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Other Water Sports - 19. March 2014.

First 2014 World Cup Stop attracts 120,000 spectators to Western Australia's Mandurah Action Sports Games

 



In glorious sunshine, the City of Mandurah in Western Australia, with its 19 local beaches and resident dolphins and pelicans, welcomed IWWF World Cup Wakeboard and Waterski Jump athletes from 24 countries to the crystal clear waters of Mandjar Bay this weekend. 

 

 

Mandurah Mayor Marina Vergone declared that these Action Sports Games are now Australia’s largest and most successful such event. In addition to BMX, Scooter, Skate and Freestyle Moto X, this 39th Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup Stop was one of the most spectacular to date.

The Channel 7 Crab Fest was also part of the Action Sports Games. National Channel 7 celebrity Mark Beretta enjoyed the warm sunshine after his recent Sochi Winter Olympics assignment. MasterCraft provided the World Cup boats and support services.

 

Waterski Jump had the spectators lining the packed beaches cheering for their favourites during the Saturday Qualification Round. With eight of the World’s top women Jumpers chasing just four Finals places, crashes and disappointments were unavoidable.

However, as ever, the best rose to the top. The coveted Finals line-up included World Jump Champion Jacinta Carroll (AUS), World Record Holder Natallia Berdnikova (BLR), 2012 World University Champion Lauren Morgan (USA), and 2013 Moomba Masters Champion Jutta Lammi (FIN). 

 

Morgan set the pace with a distance of 46.5m. This was quickly pushed to 47.5m by Lammi. On her first Jump, Berdnikava then got a roar of approval from the huge crowds. Her distance was 50.2m. This just left Australia’s own World Champion Jacinta Carroll to go for the title. She struggled on her first two attempts with 47.0m and 43.5m. Could she do the impossible on her final attempt? The spectators then raised the roof as their own World Champion Scored 51.1m on her final effort. A perfect and very popular finish for the home crowd.

 


 

 



Womens Wakeboard went through the same process, kicking off with 12 Pro Women representing seven Nations chasing just six Finals places. Eventually, it was the following who made it through – Nicola Butler (GBR), Caroline Djupsjo (SWE), Melissa Marquardt (USA), Amber Wing (AUS), defending Champion Bec Gange (AUS) and IWWF World Champion Raimi Merritt (USA).

Each was also granted a Wild Card Bonus Trick to add to the excitement. 

 

 

Butler used her Wild Card Bonus Trick to insert a Whirley Bird to her run making a huge impact with a high opening score of 60.1. Djupsjo followed by adding a Toe Side 540 to give her a score of 55.3. Marquardt, Wing and Gange were unable to better this. It was then all down to the IWWF World Champion Raimi Merritt. Although it was a very close call, she took the title in style with a narrow margin of 2.2 points over Butler, with Djupsjo taking the World Cup bronze medal.

 


Action Sports Games Mandurah, supported by the Western Australia State Government through Eventscorp’s Regional Events Programme, were funded by Royalties for Regions. The City of Mandurah sees the Games as a perfect match for their outstanding Mandjar Bay area in conjunction with the highly successful annual Channel 7 Crab Fest.

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