We recently caught up with current Queen of Wake champ, Nicola Butler, to see what she’s been up to lately and get her thoughts on the second stop of the series, the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour stop in Fort Worth, Tex, on May 29-31

Alli: So what have you been up to since the first stop of the series, late last month?

Nicola Butler: Well… I didn’t do so hot at Wake Games; I came in fourth-place, so I’ve just been getting ready for Fort Worth. You know, I’ve just go out on the water everyday, practicing and going to the gym. It seems like all the girls have stepped up their riding, so I need to do the same.

So do you spend all of your time on the water?

Sometimes it seems that way, but actually later today, I’m going rock climbing with some friends, so that should be fun. I like being outdoors a lot, so if I’m not on the water riding, I’m still outside doing something fun.

So if you weren’t a pro wakeboarder, would you want a career in the outdoors? A park ranger, perhaps?

[Laughs] No way! If I weren’t a pro wakeboarder, I would still want to be a pro in another sport. Maybe surfing or snowboarding, so I guess I would keep it outdoorsy.

Well as a pro wakeboarder, what are your expectations going into the Fort Worth Tour stop?

I took first-place in Fort Worth last year, so it would cool if I could repeat there. I guess, I’m just going to lay down my run, stay positive, have fun and see what happens. Plus, just chilling in Fort Worth is a lot of fun; there is a ton of stuff to see and do out there, the fans are awesome, and Texas MasterCraft is just a killer place to host the event.

Who do you see as your biggest competition in Fort Worth?

Everyone, really… all the girls have stepped up their riding so much; you can’t count anyone out. Plus, Dallas [Friday] is back from her injury and riding very well. Raimi Merrit has really been throwing down lately too. There is definitely going to be a lot of talent in Fort Worth, trust me.

Any big plans after the Fort Worth Tour stop?

[Laughs] I’m actually staying in the Fort Worth for a few extra days with some of the other Oakley Team riders to do demo out there. It should be fun, hope everyone checks it out, Oakley has a sick wake team put together.

Any sponsor shout-outs?

For sure: MasterCraft, Company wakeboards, Mona Vie, Oakley, Osiris, OWC.

Did we leave anything else out?

Yes! Everyone should checkout the event in Fort Worth and come say hello. Also checkout my new website, www.nicolabutler.com. Hope to see you all in Fort Worth.

Orlando, Fla. – With qualifying rounds and the team draft out of the way, the 2009 Air Nautique Wake Games, presented by ROCKSTAR took off today at the Orlando Watersports Complex in Orlando, Fla. with several amateur divisions finishing the contest, setting all ten teams up with base points for the team challenge.

With eight of the 20 divisions in the books, Team Soven took the lead early in the team challenge. Team Adkison trails in second-place with Team Webb in third. All ten teams will continue to vie for points in tomorrow’s finals, where 12 divisions will battle it out behind the boat for individual division trophies and points for their respective teams. The team with the highest score will take home the team title and prize money.

In the pro divisions today, three riders threwdown perfect runs to lead their heat, advance in the contest and wow the crowd. Rusty Malinoski (Humboldt, Sask.) of the Pro Men’s division, as well as Nicola Butler (Bournemouth, England) and Orlando native Dallas Friday of the Pro Women’s division each posted a perfect 100-point run.

The Air Nautique Wake Games, presented by ROCKSTAR concludes tomorrow, Sunday, April 26, where several pro and amateur divisions will finish out the contest and a new team will be crowned the winner.

The Air Nautique Wake Games presented by ROCKSTAR is a four-day carnival of water-sports action. But not all of the action takes place on the water. On land, fans will experience tons great food and music, athlete autograph signings, chances to win freebies, and shopping at the most cutting-edge stores offering water-sports equipment including boats, wakeboards, wakeskates, sunglasses and the latest in wakeboarding and surfing fashions.

Tickets are available online at www.allisports.com, and at the gate: $10.00 (GA); $5.00 (ages 6-12); Free (ages 5 & under). The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Since its inception in 1992, the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour has hosted some of the most talented riders in the world; from X Games gold-medalists to world record-holders, ESPN Espy winners to world and national champions. But never before in its 17-year history, has the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour had a rider, let alone two, go undefeated on the season — until now.

After claiming wins at the first four Tour stops of the 2008 season, both Phillip Soven, 19, and Nicola Butler, 16, are on the verge of making action-sports history, as the wakeboarding duo look to claim their fifth and final Tour stop victories of the year at Sparks Marina in Reno, Nev., July 11-13, 2008.

A win in Reno would solidify both Soven's and Butler's place in history as the first two riders ever to go unbeaten on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour.

Soven, of Longwood, Fla., has competed in the Pro Men's Division on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour since age 11. Throughout his eight-year professional career on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, Soven has won 10 Tour stops and claimed the overall Tour title in 2007.

Butler, a native of Cape Town, South Africa, is currently in just her second year on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, but has already set Tour records in the Pro Women's Division and is established as one of the most progressive female riders on the water.

Soven and Butler both enter the Tour's final stop of the year, as the top-seeded riders in their respective divisions and are widely considered the frontrunners of the contest.

However, a talented field of riders will look to leave the duo in their wake and end Butler's and Soven's run toward making action-sports history, as the first two riders to have an undefeated season on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour.

The Tour will witness history in the making or see the duo's dreams wash away, when all the high-flying, rail-sliding, water-sports action of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour hits Reno, Nev., July 11-13.

This event is a three-day carnival of water-sports action. But not all of the action takes place on the water. On land, fans will experience tons of great food and music; athlete autograph signings; chances to win free giveaways; and shopping at the most cutting-edge stores for water-sports equipment including boats, wakeboards, wakeskates, sunglasses and the latest in wakeboarding and surfing fashions. The event will run from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Friday and Sunday and 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 12.

Tickets can be purchased at Sparks Marina on July 11-13 for $10 (general admission), $5 (ages 6-12) or free (ages 5 and under). To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.prowakeboardtour.com. General-admission tickets are buy one get one free online only until July 10, 12 p.m. EST.

To catch all the wakeboarding action from home, tune in to FUEL TV.

FUEL TV is a 24/7 action-sports lifestyle network for wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX and freestyle motocross. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, Fuel TV was launched July 1, 2003, and is seen in 25 million U.S. homes. To subscribe to Fuel TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit fuel.tv.

MasterCraft is the exclusive tow boat for the Pro Wakeboard Tour, as it has been since the tour's wakeboarding events began in 1992. Indmar Marine engines will provide the power for MasterCraft's X Series line of competition tow boats.

Rockstar is the world's most powerful energy drink. Developed to improve the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, Rockstar Energy Drink is available in 10 flavors -- Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava, Pomegranate, Punched, Roasted Mocha, Roasted Vanilla Light and Roasted Latte -- at convenience stores and retail grocery outlets across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom.

WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. WakeBoarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.

The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour has the support of the following sponsors: MasterCraft, Rockstar Energy Drink, Mona Vie, the U.S. Air Force, Indmar, Billabong, Hyperlite, CWB, Gator Boards, Ronix, Oakley, Reef, Cire, wakeworld.com and theliquidcircus.com.

Orlando, Fla. – In the realm of professional wakeboarding, it may only be the fourth time in history the King of Wake series has crowned a winner for the world's most elite pro wakeboarding circuit, but for the first time the king is sharing the throne with a female counterpart, the Queen of Wake.

Since its inception in 2005, the King of Wake series has made waves on the water, establishing itself as the most prestigious pro wakeboarding circuit in the world, bringing together the sport's top events into one ultimate season-long points chase. The King of Wake has proven to be so influential within the sport that in just three years after its inauguration, the mirrored female version, the Queen of Wake series, was created.

During the 2008 season, the two nine-event series each hit the water for the Air Nautique Wake Games, the Tigé Pro-Am Wakeboard Championships, the Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, five stops on the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour and the Rockstar Energy Drink WWA Wakeboard World Championships, presented by Supra.

After six intense months of competition, the two series came to a close, dubbing the men's top points-earner, 19-year-old Phillip Soven of Longwood, Fla., the King of Wake, and crowned the women's top points-earner, 16-year-old Nicola Butler of Bournemouth, England, the Queen of Wake. As the winner of the King of Wake series, Soven claimed the $25,000 cash prize, while Butler took home the $10,000 bonus for winning the inaugural Queen of Wake series.

For Phillip Soven, the 2008 crown marked his second consecutive King of Wake title.

"It's an incredible feeling to win the King of Wake again; I never would have thought something like this was possible," said Soven. "For me, competing against some of the guys I grew up watching and admiring is an honor, but to be ranked the top rider among them is really a dream come true."

UK standout Nicola Butler will go down in history as the first rider ever to win the Queen the Wake series and proved to be a contender for future titles, as she won seven on the nine events in the inaugural series, including the first six contests of the Queen of Wake. Butler's six-contest winning-streak in the most any pro female or pro male rider has won in either series.

"All the girls stepped up their riding this year, which pushed me to be better," said Butler. "It's honor to be part of the Queen of Wake, it's the first time us girls have had something like this and I'm just stoked that I won it."

In 2009, many riders will look to dethrone the reigning King and Queen of Wake, but until next season, Soven and Butler plan on enjoying their time as royalty on the pro wakeboarding scene.

For more information regarding King of Wake, visit www.kingofwake.com.

To catch all the wakeboarding action from home, tune in to FUEL TV. For exact air dates, visit www.kingofwake.com.

FUEL TV is a 24/7 action-sports lifestyle network for wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX and freestyle motocross. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, FUEL TV was launched July 1, 2003, and is seen in 25 million U.S. homes. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

This summer, FUEL TV brings you the most unbelievable action to come from lakes since Loch Ness. Starting in July, you can catch wakeboarding and wakeskating's mega-monsters attack the still waters worldwide. All the contests, series, and films you'd want to see will be in "Wake Steady", FUEL TV's wake block every Tuesday night at 8:00pm ET/PT.

WakeBoarding, published by Bonnier Corp., is the official magazine of the King of Wake series. WakeBoarding is the definitive source on all things wakeboarding, with expert coverage of professional instruction, gear, boats and the latest news.