Park World Series, WWA Wakeboard National Championships, WWA Wake Park National Championships, WWA Wakeboard World Championships, WWA Wake Park World Championships, WWA Wake Park Triple Crown, WWA Pro Card and WWA Rider Experience. With 27 affiliate countries worldwide, the WWA is a rider-formed organization dedicated to promoting and growing wake sports worldwide. It is the primary source for riders, event organizers and competitive standards. For more information on the WWA and its events, check out www.thewwa.com