Monroe, Wash. – For the first time since 1995, the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink will return to theEvergreen State, when the five-city circuit makes its fourth stop of the 2011 season in Monroe, Wash., on July 8 & 9. All the high-flying, rail-sliding, water-sports action will take place on Lake Tye, where the sport’s top pros will compete for a cash purse and crucial points toward the season standings for the coveted Pro Tour title.
 
Defending Pro Tour titlist Phillip Soven paces the Pro Men’s division with 290 points, after taking back to back wins in Fort Worth, Tex. andColorado Springs, Colo. The “Iceman” has been on fire lately, throwing super-technical tricks from start to finish at the previous two contests to surge to the top of the rankings, making the 22-year-old Florida native the man to beat in Monroe.
 
The only rider to rival Soven so far this season is 17-year-old Australian wakeboarding phenom Harley Clifford, who won the 2011 Pro Tour season opener in Acworth, Ga. earlier this year. Clifford has the talent to match Soven, but will need to push the limits of the sport to edge the reigning champion in Monroe.
 
Should Clifford win the upcoming contest, the 2009 Rookie of the Year will take the lead in the Pro Tour standings, as he only trails Soven by a mere 10 points.
 
In the Pro Women’s division, former world champion Amber Wing has soared to the top of the Queen of Wake standings, after posting back to back wins in Fort Worth, Tex. and Colorado Springs, Colo. The 28-year-old Australian has looked solid on the rails and in the air all season long to pace the division with 390 points
 
But despite her lead in the standings, Wing does not have much room for error, facing a versatile and competitive field of riders in Monroe, including Melissa Marquardt, who bested Wing for first place at the 2011 Pro Tour season opener in Acworth, Ga. earlier this year.
 
Should Wing go uncontested and win in Monroe, the former Australian national champion would take such a commanding lead in the Queen of Wake standings, diminishing the chances of others catching up to her in the eight-stop points race.
 
In the Jr. Pro Men’s division, 17-year-old Japanese standout Shota Tezuka remains at the top of the point standings, despite back to back wins by Daniel Powers in Fort Worth, Tex. and Colorado Springs, Colo. While Powers has recently seemed super natural on water, Tezuka has been consistent throughout the season, making him top seed in the upcoming contest and the frontrunner for the 2011 Jr. Pro Tour title.
 
Even with a win in Monroe, Powers, who sits behind Tezuka in second place in the standings, would need an uncharacteristic early round from the Japanese standout in order to remain in contention for the overall title.
 
The Pro Tour will kick off in Monroe on Friday, July 8, with the free event running from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 9 is a ticketed event beginning at 10:30 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m.
 
Tickets are available at the gate: $13 (adult); $5 (ages 6-12); free (ages 5 and under); or $7 (adult) if purchased online.
 
For more information on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour stop in Monroe, Click Here.