Skiers Converge at Diablo Shores

After a few months off, the MasterCraft Pro Tour stops off in Brentwood, California this weekend. We'll see the top athletes in our sport competing at one of the premier pro events of the year. Crowds of over 5,000 people have been reported at this event -- and with many more tuning into the Live Webcast and Live Chat, it should make for a great weekend.

Who will take home this year's title? Karina Nowland shocked the entire women's field last year by busting out not just one, but 2 complete 39 off (10.75m) passes. Regina Jaquess has run the pass twice this year -- so the women's division actually has the potential to see multiple skiers on the 41 (10.25) loop. Whitney McClintock is fresh off her World Championship, and has been skiing really well this year too. You could see Whitney clean 39 off for the first time in a tournament this weekend!

A stacked men's division features the best skiers in the sport -- and it seems like they are all on top of their game coming into this weekend.

Jamie Beauchesne has been training hard in secluded New Hampshire. A few minor injuries, starting with an ankle bruiser at last year's Malibu Quake on the Lake, and continuing through this summer have slowed Jamie down a little bit -- but we still expect to see him into the head to head, running multiple 39 passes.

Chris Rossi lost an entire season last year to ankle injury, but he has come back this year with a vengence -- winning both the US Nationals and then the Princes Pro Am this August. If I'm not mistaken, Rossi has podiumed at every event he has entered in this year. A couple tough battles with Chris Parrish during the North Carolina and Michigan MasterCraft tour stops set the stage for some interesting battles this weekend.

After winning the first event of the year and then suffering a few minor setbacks (like the inability to defeat Chris Rossi) -- Parrish is skiing with a vengence this fall after his switch to Goode Skis.

Thomas Degasperi is fresh off his European Championship, and is always a threat at events like Diablo Shores. Nick Parsons also took home a pro victory this summer, after switching from the 9900 Wide Ride back to the regular width Goode ski, his skiing took a definite turn for the best.

Will Asher has been skiing exceptionally well this summer as well -- taking victories at the Masters, World Championships, and at the Michigan Pro Tour stop. Will came into this season really strong, spanking the competition early in the year at the Masters. Typically it is rare to see a skier dominate the entire season, and Will has already shown some signs of fatigue, skiing rather mediocre since his World Championship run at the beginning of August. We'll see if he shows up reinvigorated and ready to rip this weekend.

With a variety of other exceptional skiers on the running order for this weekend, you might see a few shockers into the final as well.

Finally, in the Legends Division, you can party like it's 1989 with the likes of Kris Lapoint, Lucky Lowe, Bob Lapoint and Andy Mapple. Look for Andy to get way down 41 off... and if they're skiing at 34MPH, potentially destroy that 4@41 record Dave Miller set earlier this year.

We'll be broadcasting on our Water Ski Forum -- and hosting a live chat during the webcast as well. So drop by tomorrow and Sunday to see one of the most exciting tournaments of this year!

Here's Our Picks for the Podium:

Legends
Andy Mapple 2@43@34MPH

Open Women
Whitney McClintock 1 @ 41 - 10.25
Regina Jaquess 5 @ 39 - 10.75
Karen Truelove 4 @ 39 - 10.75

Open Men
Chris Parrish 2 @ 43 - 9.75
Will Asher 5@ 41 - 10.25
Chris Rossi 3@41 - 10.25

Talk about this more in the 2009 Diablo Shores Pro Am Discussion