Everyone here at Alli is really excited to collaborate with the King of Wake Series (We’ve got some official dates to announce!—see below), but don’t take it from us—we’ve invited powerhouse Rusty Malinoski to chime in now and again while we break down some nitty-gritty announcement stuff.

The King of Wake has become the amalgamation of the greatest wakeboard stand-offs, show-downs, tours, and extravaganzas that have ever existed. Since 2005, the King of Wake has consisted of the Wake Games, the five-stop Pro Wakeboard Tour, and the WWA National and World Championships. That makes up eight total stops, with five of them doubling as stops for sister-series Queen of Wake.

In essence, the King of Wake Series is the premier, elite, crème de la crème (insert additional French-isms here: __________ ) circuit of the Wakeboarding world. Hey, it ain’t bragging if it’s true. Rusty?

“The King of Wake is the biggest tour we’re all a part of,” Rusty says. “To win King of Wake would be a huge honor because the best athletes are at every stop.”

Prominent King of Wake participants include two-time champ Phillip Soven, Aaron Rathy and Adam Errington. Top female riders include 2008 Queen of Wake Nicola Butler and high-finisher Emily Copeland. The point is, most anybody who’s anybody competes in the King of Wake Series, and, what with the economy being what it is, who wouldn’t spring for piece of the $300,000 prize purse?

“[The prize money] at the end of the year is pretty awesome; it gets you motivated real quick,” Rusty says.

Let’s consider it a wakeboard stimulus package, of which Rusty, as the consecutive second-place finisher since 2006, has had serious portions routed to his bank account. As for the 2009 season, Beyond filming Body Glove and Hyperlite video sections, Rusty says he doesn’t anticipate anything to change during the—“other than I plan on winning King of Wake.”

Here’s the 2009 schedule to help you best abandon all other obligations:

Complete 2009 King of Wake Schedule

April 23-26 Wake Games @ Orlando Watersports Complex - Orlando, Fla.
May 29-31 Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #1 @ Texas MasterCraft - Fort Worth, Texas
June 19-21 Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #2 @ Prairie Springs Park - Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
June 27-28 Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #3 @ Volunteer Landing - Knoxville, Tenn.
July 8-12 WWA National Championships @ Oklahoma River - Oklahoma City, Okla.
July 18-19 Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #4 @ Freeman Lake Park - Louisville, Ky.
Aug. 14-16 Pro Wakeboard Tour: Stop #5 @ Sparks Marina - Sparks/Reno, Nev.
Aug.27-30 WWA World Championships @ Orlando Watersports Complex - Orlando, Fla.