Malibu Open Waterski Championships Set For June 21-22

For the fourth consecutive year, the RESPONSE TXi will tow the Malibu Open on Friday and Saturday June 21-22, 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Veterans Park Lagoon. Make plans now to come check out all the action, including the WATERSKI Awards at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Summerfest will kick off at the same time nearby! More info at http://www.malibuopenfestival.com

Photo: BillDoster.com

Tags: Malibu Boats |

Malibu Open Raises The Bar In Milwaukee

(photo: billdoster.com)

Energy was running high as the world's best water skiers stormed into Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Malibu Open on Aug. 3-4. The RESPONSE TXi would serve as the official towboat, and confidence was running high, as this boat already debuted at last year's Malibu Open and went on to tow several world records. Fans packed the shore and also tuned around the world on the live webcast produced by Eagle Wetsuits.

Mens Slalom saw the most heated battle of the weekend, possibly the highest cut lines in tour history. Skiers had to make 2 @ 41 off just to make it to the quarterfinal round of 16, then 3 @ 41 to make the semi final round of 6 skiers. Several skiers ran into 41 and didn't make the cut. Nate Smith took the win, with Chris Rossi in second and Will Asher in third. Another fun fact: 39 off was run 32 times at the Malibu Open this year.

Regina Jaquess, hot off setting the new world record of 3 buoys at 41 off, edged out April Coble in the Womens Slalom final, shredding through a full pass at 38 off. Regina also won "Female Skier Of The Year" at the 1st Annual Waterski Awards presented by WATERSKI Magazine on Friday evening. Read the full story and see the video of Regina's 3 @ 41 world record here.

Freddy Krueger ended the night going big as usual, launching 222 feet for the win in Mens Jump. Check out some of these amazing photos taken by BillDoster.com

Freddy Krueger

Chris Parish

Will Asher

Will Asher

Will Asher

Thomas Degasperi 

Thomas Degasperi

Thomas Degasperi Factory Visit

Malibu skier Thomas Degasperi, who is currently #2 on the Elite Slalom Rankings, came by the factory in Loudon, Tennessee to check out his new Response TXi. 

He also had a chance to check out the boat building process, where he showed a genuine interest. Degasperi also got to hang with CEO Jack Springer, Lani Farmer and Ritchie Anderson. Later that evening, Drew Halford (Director of International Sales) took him out on the town. "We had a great time and left a trail of broken hearts in our wake," Halford said. "I think Thomas is still receiving texts from a few local women who want to be the next Mrs. T-Gas."

Here is a recent excerpt from WATERSKI Magazine's Leading Edge about Degasperi:
There are few skiers on the planet who have the confidence to perform their best when it really matters. Thomas Degasperi is one of those skiers. This season, he took first place in slalom at Global Championships and Worlds, not to mention third at Moomba, fourth at Masters and fourth at the Malibu Open. It takes a clear mind to consistently ski well, he says. “If I start to look at the people on the banks, if I listen to music or the announcers, if I look at other skiers to see what they’re doing, then my concentration level decreases.”
So how does the two-time world slalom champion stay on his game? His aunt Mariella, a therapist who studied sports psychology, talked through several relaxation techniques, which she recorded for him to use before he competes at tournaments. “Her techniques help me relax both my mind and my body, so that I’m ready to compete when the time comes,” he explains.


Tags: Malibu Boats | Thomas Degasperi | Malibu TXi | World Slalom Champion | Malibu Open | Worlds | Global Championships | Elite Slalom Rankings | Loudon Tennessee | Jack Springer | WATERSKI Magazine

Will Asher Named Slalom Skier Of The Year

From WATERSKI Magazine (waterskimag.com): "There was no award that caused more heated debate among our colleagues than male slalom skier of the year. With Thomas Degasperi banking wins this season and Nate Smith running 41 off in pro events, the choice is difficult. However, WILL ASHER’s competitive stats and electrifying skiing speaks for itself, and he continues to lead in an era where the talent pool is extremely deep. Just when it begins to seem as though any skier could win on any weekend, Asher continues to gather the majority of the titles. With four major wins in the second half of 2010 and a big victory at this year’s Malibu Open, his no-nonsense mental toughness continually takes him to the top step of the podium. With his dogged determination and unmatched work ethic, Will Asher is the guy to beat at any event he enters."
http://waterskimag.com/features/2011/10/05/best-of-the-best-2011-waterski-awards/7/
Tags: Malibu Boats | Will Asher | Slalom Ski | Waterski Magazine | Slalom Skier of the Year | Malibu Open | Thomas Degasperi | Nate Smith

Malibu Open Title - Best Birthday Gift Ever

Team Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) pro slalom skier Will Asher (@WillAsher) defeated Jamie Beauchesne at the Malibu Open in Milwaukee, WI over the weekend with a score of 3 buoys at 41 feet off. Beauchesne finished second with 2 buoys at 41 feet off in, some are saying, the most exciting head-to-head finale ever.

Asher had a rough start to the event, not performing the way he wanted on Friday. Skiing behind the new 2012 Malibu Response TXi, he was undeterred by his shaky beginning and returned to the Veteran's Park Lagoon on Saturday with renewed confidence. He was having fun and he had a kind of swagger that told the Milwaukee crowd this was going to be a special day. In fact, the day was special before Will even hit the water. Saturday, August 6, 1982 was the day Willy was born. He turned 29 at the 2011 Malibu Open and took the title as his gift.

Not only did this World Champion slalom skier turn a year older, he also won the Malibu Open for the second time in two years. Now that's a great day! Way to go Will! We're proud to be pulling for you!

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Open | Will Asher | slalom skiing | water skiing | water skiing competition | ski boat | Response TXi | ski boats | tow boats | Jamie Beauchesne

New Ski Boat to Debut at Malibu Open

Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) plans to introduce the world to the new Response TXi at the Malibu Open in Milwaukee, WI August 5th & 6th, 2011.

The “T” in Response TXi is for “Tournament”, so it is only right that this pro slalom skier’s dream be introduced on the waters of the world’s most competitive Waterski Championships. The Malibu Open is going off at Veteran’s Park Lagoon in Milwaukee, WI August 5-6, 2011. It is here that the new Malibu Response TXi will be pulling world champs and world record breakers to big performances. Of course, even if you’re only competition is yourself, the Response TXi will bring out your best. The 2011 Malibu Open is your chance to get a first look at your next ski boat. See you there!

Built on the new T Cut Diamond Hull, the TXi tames the flow of water behind the boat at speeds and line lengths from pro to beginning levels. World Champions like Thomas Degasperi and Will Asher as well as World Record Holders like Regina Jaquess have trained with the Response TXi. Look for crowd pleasing performances out of these Malibu athletes along with an entire field of world-class water sports royalty.

At the Malibu Open the world’s top professional water ski athletes will compete in traditional slalom and long-distance jumping for $65,000 in prize money. Free-style jumping, barefoot skiing, hydrofoil, show ski and trick flip demonstrations round out the exciting two day event, which is open and free to the public.

Malibu Boats’ National Promo Director, Dennis Kelley, had plenty to say about the debut of the TXi at the Malibu Open. “This move is a real statement about the confidence we have in our engineering and design.” Kelley continued, “The introduction of this boat is almost as extreme as its performance. We are putting the TXi in a position to pull record-breaking runs in front of tens of thousands of people on a World stage. If that doesn’t tell you just how excited we are about this boat, I don’t know what will.”

Malibu builds boats to take you to that next level in your water sports performance whether that is breaking a record or simply standing up a free skiing pass. From the record-breaking waters of the Malibu Open to your family’s next day on the lake, the new Response TXi will provide the perfect pull every time.

The Malibu Open is a free event for family, friends and all to enjoy. Visit the Malibu Open in person, tune in to the live webcast or simply stop by your nearest Malibu Boats dealer and learn the truth about the TXi on the water. The Malibu Open is produced by Pro Slalom Events and sponsored by Malibu Boats. Concessions and parking will be organized by the Milwaukee County Parks Department.

Response TXi SpecsLength: 20'6"
Beam: 93.5"
Draft: 22”
Capacity: 9 persons
Weight: 2750 lbs.
Fuel: 40 gallons
Hull Type: T Cut Diamond
Std HP: 330
Max HP: 410

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Open | Response TXi | introduction | new model | 2012 | ski boat | ski boats | tournament | slalom competition | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | Pro Slalom Events

Watch the Malibu Open Live August 5th & 6th

Join Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) and watch live online August 5th & 6th as the world’s best water skiers compete for $65,000 in prize money during the professional water ski event. Pro Slalom Events and Eagle Sports to Host Live Webcast of the Malibu Open (#MalibuOpen).

The Malibu Open professional waterski event, including athlete interviews and behind the scene shots, will be webcast live on August 5th and 6th from Veteran’s Park Lagoon in Milwaukee. The Malibu Open hosts the world’s top professional water ski athletes as they compete in traditional slalom and long-distance jumping for $65,000 in prize money. Free-style jumping, barefoot skiing, hydrofoil, show ski and trick flip demonstrations round out the exciting two day event.

Eagle Sports is providing the resources and equipment to host the live webcast which will be available on four industry sites including www.theproskitour.com, www.eaglesports.com, www.ballofspray.com and www.malibuboats.com.

The webcast enables people from around the world to share in the excitement and emotion of a world-class waterski event and the ability to get up close and personal with the athletes from the comfort of their own home. The entire event will not be available, however some of the preliminary rounds on Friday and all of finals on Saturday will be shown as well as behind the scenes shots and athlete interviews. Please see the schedule of events to know when to tune in.

When accessing the webcast, viewers will be prompted to provide an email address. This will enable them to join the live chat, ask the announcers questions and interact with other viewers. The webcasted events will immediately be archived underneath the viewing window and accessible for watching at any time.

Not going to be in front of a computer this weekend? Download the LiveStream app on your iPhone for free and watch the Malibu Open webcast on the go. For live scores and updates on Twitter, follow your favorite Team Malibu athletes like @TGas81 and @WillASher as well as @MalibuBoats, @taddh2oz and @the_krista.

The Malibu Open is a free event for family, friends and all to enjoy both onsite and online. The event is produced by Pro Slalom Events and sponsored by Malibu Boats.

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Open | live feed | webcast | video | water skiing | slalom skiing | The Pro Ski Tour | Will Asher | Regina Jaquess | Freddie Krueger | Veteran’s Park Lagoon | Milwaukee | Team Malibu | Response Series | ski boats

Malibu Open Water Ski Event Returns to Veteran’s Park Lagoon

The Malibu Open (#MalibuOpen) is returning to Milwaukee’s lakefront Veteran’s Park Lagoon on August 5-6. The world’s top professional water ski athletes will compete in traditional slalom and long-distance jumping for $65,000 in prize money. Free-style jumping, barefoot skiing, hydrofoil, show ski and trick flip demonstrations round out the exciting two day event, which is open and free to the public.

The Milwaukee Parks and Recreation is estimating 15,000 to 20,000 spectators. In addition, the Malibu Open will be in conjunction with the Thunderbirds Air show bringing in an approximate 100,000 spectators over the Friday and Saturday event.

“The Malibu Open is another example of our park system bringing quality programming to the lakefront for the benefit of Milwaukee County residents," County Executive Chris Abele said. "Unique events such as the Malibu Open attract participants and spectators from across the country, helping to shine the light nationally on our beautiful lakefront and award-winning parks."

“Athletes from around the world will be here competing,” event organizer, Dana Reed said. “Fans will have an opportunity to interact with them, grab photos and autographs. Returning Malibu Open Champion Will Asher of England, World Jump Record holder Freddy “The Nightmare” Krueger of the United States and World Slalom Record holder Regina Jaquess, will be just a few of the top athletes making a splash in the Veteran’s Park Lagoon.”

In slalom skiing, athletes navigate through a six-buoy course while the boat travels at a constant speed of 36 mph with an initial 32-foot line. After completion of each pass, the rope is shortened by a pre-determined length to increase difficulty. Whichever athlete rounds the most buoys at the shortest line length, wins. In the breathtaking long-distance jumping event, skiers race toward a 6-foot high ramp reaching speeds of 70 mph and fly distances over 200 feet. Top men’s jumper, Ryan Dodd of Canada jumped 226 feet at the 2011 Moomba Masters night finals held in Melbourne, Australia earlier this year. The athletes get three approaches at the ramp. Whoever goes the furthest, wins.

“Professional waterskiing events are usually held on private lakes, so we are very excited to be returning to the perfect venue that Milwaukee offers the Malibu Open,” Reed said. “The finals will be held Saturday night starting at 5 p.m. and ending with the men’s jump finals at 8 p.m. A country concert with Milwaukee’s own Michael Scott, will be held immediately after the event at 9 p.m.”

The Malibu Open is a free event for family, friends and all to enjoy. The event is produced by Pro Slalom Events and sponsored by Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats). Concessions and parking will be organized by the Milwaukee County Parks Department.

Malibu Open Schedule of Events
Friday
7:30 AM - Open Women Slalom Round #1 qualifying
9:30 AM - Open Men Slalom Round #1 qualifying
1:30 PM - Open Women Jump Round #1 qualifying
3:30 PM - Open Men Jump Round #1 qualifying
5:30 PM - Open Women Slalom Round #2 qualifying
6:45 PM - Free Style Jump (8)

Saturday
7:30 AM - Open Men Slalom Round #2 qualifying
11:00 AM - Free Style Jump competition (4)
11:30 AM - Open Women Jump Round #2 qualifying
1:00 PM - Open Men Jump Round #2 qualifying
2:30 PM - Hydro foil
2:45 PM - Open Women (6)
3:30 PM - Open Men Slalom (6)
4:15 PM - Barefoot Central
4:35 PM - Open Women Final (4) head to head
5:00 PM - Open Men Final (4) head to head
5:25 PM - Rock Aqua Jays
5:55 PM - Open Women Final (2) head to head
6:10 PM - Open Men Final (2) head to head
6:25 PM - Hydrofoil
6:40 PM - Open Women Jump Finals (6)
7:30 PM - Free Style Jump Finals (2)
7:45 PM - Barefoot Central
8:00 PM - Open Men Jump Finals (6)
9:00 pm - Country Concert—Michael Scott

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Open | water skiing | slalom skiing | The Pro Ski Tour | Will Asher | Regina Jaquess | Freddie Krueger | Veteran’s Park Lagoon | Milwaukee | Team Malibu | Response Series | ski boats

Driving Force

Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) Malibu Open organizer, Dana Reed’s passion for water skiing has helped bring professional cash-prize tournaments back to the mainstream public.

Written by Chrös McDougall for USA WaterSki's Waterskier Magazine we thought this article really deserved a repost on the Malibu Boats Blog. Dana is a close partner of Malibu Boats and we believe he deserves this type of recognition and more. Thank you for all you do Dana!

Any kid who has ever dreamed of making a living as a professional water skier ought to take notice of Dana Reed. Not that he’d want you to notice him. While the economy has kept many would-be promoters on the sidelines, Reed has put his heart and soul into giving the world’s top water skiers a bigger spotlight to shine – and make some money – in the United States. And he’s really just getting started. The breakthrough came last summer. After several years of organizing well executed but not so well attended pro events at out-of-the-way private lakes, Reed teamed with Malibu Boats to bring the annual Malibu Open to Milwaukee. This time, Reed sacrificed the perfect skiing conditions at private lakes for a beautiful venue at Veteran’s Park, located on a strip of land that separates downtown Milwaukee and Lake Michigan. In return, he got nearly 10,000 spectators for the two-day slalom and jumping competition and created one of the most talked about events of the year.

That success just got him more excited. Speaking from his home in Hickory, N.C., during one of the rare moments when he’s not on the road planning an event, the 55-year-old promoter speaks of big things: becoming truly profitable, having purses as high as a half-million dollars, and getting the events back on television. “I’d love to write a check for $100,000 for somebody to win an event,” he says. In the short term, though, Reed is thinking of his three events for this year: the annual Global Invitational in Grand Rapids, Mich.; the new Katy Ski Jam near Houston; and most prominently, the 2011 Malibu Open in downtown Milwaukee. And he’s thinking big. “The Malibu Open,” he says, “will be the largest event in the history of the United States this year, and you can quote me on it.”

Last year’s event was a success, to be sure, with around $45,000 in purses, high-energy nighttime finals, exhibitions from local show ski teams and barefoot skiers, and a call from the Milwaukee park’s director the day after the tournament to re-up for this year. But still, that’s a pretty bold claim. It’s not so much, though, when you have some added help.

This year, the purse is up to $65,000, the show skiers and barefoot skiers will be back, and Reed has hired local country singer Michael Scott to entertain the crowds on Saturday night of the tournament, which will take place Aug. 5-6. The biggest boon for this year’s event, though, will be the Thunderbird Air Show, which is expected to draw around 150,000 people to Veteran’s Park and nearby Bradford Beach that same weekend. “We hit a home run last year,” Reed says, “but we’re going to hit a grand slam this year because of the air show being involved.” So what’s Reed’s trick?

It’s simple: He works hard, and he’s not in it for the money. Reed, who owns a commercial cleaning company in North Carolina, is basically a one-man show who takes no profit from the events; instead, he reinvests everything into either a better event or bigger purses. “I’ve got two goals,” says Reed, who largely organizes the events by himself but who gets lots of help with the actual execution from a dedicated group of volunteers who share his passion and work ethic. “My first one is to give as much money that comes my way to the athletes. And my second goal is to get the sponsors their money worth. If there’s five dollars left at the end of the day I’m good with it. That’s about all I am.”

“I think the main thing that makes him successful and the reason he is able to continue doing what he’s doing is his passion for water skiing,” says Lani Farmer, who manages the pro team, sponsorships, and pro events for Malibu Boats. “He’s mainly focused on putting on a great show for the fans and will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Since it’s not his core business, he’s not focused on the bottom line. Dana has no problem giving every bit of profit he makes right back to the athletes.”

That deep dedication to the athletes goes back to the beginning of Reed’s promoting days. They began in the early 2000s, when women no longer had a pro water skiing tour. For little reason other than to give an opportunity to his friends who had been on that tour, Reed began organizing his own small scale but well-run pro events in North Carolina. When the men’s pro tour began losing a lot of its stops a few years later, he added them to the lineup as well. Momentum picked up when MasterCraft took notice of Reed’s events in 2008 and began helping him out. But then things stalled. With few fans and a souring economy, it didn’t matter how well the skiers were performing – sponsorship money was drying up. There were times when Reed felt like quitting. He was putting on top-notch tournaments for the skiers – sometimes subsidizing them himself to keep them afloat – but he just couldn’t get fans to show up at the private ski lakes, which were often out in the country.

And then he found Veteran’s Park. After a year of prodding to Farmer, with whom he had been working with on some smaller events, Reed finally got his wish. Farmer and Malibu agreed to give Reed the reigns to the 2010 Malibu Open. “I took a chance and it ended up being phenomenal, just phenomenal,” Farmer says, still sounding almost in disbelief at how well things worked out. “And I was very happy for him because he deserves it. He does a lot for a lot of people out of just his passion. He doesn’t get anything out of it aside from the satisfaction that comes from helping the athletes and the sport he loves.”

It was fitting, then, that the star of the 2010 Malibu Open was one of Reed’s longtime friends from North Carolina – and one of the good friends whom he wanted to give pro opportunities to in the first place. April Coble-Eller turned pro 20 years ago and was a top competitor during pro skiing’s heyday in the 1990s – when ESPN broadcast the tournaments, purses were high and stops were plentiful. Yet despite a junior world championship, 28 national championships and even a U.S. Masters overall title, Coble-Eller had never won an individual pro event in her career. So in the era of around four domestic pro events per year, smaller purses and no ESPN, Coble-Eller went to Milwaukee considering retirement.

Then, magic happened. After her husband told her, “go have fun, Dana needs your energy,” that’s exactly what she did, all the way to the pro women’s slalom title. “It was just like everything was meant to be,” says Coble-Eller, who decided to continue competing. “It was awesome.”

“[The Moomba Masters in Australia] has probably been one of my favorites,” she adds, “ … because of the hype, skiing in front of all the people, skiing downtown, and Dana created that in America. He created the Moomba Masters in Milwaukee last year.”

Reed might have a little ways to go to catch up to Moomba, which with tens of thousands of spectators is known as the biggest water ski and wakeboard event in the world, but he is definitely on the right track. “He deserves every bit of credit that he’s never gotten,” Coble-Eller says, “because he is awesome for the sport.”

Reed Credits Volunteers
If it’s not the athletes, Dana Reed prefers that his volunteers be in the spotlight ahead of him. Among them is Jeff Gilbert of Charlotte, N.C., who paid for his own flight to Milwaukee and then worked two 12-hour days installing the slalom and jump courses before the 2010 Malibu Open. Or there’s chief judge Bill Murbach, as well as sponsor reps Jim Stanley (Global Marine Insurance Agency) and Chuck Gleason (Eagle Sports), all of who stayed Sunday after the Malibu Open and helped tear down the event. Reed also mentions Tommy Harrington, who manages Reed’s Web site. “They all give up their time, sometimes three days, and they come and they work tirelessly because they all love it like I do,” Reed says. “But they give up their time, they take off a day, sometimes two days of work, and they put on these great events. “If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Chrös McDougall is a freelance writer based out of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Open | Milwaukee | County Parks | water skiing | competition | tournament | slalom | jump | ski boat | Response LXI | Will Asher | Dana Reed | Pro Slalom Events | USA WaterSki | The Waterskier | Chrös McDougall

Malibu Open Water Skiing Heats Up Again This Summer

Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) will pull the world’s best water skiers to compete for $65,000 in prize money August 5th & 6th at Veteran’s Park Lagoon.

The most talked about water skiing competition of 2010, the Malibu Open, is returning to Milwaukee’s lakefront Veteran’s Park Lagoon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 5-6, 2011. World record-breaking Response Series Malibu ski boats will pull the world’s top professional water ski athletes in slalom skiing and water ski jumping events as they compete for $65,000 in prize money. Sure to surpass the amazing performances of last year, some of these athletes could be poised for record-breaking success. This momentous water sports event is free to the public and will also feature demonstrations like free-style jumping, barefoot skiing, hydrofoiling, show skiing and trick flipping. Make plans to be at the 2011 Malibu Open.

The Milwaukee Parks and Recreation is estimating attendance in the neighborhood of 15,000 to 20,000 spectators. In addition, the Malibu Open will be in conjunction with the World-renowned Thunderbirds Air show bringing in approximately 100,000 spectators over the Friday and Saturday event.

When Lani Farmer, Event and Team Director for Malibu Boats, was asked what makes the Malibu Open so successful, this was her reply. “The Malibu Open in Milwaukee seems to breed high performance. The athletes, the boats, the lake, the crowd it all combines to create a kind of momentum that is as obvious in the performances on the water as it is in the buzz along the shore.” Lani explained, “We saw some of the highest cuts ever in a water ski competition last year. This year we may see some records fall.”

“Athletes from around the world will be here competing,” event organizer, Dana Reed said. “Fans will have an opportunity to interact with them, grab photos and autographs. Returning Malibu Open Champion Will Asher of England, World Jump Record holder Freddy “The Nightmare” Krueger of the United States and World Women’s Slalom Record holder Regina Jaquess of the United States will be just a few of the top athletes making a splash in the Veteran’s Park Lagoon.”

In slalom skiing, athletes navigate through a six-buoy course while the Malibu ski boat travels at a constant speed of 36 mph with an initial 32-foot line. After completion of each pass, the rope is shortened by a pre-determined length to increase difficulty. Whichever athlete rounds the most buoys at the shortest line length, wins. In the breathtaking long-distance jumping event, skiers race toward a 6-foot high ramp reaching speeds of 70 mph and fly distances over 200 feet. Top men’s jumper, Ryan Dodd of Canada jumped 226 feet at the 2011 Moomba Masters night finals held in Melbourne, Australia earlier this year. The athletes get three approaches at the ramp. Whoever goes the furthest, wins.

“Professional waterskiing events are usually held on private lakes, so we are very excited to be returning to the perfect venue that Milwaukee offers the Malibu Open,” Reed said. “The finals will be held Saturday night starting at 5 p.m. and ending with the men’s jump finals at 8 p.m. A country concert with Milwaukee’s own Michael Scott, will be held immediately after the event at 9 p.m.”

The Malibu Open is a free event for family, friends and all to enjoy. The event is produced by Pro Slalom Events and sponsored by Malibu Boats. Concessions and parking will be organized by the Milwaukee County Parks Department.

About Pro Slalom Events, LLC: Pro Slalom Events, LLC’s goal is to bring water skiing back to the national spotlight giving our spectacular athletes a stage to perform on. Founded by Dana Reed, Pro Slalom Events, recreated the Pro Water Ski Tour for the 2008 season which became an immediate success. In 2011 Pro Slalom Events will continue its momentum supporting events in Michigan, Wisconsin and Texas. Through its passion and enthusiasm for water skiing Pro Slalom Events will continue to bring the amazing talent of these athletes to fans across the country and around the world for many years to come.

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Open | water skiing | slalom skiing | The Pro Ski Tour | Will Asher | Regina Jaquess | Freddie Krueger | Veteran’s Park Lagoon | Milwaukee | Team Malibu | Response Series | ski boats

Will Asher Captures Another Win at 3 Sisters!

It's a good thing Team Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) World Champion Pro Men's Slalom Skier Will Asher (@WillAsher) is always in the water, cause he's on fire this season! Will just added another victory at the 3 Sisters ProAm Championships in Wigan, England. And Team Malibu Boats world-class slalom skier Thomas Degasperi earned a 2nd place finish!

Will not only won the 3 Sisters ProAm, he set a new course record of 4 @ 41 off. This latest podium-topping finish joins a 1st at the Malibu Open, 1st at the Global Invitational and 1st at the Princess ProAm!

Keep it up Team Malibu! We're pulling for you!

Tags: Malibu Boats | 3 Sisters | Wigan England | Will Asher | Thomas Degasperi | slalom skiing | water skiing | Team Malibu | Malibu Open | Global Invitational | Princess Pro Am | ski boat | ski boats

Win A Piece of Wakeboarding History from Dallas Friday

Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) is honoring the most successful female wakeboarder in history with an autographed Dallas Friday jersey give-a-way. Worn by Dallas during the 2008 Malibu Open, we thought this unique prize could help a lucky winner wave bye to the 2010 pro wakeboard season and begin looking forward to Dallas's return. Sing-up for the Malibu Boats Enews to enter to win. If you win and you follow Malibu Boats on Twitter or are a Malibu Boats fan on Facebook you'll receive a bonus Malibu Gear gift card.

Dallas's season was cut short by injury this year, but she is already well on her way back to World Champion condition. The doctors say she is making as many game changing moves in her recovery as she has in competitive wakeboarding. In 2008 she took home gold at the Malibu Open Wakeboard and Water Ski Championships in Michigan. That victory and the 2008 season was huge for Dallas as it was an amazing comeback from another much more serious injury. Dallas wore this rash guard jersey during all of her Malibu Open heats including the final round, where she shut the door on the competition.

Perfect for a game room, man cave or kid's room, this is a one-of-a-kind piece of sports memorabilia that will add to any pro wakeboarding enthusiast's collection. Do you have a wakeboarder on your gift list who is impossible to buy for? Enter them to win!

We're giving this signed Dallas Friday 2008 Malibu Open pro athlete jersey away on the last day of Summer: Tuesday, September 21, 2010. The winner will be chosen randomly from Malibu Boats email list sign-ups between now and September 20th. Malibu Boats will ship the signed Dallas Friday 2008 Malibu Open jersey to the randomly chosen winner no matter where they are in the world. If you win and you follow Malibu Boats on Twitter or are a fan on Facebook you'll receive a bonus $100 Malibu Gear gift card.

To enter, sign-up for the Malibu Boats Monthly Enewsletter. Each month you will receive an email featuring the latest news from Malibu Boats including new product information, fun photos and videos, as well as articles on Malibu Boats athletes, boat owners and events. You will even learn about boat promotions and Malibu Gear specials before anyone else. So sign-up for Malibu Enews and you will automatically be entered to win the autographed Dallas Friday 2008 Malibu Open jersey. Your piece of pro wakeboarding history could only be a "Send" button click away.

Email blog@malibuboats.com for more information.

Tags: Malibu Boats | Dallas Friday | give-a-way | contest | sports memorabilia | pro wakeboarding | wakeboarding jersey | Malibu Open | Summer | wakeboarding | female wakeboarder | world champion | Malibu Boats Enews | Enewsletter | autographed

2009 Malibu Open Kids on the Sea of Galili

This Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) 2009 Malibu 23 LSV is on the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Photographer Lior Eliyahu submitted this photo to us through our Malibu iPhone App. This photo was taken at the Malibu Open Kids 2009 Memorial Day Weekend. Pretty cool! It was very successful! The kids had a blast!

Thank you Lior very cool shot!!

If you capture or come across a cool Malibu Boats-related photo like this one let us know. We would love to post it on the Malibu Boats Blog and Flickr Channel. We will even Tweet about it on Twitter and add it to the ever-changing Malibu Boats Screen Saver. You can also submit your photo or video through our Malibu iPhone App. E-mail blog@malibuboats.com with links and/or images. Also make sure to include the name of the person who took the shot and give us a short description of the photo's contents. If you do not know this information and you are only forwarding a link, we can track it down. Thanks!

World Class Skiers Heading to Malibu Open in Milwaukee

Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) and Milwaukee County Parks and Recreation have teamed up to bring the 2010 Malibu Open to Veteran’s Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin August 6-7. Records are ready to be rewritten with Malibu as the official towboat. The world’s top slalom and jump skiers will be competing for $50,000 in prize money on the smooth waters of the National Recreation and Parks Association Gold Medal-winning Veteran’s Park. Spectators are poised to witness a weekend of history-making performances amidst the fun and excitement that a Malibu Boats-supported tournament is known for, at a venue reserved for high-profile events.

Check out this set of Malibu Open photos and logos on Flickr.

The site of Harley-Davidson’s 105th Anniversary Celebration, Veteran’s Park is home to the 2010 Malibu Open. This Milwaukee County Park has hosted numerous large events. The Harley event welcomed crowds in excess of 100,000. The perfect body of water that has never been available to water ski events before is now the site of the Malibu Open.

"We are so excited to have the International Water-ski Federation (IWSF) on Milwaukee County Park's lakefront for competitive water-ski competition this summer. This international event, combined with the Air Show, AVP Volleyball tournaments and the Kite Festivals, are just another reason for the residents of Southeastern Wisconsin to come out and enjoy over 14 miles of pristine park setting lakefront property on Lake Michigan. It's events such as this that truly make the Milwaukee County Park System a Gold Medal System." Sue Black, Milwaukee County Parks Director stated.

Sixty of the finest skiers from around the globe will ascend on Milwaukee to vie for $50,000 in prize money. In addition to the Record Capable Slalom and Jump events, Show Ski, Free Style Jumping and Barefoot Skiing will also hold the crowd’s attention during the show at Veteran’s Park.

“We are very excited to have the event come to Milwaukee,” commented Kelly Peiffer, Sports Marketing Director for Milwaukee convention and Visitors Bureau.

The event will take place over 2 excitement-filled days with qualifying both Friday and Saturday. The qualifying rounds will narrow the field to the finale on Saturday night under lights, where jumpers like World Record Holder, Freddy Krueger will hurl themselves over a 6-foot ramp to distances in excess of 220 ft. Slalom skiing is a very technical and exact sport. Add night skiing to this event and the excitement escalates by leaps and bounds. Will Asher, current world champion, and Chris Parrish, current world record holder, will be among the favorites to take home the coveted Malibu Open title.

“This is the best possible venue for our sport,” comments Dana Reed, President of Pro Slalom Events LLC, the Malibu Open Tournament Organizer. “Never before have we had the opportunity to showcase our sport at a site with so much potential for viewership.”

The World’s No. 1 selling water sports boat manufacturer, Malibu Boats was chosen as the title sponsor and the official tow boat for the 2010 Malibu Open. Malibu’s World Record-breaking competition ski boat, the Response LXi, will do the pulling honors. 14 World Records, a long list of national and event records as well as countless personal bests speak to the performance of this Malibu boat. As Malibu Boats suggests, “The truth is on the water.”

When asked about her expectations for the 2010 Malibu Open, Lani Farmer, the National Event and Team Director for Malibu Boats answered, “The Malibu Open is the perfect blend of promotion, performance and venue.” Farmer explained, “Dana Reed is passionate about the sport and willing to do whatever it takes to provide the athletes with a first class venue in which to compete. Our participation [Malibu Boats] guarantees heated competition and the possibility of new World records. Add in the perfect water conditions, superior accommodations and crowd-friendly shorelines of Veteran’s Park and this could be the best Malibu Open yet!”

When Reed was asked why Veteran’s Park was the best location for the Malibu Open, he replied, “In these tough economic times, we wanted a site that would create excitement. Wisconsin is the center of the show ski world and we would like to tap into the excitement that has been created over the many years.”

Crowds will enjoy the wide variety of activities planned for the Malibu Open. Great food and drinks will be available on site courtesy of Milwaukee Parks and Recreation along with many water sports related vendors. The Malibu Open will be a free event for all to enjoy with family and friends.

Tags: Malibu Boats | Malibu Open | Milwaukee | County Parks | water skiing | competition | tournament | slalom | jump | ski boat | Response LXI | Will Asher | Dana Reed | Pro Slalom Events