Final stop of the US Pro Tour

It was good to go back to Tennessee. It was the first US comp I did last year when I came over to check out the local scene. I went into the last stop ranked number 4 on the Pro Tour, and I really needed to do something special to take out this 3rd overall spot.

The conditions in Knoxville were gnarly, the banks of the river are seawalls so there were rollers everywhere, and it was so hard to judge what tricks to do and where to do them due to the rollers. I won my heat and was off to a strong start leading into the semi finals.

Unfortunately my good friend Josh Twelker who was just ahead of me ranked 3rd overall and was the only thing between me and the podium finish, was knocked out in the heats. All that I now needed to do earn enough points to push me into 3rd place. I went up to Josh and his Dad and shook both of their hands and discussed how fun the year has been and they both wished me luck on making the finals.

We had a really stacked heat with a lot of the best riders in my heat, out of the top ranked riders in the contest, 5 of them made up our 5 man heat. I had a really solid ride but so did all the other boys so I wasn’t lucky enough to move onto the finals but was still lucky enough to take out the fifth spot and claim my place on the podium overall in my first season on the US Pro Tour.
I seriously couldn’t be happier right about now. I got 3rd at Wake Games, 3rd at the Worlds and 3rd on the Pro Tour. At age 16 I could confidently claim to be the 3rd best Junior Pro Rider in the world. And the guys who finished 1 and 2 move up next year so if I ride the same Division, I will be starting as the top seeded rider on the tour.

Today I fly back to Orlando to pack my bags, and tomorrow I fly back to Australia. I love America, but there’s no place like home.

WWA World Titles in Indianapolis

The contest in Indianapolis was insane, the riding level was crazy and the fans were going nuts. I was stoked to win my heat to land my first back 7 in a contest which would put myself in a good spot, last off the dock in the semi finals. In the semi finals I had the best contest ride I have ever had in my life. I landed a whirly 5, back 7, toe side backside 5, toe 9 and heaps more which helped me take out the semis and put me in the finals with a lot of confidence and ready to back up the amazing ride I just had.

I was also riding a Liquid Force Harley Clifford Pro Model wakeboard.  My sponsor O'Brien couldn't provide me with the board I had been riding so far on the US Tour.  I loved the Harley Board.  It's awesome.

In action in Indiana I was on the dock, in the finals of the last contest of the season, I ran through my head my entire summer, all the crazy things I got to do, see and the places I got to go, I have had the best time I ever thought someone could have this year and its all thanks to the support of my friends, family and my sponsors. The only problem though was I could get home out of my head, I was heading home in a little over a week and was getting more and more excited every single day.

I put my board on leading into the finals, and I said to myself, I only have a few contest runs to go until I get to go home to my friends, family and my Nautique 230 which I think I have missed the most. I went out in the finals and started off really well landing a back 7, whirly 5, a Pete Rose and sliding the rails really well. I slipped up at the end though falling on my toe side 900.

Doesn’t matter though, I felt like I had done enough to land me in a good spot, which it did. I was stoked to say that I took out 3rd in the WWA World Titles in Indianapolis, Indiana. 3rd in the world in my roookie year at age 16 was a pretty good result.