German rides Deca waves in stunning style

ANGELES CITY, Philippines – Julie Rick of Germany rode like there’s no tomorrow in a fiery final run to beat British rival Chloe Goudie in a down-to-the-wire battle for the junior ladies wakeboard crown yesterday on a day the Germans made the World Wakeboard Cable Championships look like their own playground.

Needing to better the 72.17 points of the preceding rider Goudie, Rick decided to perform a trick she was doing only in practices – the whirly bird – and did so with devilish efficiency in her second run at the Deca Clark Wake Park’s course to earn the nod of the judges.

The 19-year-old Rick got scorelines of 72.00-73.90-75.00 for an average of 73.63, good enough to overtake Goudie, who was looking to add the junior ladies title to her girls crown in the previous worlds. 

“It was really close,” said Rick, heaving a sigh of relief.

She and Goudie engaged in a see-saw showdown with the British bet churning 68.67 in her first run and the German overtaking her with a 70.67. Goudie regained the upperhand with 70-73-75 on her second run, putting pressure on Rick.

“I was really so nervous because if I fell, then it’s over, and I had to do another trick to win. And I won,” said Rick who also cast a shadow on another British bet, third placer Katie Batchelor (58).

Rick’s smashing triumph was complemented by compatriot Miles Toller, who spearheaded Germany’s 1-2-3 finish of the junior men wakeboard play of the event backed by Rixen Cableways, IWWF Wakeboard 2020 Vision, Smart, Gatorade, Deca Homes, Stoked Inc, RipCurl, Monster Energy Drink, Devant LED TV, Bacardi, Department of Tourism Region 3, Aktion Parks, Plus Event Marketing and organized by Eventking Corp.

Tolles scored 85.33 points in ruling the division at the expense of countrymen Christoper Klein (79.33), and Andre Botta (65.33).

The Germans’ sweep of juniors competitions came after Dominik Gührs led the march of the qualifiers to the finals of the premier open men wakeboard division.

A 22-year-old pride of Munich, Gührs stole the thunder from the likes of compatriot Frédéric von Osten and Nick Davies in the open men semifinal heat 2, posting a whopping 85.33 points in the second run to enter today’s finale as the top qualifier.

Von Osten, winner of the Tokyo World Cup, assembled 75.67 also on his second run to take No. 2 position in the star-studded group while Davies, the 2010 winner, made up for a so-so performance in the first run (38.00) with a 72.67 ride in the second to advance. Youthful Im San of Korea grabbed the last finals slot for the group with 71.33 on his first run.