Sheffield Ten Feet High Series Stop 4 Saturday 15th August

‘Celebrity’ is in the air at Sheffield this coming weekend as the winners of the HOTM Cable Hottie Warfare contest, bring you the 4th stop in the Ten Feet High Series. Damon Bull, winning the poll with a staggering 30,169 votes will be on hand for autographs and kissing babies and let’s not forget, he’ll be receiving the very prestigious HOTM certificate! Members of European Silver Medalist Team GB will also be competing fresh from the IWSF contest in Finland. So make sure you head up to the Rother Valley this weekend. For a taste of what’s in store as the tension builds for the season finale next month, check out our review of last month’s event.

Ten Feet High Stop 3

As the series rolls on, the number of girls entering the competition increases steadily seeing eleven at this stop in the Open Ladies category. The format of 2 runs, best score counts, is elevated and excitement amplified by the ‘wild card’ feature; a chance for riders to attempt a new trick on one of their runs.

It’s a great way to really push the riders without jeopardising an otherwise safe run. A popular element to the Ten Feet High series, it certainly produced some exciting results in the ladies category!!

With the sun shining and calm waters, the Ladies’ first runs threw up some nice surprises. ‘Soon to be wed’ Alexis Twigden, was first off the dock, offering a toeside 540 off the kicker as her wild card!

Then came Steph Caller and with her usual ease, dominated the obstacles with a solid board slide all over the monstrous A frame before fitting in a Raley and Backroll and back side 180 before a smooth, easy heel side 360 off the kicker. Steph tactically opted to save her Wild Card for her second pass.

Boat rider and former Wakestock Champion Jules Haley, joined in the fun and attacked the A frame with a solid board slide, and tick tocked around the corner but fell on a front roll. A regular to the Ten feet High Series, Ellie Taylor from WMSki, took to the water and casually laid down a Raley and Krypt before falling on a 360 on the kicker. With air tricks regularly featuring, Nicola Cox, a Sheffield rider who’s shown consistent improvement over the tour stops took note. With buckets of determination, Coxy threw a Raley for her wild card. With not much more practice, we’ll be seeing that Raley at the next Tour Stop!

Newcomer Chloe Goudie, showed that the height of air tricks is directly DIS proportionate to your size when you have the kind or mentality as this youngster. At only 14, Chloe has a great future in Wakeboarding with her monstrous Krypts and huge amounts of air time on her kicker tricks. Unfortunately for Chloe, she lost the handle on a 540 on the kicker.

As can often be the way, sometimes it just doesn’t go your way in competition, as Sophie Wickham found out. After sliding really well over the A frame fun box, she just sank a little and didn’t manage to ride away. She still had her second run however to rectify her score.

Birthday girl, Jen Read, who’s really got into her competition riding this year, clearly demonstrated that she’s game for a laugh riding in a pink Tutu !! Her riding has noticeably improved over the summer and nailed a Back Roll off the kicker. The ‘Big Guns’ were kept till last with Kirsteen Mitchell, the new ’wonder woman’ of wakeboarding up next. She effortlessly back lipped the A frame box before casually fitting in a Krypt, BackRoll and Front before board sliding the flat box. For her Wild Card she stomped a Blind Judge, ensuring no body could touch her!!

Veteran to the Ten Feet High series, Sophie Cordery was up next and laid down the gauntlet!!! After a secure run including a Raley, massive Tantrum and nose press on the Dragon Slider, it was time for her Wild Card !! To everyone’s amazement, including Sophie, she went for a front, but instead came sooo close to landing an S-Bend !!! The crowd errupted!!

After that crowd pleaser, the pressure was on Australian Kath Moore to ride hard! And the girl certainly showed how she’s devoted a lot more of her water time to cable over the past year as she hit the wall ride with a 180, pulled out a massive inside Krypt and then threw a Hoochie Glide off the kicker!!

For the second run, Steph Caller raised the bar with her Wild Card and went for a Roll to Blind, whilst Sophie Wickham went for a 360 off the kicker. A real treat came from Coxy as she rode away from a 540 on the wall ride, but the show boater for the day Kirsteen Mitchell included a Front to Fakie in her run, just because she could! It was little wonder that Kirsteen took top spot, followed by Steph Caller and Sophie Cordery.

Jules Haley and Charlotte Knowlson did the girls proud by entering the WakeSkate Jam. Both held their own landing straight airs off the kicker and the flat bar and fun box! Well done.

Ten Feet High is fast becoming yet another platform to see the best of British show what they’re up to. With the girls pushing their riding and more girls entering competitions such as Ten Feet high, there’s never been a better chance to get on the water and get involved with the action.

For details of the comp see the Ten feet High Facebook page.

Tuesday 11 August 2009 | Permalink