What a weekend! The two wild cards for the most important wakeboard and wakeskate contest in the world, O‘Neill Wake The Line – Freesetyle Wakeboard Worlds 2011 – are now taken: Kaesen Suyderhoud/USA (wakeboard) and Simon Powell/GBR (wakeskate).

Langenfeld/Cologne, June 12th, 2011: 72 riders around the world got round to the qualification event that went down in the course of WakeUp Camp in Langenfeld/Germany to shred their way up into the wake elite at the Relentless Stairset session on the Silas Thurman signature obstacle made by UNIT Parktech and the Sesitec System 2.0. For the hot tickets for the most prestigious contest of the scene O‘Neill Wake The Line are still limited and only the world‘s best rail cable and boat riders are being invited into the legendary stadium pool this coming Saturday, June 18th, to battle for the wakeboard crown. (riders list: waketheline.com/blog/rider)
After a terrific qualification round in the afternoon with lots of Rail Tricks the unique HDPE- Stairset gigant by UNIT Parktech got polished ideally to working temperature, well-prepared for the final. Now the 24-strong rider list is set:
In the final of the Relentless Stairset session in the category wakeboard Kaesen Suyderhoud from the States could come out on top over Nico Kauzner with lipslides at the down rail and bluntslides at the ledge. He was able to impress the judges with his stylish nose presses, which you might know from snowboarding, but he could only score the runner-up spot. Already in the qualification Kaeson Suyderhoud presented a very good performance and was just not beatable in the finals. At the moment Keason is being fancied as one of the best rail riders. For this reason he has deservedly secured his ticket for OʻNeill Wake The Line and delightedly accepted his wild card: “ I specifically came from California to Germany so that I could qualify for Wake The Line. The contest in Cologne means a lot to me, so I took the financial risk to come here.“
Not less sensational: In the category wakeskate Simon Powell from Manchester scored a perfect BS Shuvit and finally, with a clean BS 180, made local hero Tim Schwiertz fall into second place. The judges were sure that this young talent well deserved a spot amongst the world elite at OʻNeill Wake The Line. Absolutely stoked about the win of his wild card Simon now looks forward to the coming weekend in Cologne: “ The contest in Cologne is truly unique and the wakeboard highlight of this summer, and I am part of it! How great is that?!“
This yearʻs setup at the legendary stadium pool in Cologne promises a lot of action. Finest obstacles made by UNIT Parktech attract the worldʻs best riders to come to Cologne for the fourth time already. On Friday, June 17th, the first free practice session will go down at the stadium pool. One day later at 4 PM the doors open for all spectators to witness the wakeboard and wakeskate highlight of the year. More info at www.waketheline.com.