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WATERSKI MagazineMapple Hands the Crown to New Champ
Two-time defending Malibu Open Men's Slalom Champion Andy Mapple was unable to make it a three-peat in 2004 at the Malibu Open Water Ski & Wakeboard Championship at Bell Acqua Lake in Sacramento.
This Sunday did not prove as successful as many in the career of the most successful man in the history of organized water skiing, but even as one career was coming to a close with Mapple's retirement coming at the end of 2004, another was beginning as Will Asher, a fellow Great Briton and protégé of Andy Mapple took home his first major professional victory.
Asher's victory (3 @ 41 off) came against the best in the business including Chris Parrish who finished second completing 2 1/2 buoys at 41 off and Jeff Rogers 2 @ 41. The finals field at the Malibu Open included all three men who currently share the world record: Mapple, Rogers and Jamie Beauchesne.
While Mapple's farewell tour grabbed most of the attention, Emma Sheers grabbed most of the titles, winning both the women's slalom and women's jump championship on Sunday. This marks the second time Sheers has won both titles at the Malibu Open, Sheers duplicated the feat at the inaugural Malibu Open in 2001. This also marks Sheers second consecutive women's jump championship.
In women's slalom, Sheers held off Natalie Hamrick by 1½ buoy completing 2 @ 39 1/2 to Hamrick's final run of ½ @ 39. Geraldine Jamin finished third with 5 @ 38 off.
In women's jump, Sheers bested second-place finisher Clementine Lucine by almost 10 feet with a final jump of 174 feet to Lucine's best effort of 165 feet. Rhoni Barton finished third with an effort of 159 feet.
In men's jump, Jaret Llewellyn took the top spot in dramatic fashion, winning a jump-off against Emma Sheers' brother Curtis. Both jumpers tied for first with an effort of 223 feet, but Llewellyn was the top finisher in a jump-off, with a 217-foot effort to Sheers' 210 feet. Freddy Krueger finished third with an effort of 221 feet.
In men's wakeboarding teen phenom, Phillip took home his second pro victory in two weeks, and his first Malibu Open title. The fifteen year old, won for the first time last week on the Pro Wakeboard Tour and decided to prove that wasn't a fluke by making it two in a row. Soven was the youngest pro in the sport's history when he turned pro in 2001 at the age of 11. Now at only 15, Soven is challenging the top names in the sport of wakeboarding.
Defending Malibu Open men's champion, Jeff Weatherall finished second on the day and 2002 Rookie of the Year Andrew Adkison finished third.
In women's wakeboarding Dallas Friday successfully defended her Malibu Open title. Friday held off a challenge from Emily Copeland Durham who won the Pro Wakeboard Tour stop in Reno last weekend and the 2004 Indmar Performance Award. Copeland finished second and Maeghan Major finished third.
Men's Slalom Finals
1. William Asher 3 @ 41
2. Chris Parrish 2 1/2 @ 41
3. Jeff Rogers 2 @ 41
4. Jamie Beauchesne 2 @ 41
5. Marcus Brown 4 1/2 @ 39 1/2
6. Andy Mapple 2 1/2 @ 39 1/2
Women's Slalom Finals
1. Emma Sheers 2 @ 39 ½
2. Natalie Hamrick 1/2 @ 39
3. Geraldine Jamin 5 @ 38
4. Jill Knutson 4 @ 38
Men's Jump Finals
1. Jaret Llewellyn 223 feet (r/u 217)
2. Curtis Sheers 223 (r/u 210)
3. Freddy Krueger 221
4. Ryan Dodd 214
5. Jimmy Siemers N/A
6. Ryan Fitts N/S
Women's Jump Finals
1. Emma Sheers 174 feet
2. Clementine Lucine 165
3. Rhoni Barton 159
4. Jennifer Kaiser 157
Women's Wakeboard
1. Dallas Friday 78.88
2. Emily Copeland Durham 73.29
3. Maeghan Major 59.09
4. Laura Lohrmann 45.46
5. Cheryl Newton 36.43
6. Cathy Williams 29.81
Men's Wakeboard
1. Phillip Soven 78.30
2. Jeff Weatherall 75.65
3. Andrew Adkison 75.53
4. Gerry Nunn 61.32
5. Chad Sharpe 56.44
6. Daniel Watkins 49.68
7 Josh Sanders 41.56
8 Joey Arcisz 36.09
9 Brett Eisenhauer 29.90
