WaterSki Magazine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2002

    Vonore, TN – Team MasterCraft Pro Women riders were on fire this weekend as Maeghan Major, Tara Hamilton, Leslie Kent and Laura Lohrmann swept Friday's X-Games Qualifier and just missed sweeping the top 3 spots at the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour stop by a half point on Sunday. Team Rider, Maeghan Major, a former X-Games and Gravity Games champion, lead the team charge, taking 1st place in both events.

    ''I just tried to keep the momentum going, went big and rode clean,'' said Major.

    Major, who moved from Orlando to Charlotte last year to live and train, has been gaining speed all season. She took 5th at the Orlando stop, 4th in Pensacola, rode in the men's division in Charleston and then skyrocketed up the podium in Detroit.

    ''I've been working on the mental side of my riding a lot and focusing on riding my bigger tricks consistently,'' said Major. ''I had a rough year last year and I want to get back where I was.''

    At just nineteen year's old, it's hard to believe that Major is striving to recapture her glory days. She has already earned two of the biggest honors in wakeboarding. But if her performance in Detroit is any indication, the former champion is well on her way to an astonishing comeback.

    Team Rider, Tara Hamilton, also graced the Pro Tour podium in Detroit for the first time this season after missing earlier competitions due to a foot injury. The two-time X-Games gold medalist and Pro Tour champion came roaring out of rehab, taking 2nd at the X-Games Qualifier and 2nd at the Pro Tour stop.

    ''I've only been riding for a couple of weeks,'' said Hamilton. ''I took 4th at the Masters and 2nd here. I'm really happy with the way I did and I just want to keep getting better.''

    Team MasterCraft Rider, Laura Lohrmann, also had tremendous performances this weekend putting the final touches on a MasterCraft X-Games Qualifier sweep and challenging 2001 Pro Tour Champion, Emily Copeland for bronze on Sunday. Lohrmann (53.23) finished a half point behind Copeland (53.79) and rode away with an invite to the 2002 Gravity Games. Team MasterCraft Rider, Leslie Kent, also had reason to celebrate this weekend after qualifying for the X-Games for the 3rd straight year and advancing to the Pro Tour finals.

    ''I'm really happy for all of our girls,'' said Kent. ''I know that riding for MasterCraft has helped me personally, because I get to train behind an X-Star everyday and ride the best wake. It helps us all.''

    Incredible performances by MasterCraft's women riders this weekend guaranteed that the team will be well represented in Women's wakeboarding at both the X-Games and Gravity Games this summer.

    MasterCraft is the world's largest producer of inboard and V-drive water ski, wakeboard and luxury performance powerboats and the official towboat of the Pro Tour and X-Games. For more information, model specifications, high- and low-res digital images or 35mm running and detail shots, please contact Casey Quilter at 800-443-8774, ext. 205. Or, visit our website at www.mastercraft.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rob May or Casey Quilter
MasterCraft Marketing
800-443-8774
mailto:rob.may@mastercraft.com
mailto:casey.quilter@mastercraft.com

Visit www.PT02.com for more Pro Tour information & results.

Date City Venue
June 29-30 Indianapolis, IN The Precedent
July 13-14 Kelowna, B.C., CAN Okanagan Lake
July 27-28 Irvine, CA Irvine Lake