Air Nautique Wake Games 2010: Opening Rounds

With quick and substantial eliminations in each heat, only the cream of the crop will advance on to the next rounds of the 2010 Air Nautique Wake Games.

The world's best wakeboarders hit the waters for the opening rounds of the 2010 Air Nautique Wake Games in Orlando, Florida. The four-day contest started out with qualifying rounds for the Pro Men, Pro Women and Pro Wakeskate divisions.

The wakeboardings who qualified in the opening rounds have been invited to the Team Draft and will advance to the next round. At the Draft, the 10 preselected captains will choose their teammates.

Athletes will contribute points toward a team score based on their individual placement within their respective division. The team with the highest total score in Orlando will take home the team title.

Almost fifty competitors battled it out in the Pro Men's division qualifiers. Eliminations are quick, as only the top two riders from each heat will advance to Saturday's quarterfinals.

He may be a rookie, but that did not stop Bob Soven from posting the high score of the day, a 78.33.

The Pro Women's division featured four heats of four, with only the top two riders from each heat advancing. Raimi Merrit, Amber Wing, Nicola Butler, and the defending Wake Games titlist, Dallas Friday, each led their respective heat.

The Pro Wakeskate division had 10 shredders qualify through today. All ten wakeskaters will head to the Draft and Brian Grubb is still on the hunt to pull the five-peat at the 2010 Air Nautique Wake Games in Orlando.