British kid keeps lead in wakeboarding

MANILA, Philippines - Teen sensation Daniel Grant of Great Britain held off former world champion Tom Foshee of the US to keep the lead in the men’s professional wakeboarding event in the 2011 Ultimate Wake Championnship at the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur.

The 13-year-old Grant, a Briton with Thai roots, scored 97.50 points and stayed one point ahead of the more experienced Foshee, the 2008 and 2009 champion from Texas, after the semifinals.

German Dominic Guehrs joined Foshee in second by coming up with 96.50 points.

American Cody Johnson came in third with 94.50 going into the final phase of the event organized by Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte.

Israeli Lior Sofer registered a 92.50 while South Korean Kim Yong-Il, American Julian Cohen and Australian Matty Hasler posted scores of 91, 87 and 86, respectively.

Foshee, however, stamped his class in the pro obstacles category, posting 100 for a six-point lead over Grant, who had 94. Cohen and Kim shared third with 92 points apiece.

In women’s wakeskate event, American Jennifer Gilanfarr towed the field with an impressive 76.67, way ahead of RP bet Tynna Rosero, who had a 60. Other RP entries Jenette Beltran and Dianna de Castro ran into some trouble and managed only 43.33 and 26.67, respectively, going into the finals.

Rosero though was satisfied with her effort and looked forward to a better stint in the finals.

“Right now there are only few of us doing this professionally in this sport but I think wakeskating for women is starting to develop,” she said.

The Philippines is the last stop of the World Wakeboard Association (WWA) World Series 2010, the only international event where riders compete in the boat, cable and System 2.0 winch disciplines.

Nieuwegein, The Netherlands kicked off the series last June, before heading to Hamburg, Germany and Antalaya, Turkey.

Riders earn points based on technical versatility and trick difficulty, with the highest scorer bagging the overall wake championship.

The event’s eight categories feature the pro men, junior men, pro wakeskate, open women, obstacles, open women wakeskate, CWC rail park contest and the CamSur Rider’s Cup.