fashion, fit and function. Liquid Mountain provides unique, quality products and experiences for people who want to enjoy nature, protect themselves from the elements and look good doing it.
Congratulations INT US Champions!
2006
INT U.S. Championships Wraps up in Bakersfield!
October 11th-14th, The water was calm and the crowd filled the shoreline as the Star Spangled Banner played and the 1978 Correct Craft sped down the lake proudly presenting the American Flag. The state flags were confidently displayed in a parade of boats as the state teams on shore cheered as their flag passed by. This was the sight on Wednesday morning when 439 Competitors gathered at Ski West Lakes in Bakersfield, California to kick off the 9 th annual INT U.S. Championships. Twenty-five states were represented at this amateur tournament. Over 900 spectators assembled to watch athletes compete in 41 divisions ranging from novice slalom skiing, wakeboarding, and knee boarding to the new INT wakeboard and slalom pro divisions.
INT
was pleased to have honored guests including world famous slalom skiers Andy
Maple, Chris Sullivan, Marcus Brown, Chris Parrish, and Terry Winter. Also mingling
with the riders were pro wakeboarders Andrew Adkison, Dave Briscoe, Gerry Nunn,
Shawn Murray, and Danny Harf.
(Anthony Graff)
Kade Kasey, from Kentucky, was the youngest competitor, at age 5; he competed in the Wakeboard Mini Outlaw division. His opposite, Harold Stocks from Washington, was the oldest competitor, at 70 years he competed in 4th Class with a final score of three buoys at 28 mph 15 off. Anthony Graff from Southern California wowed the crowd in Jr. 4 th Class with an exceptional performance of a full pass on double skies.
INT was excited to host the first annual INT pro competition at the US Championships. The female slalom skiers went head to head on Thursday and tied at 38off, then came back on Saturday to battle it out. Rhoni Barton-Bischoff and Jill Knutson both skied into 39.5 off, but Rhoni beat Jill by only a half a buoy.
Women's wakeboarding was just as exciting; sister's Raequel and Shawna Hoffeman, and Shelby Kanter competed for the cash. Raequel Hoffeman ended up first on the podium. Her score was so impressive she would have taken 5 th in the men's pro wakeboard division.
Raequel was also surprised with a $400 check from Liquid Mountain Action Wear who focuses on growing women's water sports. The caliber of riding in women's pro was truly exceptional!
The pro men were also electrifying to watch; the west coast swept the men's pro wakeboard competition. Robby Carter took first place, Michael Cardoza took second place, and Alex Scagliotti came in third. The wakeboard competition was very different from any other pro wakeboard competition; riders accumulated points per trick thrown and style points based on their variety, amplitude, and how clean the tricks were completed. The points were very close for these three. excellent riders.
Jamie
Beauchesne set the water on fire in men's pro slalom with a full pass at 41
off, 36 mph! The crowd was on their feet to see the co-world record holder slice
through the course. Coming in closely behind Jamie was his close friend Chris
Rossi with a score of 5 at 41 off. In third place Seth Stisher ran 3.5 at 39.5
off. The men put on quite a show and inspired some great skiing
at Ski West Village.
Winners
were honored at a "Night of the Stars" awards banquet on Saturday evening. The
North Carolina team took home the Team Award for collecting the most trophies
and Arkansas won for most team spirit. Three INT/George Chicarilli Memorial
scholarships were given away to deserving INT League competitors for their academic
achievement and participation in the INT League. Ten-year-old Matthew Schaefer
wrote and essay and a song about how INT has affected his life and played the
song on stage at the awards banquet. Winners were considered based on
an essay submitted to the George Chicarilli Memorial Scholarshipcommittee; the
fund is supported by generous industry manufactures, dealers, and competitors.
Overall
we had a great week; this was the best INT US Championships ever. We can't wait
until next year!" said Rick Stocks, INT CEO. The location of the 2007 US Championships
will be announced after the first of the year.
The
INT League is a promotional organization that hosts amateur waterski, wakeboard,
kneeboard, and wake skate tournaments nationwide. For more information please
see the INT website at www.intleague.com .
(INT Participants under 13)
About Liquid Mountain
It was spring break, circa 1987, when Kerri Jaye had her first encounter with the snowboard. The first women snowboarders were hitting the slopes and she was among this small, yet determined group of dedicated powder hounds. I felt like the only woman out there yet I knew I was not alone. I recall dragging myself to the mountain's peak and instructing myself how to conquer this awkward yet intriguing board of wood, as people cheered me on from the lifts above. This monumental day she would have an epiphany; an epiphany that would be the inspiration for the Liquid Mountain vision. As a devoted snowboarder, her passion for action sports transcended into surfing b.w.b.s., (yes, before women's board shorts), and later wakeboarding. The more I played the more I discovered the necessity for three essential f-words: fit, fashion and function. She would go on to develop the ultimate women's action wear line that fuses fashion with function, bringing women of action the next generation of style and performance. The Liquid Mountain vision, shared by co-founder David Jaye, would then further evolve into a men's action wear line reflecting the same inspirational principles. Known for using sensuously technical fabrics and sexy silhouettes, Liquid Mountain delivers performance when it's needed most. www.liquidmountain.com