Orlando, Fla. – Fans lined the shores of the Orlando Watersports Complex today to catch the final rounds of wakeboarding action at the 2009 Air Nautique Wake Games, presented by ROCKSTAR. With eight divisions already in the books, the 14 remaining groups of riders hit the water today to vie for individual division trophies and team points toward the team challenge.

All ten teams came into the final day of competition with base points from yesterday’s eight division finals with Team Adkison and Team Soven leading the way. But with big finishes from all 10 team members, including two first-place finishes in today’s finals, Team Malinoski came from behind to win the 2009 Air Nautique Wake Games team challenge.

Team Captain Rusty Malinoski of Humboldt, Sask. led his team by example today, taking first-place in the Pro Men’s division. Brian Grubb (Nashua, NH) also followed suit, capturing the top spot in today’s Pro Wakeskate division finals. Today’s win marks Grubbs fourth consecutive Wake Games title. Jimmy LaRiche, Erik Ruck, Taylor McCullough, Emilee Wright, Glen Fletcher, Matt Kirk, Hunter Hanson and Tyler Warroll all had great showings at Wake Games to help Team Malinoski take the top spot on the contest podium.

Teams Webb, Adkison, Soven, Errington, Hansen, Rathy, Hutton, Watson and Murray finished the team challenge, respectively.

Orlando native Dallas Friday made splash in front of a hometown crowd, taking first-place in the Pro Women’s division. Today’s win marks Friday’s first Wake Games title.

Results:

TEAM SCORES:

Team Malinsoki – 885pts

Team Webb – 754pts

Team Adkison – 737pts

Team Soven – 731pts

Team Errington – 707pts

Team Hansen – 684pts

Team Hutton – 653pts

Team Watson – 652pts

Team Murray – 612pts

The 2009 series features eight stops throughout the United States and more than $300,000 in prize money over the eight-event season. Athletes compete during the course of the year to be named the “King of Wake” – an award based on points accumulated at each stop of the series. Events included in the 2009 series are: the Wake Games, the WWA Wakeboard National Championships, the WWA Wakeboard World Championships and all five stops on the Pro Wakeboard Tour.

Complete 2009 King of Wake Schedule

DATES CITY EVENT VENUE

April 23-26              Orlando, Fla.                         Wake Games                                         Orlando Watersports Complex

May 29-31               Fort Worth, Texas                Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #1              Texas MasterCraft

June 19-21                Pleasant Prairie, Wis.            Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #2              Prairie Springs Park

June 27-28                Knoxville, Tenn.                   Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #3              Volunteer Landing

July 8-12                  Oklahoma City, Okla.          WWA National Championships           Oklahoma River

July 18-19                Louisville, Ky.                      Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #4              Freeman Lake Park

Aug. 14-16               Sparks/Reno, Nev.                Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #5              Sparks Marina

Aug.27-30                Orlando, Fla.                         WWA World Championships               Orlando Watersports Complex

To keep the points race close, the King of Wake series features the “Chase for the Crown” format. The Chase limits the eligibility for the crown to the top-10 highest points-earners midway through the season. Following the fifth stop of the series, only the current top-10-ranked athletes in the standings will receive a point bonus, adjusting their totals to keep the points race tight, and making only the top 10 eligible for the King of Wake crown.

Joining the men of the King of Wake are the pro women of wakeboarding with their own series, the Queen of Wake. The Queen of Wake is a five-stop series comprising the Wake Games, the WWA Wakeboard National Championships, the WWA Wakeboard World Championships and the first and last stops of the Pro Wakeboard Tour.

Last year, Phillip Soven claimed the 2008 King of Wake crown, while Nicola Butler captured the Queen of Wake title. Both Soven and Butler are set to defend their titles in 2009 against the world’s top riders.

Check out photos, videos, event info and athlete bios on the Web at the King of Wake’s new online home at www.allisports.com.

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Media Partners

To catch all the high-flying, rail-sliding, water-sports action of the King of Wake series, tune in to FUEL TV – the official television partner of the King of Wake. WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the King of Wake series. Read about all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and news.

Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports

Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand.  The Alliance includes: the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, Maloof Money Cup, AMA Motocross Championship, King of Wake series, and the Free Flow Tour; Alli Productions, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. More information can be found at www.allisports.com.

The King of Wake Series Joins Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports

Orlando, Fla. – The world’s elite pro wakeboarding circuit, the King of Wake series, has officially joined Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports. The series organizer, World Sports & Marketing, announced today its partnership with Alli – a company owned by NBC and MTV Networks dedicated to bringing together the best properties, athletes and brands globally for the fans of action sports.

The King of Wake’s partnership with Alli includes online rights, sponsorship sales, marketing and promotion. All King of Wake events will continue to air on the FUEL TV network.

“We are thrilled to be partnered with the premier wakeboarding property within action sports,” said Wade Martin, President of Alli. “King of Wake, along with FUEL TV, have created an outstanding television package. We look forward to supporting FUEL TV’s television programming with a robust online offering as part of allisports.com.”

Allisports.com serves as the online destination for all Alli properties, including the King of Wake series. The King of Wake’s new online home features official news, athlete registration, standings, results, event information and schedules, athlete bios, as well as competition and lifestyle photos and videos. To check out all the online action, visit allisports.com, view the “Tours” section at the top of the page and click King of Wake.

In addition to its new online home, the King of Wake series will also sport a new logo.

The logo maintains its signature crown, but has replaced its splatter-like typeset with a bolder and broader font, which reads KING OF WAKE and includes the series new website, allisports.com, at the bottom of the graphic.

The King of Wake will now fall under the Alli umbrella, which also includes industry leaders and premier properties: the Dew Tour and Winter Dew Tour, the Free Flow Tour, the China Invitational, the Maloof Money Cup and the AMA Motocross Championships. Management of these events will still fall to their respective organizers.

“We agree with the direction and goals of Alli and see this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen the action sports industry and help our sport, athletes and brand to grow,” said Sean Dishman of World Sports & Marketing. “Alli is just what the action sports industry needs, and we’re stoked that the King of Wake is a part of it.”

Check out the King of Wake’s new online home at www.allisports.com.

Media Partners

To catch all the high-flying, rail-sliding, water-sports action of the King of Wake series, tune in to FUEL TV – the official television partner of the King of Wake. WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the King of Wake series. Read about all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and news.

King of Wake

Viewed as the world’s elite pro wakeboarding circuit, the King of Wake series has attracted the sport’s top athletes from throughout the globe. With more than $300,000 in prize money over the eight-event season, athletes compete during the course of the year to be named the “King of Wake” – an award based on points accumulated at each stop of the series. Events include the Wake Games, the WWA Wakeboard National Championships, the WWA Wakeboard World Championships and all five stops on the Pro Wakeboard Tour. The King of Wake is organized by World Sports & Marketing – the leading wake events producer since 1988.Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports is global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: The Dew Tour (debuted in 2005), Winter Dew Tour (debuting in 2008), China Invitational (debuted in 2008), Maloof Money Cup, AMA Motocross, The King of Wake, and the Free Flow Tour (debuted in 2005); Alli TV Productions, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 700,000 spectators each year, over 150 hours of original programming, and are broadcast in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide.

Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports

Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand.  The Alliance includes: the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, Maloof Money Cup, AMA Motocross Championship, King of Wake series, and the Free Flow Tour; Alli Productions, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. More information can be found at www.allisports.com.