September 23rd, 2023 Pineview Reservoir, Utah) – After three days of competition, we have finally crowned 19 World Champions for 2023. Over 150 of the best riders from around the world came together at Pineview Reservoir and put it all on the line for what turned out to be one of the highest levels of competition ever seen at a WWSC event. We saw some mind-boggling tricks, a ton of amazing personal bests and some new styles of riding introduced on the sport’s highest stage throughout the week, and we’re here to break down all the action for you. After two days of qualifying rounds, we headed into day three with perfect conditions on the course. Fortunately, the elements would prove not to be a factor like days 1 and 2 showed us, as these athletes were able to dig deep into their bags of tricks and produce some of the cleanest Worlds runs, we’ve ever seen.
For the first time at Worlds Championship, we included an Adaptive Division tailored to athletes who have overcome physical challenges. This division was the most electric to watch over the three days of competition as Florian Dungl from Austria took the top podium spot on the weekend along with Jordan Koeninger and Kimberly Kolstad who finished second and third. This division served as a reminder to all that the only challenges that exist are the ones in your own head.
In the Youth Girls Division, Centurion Team Athlete Kenzie Hickey rose to the top and answered the call in her finals run, earning her the title of World Champion!
Another Centurion Team Athlete and Ambassador, Trevor Miller introduced himself back into the competition circuit at this year’s Worlds event. It didn’t take long for Trevor to get back into his groove as he threw down a 105.5 in his finals run, landing himself at the top of the podium for 2023.
One of the closest divisions of the weekend went to Masters Male Skim as the voice of the WWSC, Sean Cummings handled business earning himself another Worlds Champion title. Another Centurion Team Athlete, Chad Hudson earned himself a spot on the podium, finishing 3rd in Masters Male Skim.
Whitley Stewart decided to go back to back at Worlds in the Pro Female Skim Division earning another Worlds Title as she continues to grow the sport every time she rides. In her first year competing at the Pro level, Centurion Team Athlete, Ava Stewart took 4th in the Pro Female Skim Division. Ava’s riding shows a lot of promise, and we fully expect her to be in contention for years to come.
With so much fire power coming out of the Pro Male Skim Division, Jett Lambert would seal the deal as World Champ. Joining Jett on the podium were Centurion Team Athlete Tyler Stewart and Reed Cole-Tucker. A couple other Centurion Team Athletes, Evan Hudson and Keenan Flegel also competed in this juggernaut stacked division.
Pro Female Surf Division showcased some exceptional riding as Ashley Kidd would seal the stamp on another World Title, beating out a couple worthy opponents in Cassidy Gale and Kristina Kolesnikova. This was nothing new for Ashley as she continues to set the bar for this division and the sport.
Our last division of the week to take to the course was the Men of Pro Surf. Centurion Team Athletes competing in this division consisted of Connor Burns, Tyler Stewart, Sam Goncalves, Keenan Flegel and Jake Breedlove. Still unsure of how the judges were able to select a winner out of these incredible names and riders, it would be Connor Burns who would rise to the top and seal the deal on another World Title. Tyler Stewart would take second and Sam Goncalves would take third on the podium as we closed out this year.
The official competition boat for this year’s events was the 2024 Salute to Service Military Limited Edition Ri230. This premium luxury 23-foot wake boat supplied perfect wave after wave for our competitors all weekend long. The foundation upon which our best features are built is our unique Opti-V hull, enhanced by ballast capacity, ballast location, ballast convenience, RAMFILL2 and QuickSurf Pro. But the significance of this tow boat goes well beyond its performance. We take pride in building evolved wake boats with the world’s best waves, wakes and ride but, building water sports boats to honor men and women who serve our country, and our communities is our extreme privilege. This year we are showing our appreciation to first responders and service professionals by pulling a whole new class of World Champions behind a Salute to Service Limited Edition Ri230.
Day 3 Final Scores and Results
We know that none of this would be possible without the support from our Sponsors! GM Marine, Roswell, Wet Sounds, Boatmate Trailers, Extreme Trailers, and PCM Engines support the Centurion World Wake Surfing Championship each year. Also, our partners Boardco, Fred’s Marine and Operation Wake Surf have been on site serving the community of Huntsville and helping to make this year’s Worlds event one that we will not soon forget.
We’d like to thank anyone who tuned into the livestreams for this year’s WWSC, whether it was in person or logging on from work or home. We’d also like to give a special shoutout to X-Stream 365, for covering all the action for fans around the world. This year’s riders and athletes gave us a glimpse of how bright the future is for this sport, as more and more of these competitors will continue to excel at their craft. We can’t wait to do all this again next year and hope to crown 19 more World Champions in the process!
We’d like to give a huge additional thanks to Centurion & Supreme Boat Dealers Boardco and Fred’s Marine, whose team helped bring all this together and make it possible. These Centurion Dealers are dedicated to bringing customers in Utah the top boats for sale and services you need to keep your watercraft running smoothly. Unlike most boat dealers seeking customers in Utah, they care about their clients and help them get the most out of their water adventures. Whether you’re in the market for boat repair, detailing, trading, or just simply looking for a boat dealer to sell you the watercraft of your dreams, their team can help customers like you. Thanks for your contribution to the 2023 WWSC!
About GM Marine: General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at www.gm.com.
About Centurion Boats: Centurion boats represent more than just evolving the style and performance of a Wake Boat. For Centurion, that evolution improves the ownership experience and owning a Centurion boat represents freedom, a family’s investment in joy and peace of mind. We create boats that deliver positive change in the lives of our valued customers, and we have the responsibility to handle our customer experience with extreme care. We measure our success in smiles – the involuntary humanization of God’s glory and confirmation that we aren’t just making boats, we’re making life better for our valued customers. Learn more about Centurion Boats at www.centurionboats.com.
About Correct Craft: Celebrating 98 years of excellence in the marine industry, Correct Craft is a Florida-based company with global operations. Focused on “Making Life Better,” the Correct Craft family includes Nautique, Centurion, Supreme, Bass Cat, Yar-Craft, SeaArk, Parker, and Bryant boat companies, Pleasurecraft Marine Engine Group, Watershed Innovation and Aktion Parks. For more information, please visit www.correctcraft.com.