Dallas Friday Returns to the Water, JD Webb Just Misses Podium

Dallas Friday made a successful return to wakeboarding at the US Masters of Wakeboarding after more than eight months off from competition after sustaining serious injuries at the World Cup Tour in Singapore last year. Friday spent several weeks in a coma last season after shattering her femur and tearing all of the ligaments and tendons in her knee, once in hospital complications arose when her lung collapsed and Friday slipped into a coma.

Women

After such serious injuries, questions arose over Dallas’ ability to properly walk again -- let alone return to the sport of wakeboarding which she has truly dominated for the last few years. This weekend -- after months of intensive physical therapy, training and rehab, Friday strapped on her bindings in an attempt to prove to herself -- and the wakeboarding world -- that she has what it takes to return to the top of the sport.

After her qualifying run at the prestigious 2007 US Masters of Wakeboarding, it was clear Friday is still the queen of women’s wakeboarding after completing an impressive stand up pass and being ranked the number one qualifier for the finals.

In the finals, Dallas took to the water for another solid performance, unfortunately falling midway through her second pass on a batwing. The fall cost Friday some crucial points against Emily Copeland-Durham who threw down the run of her life only moments before Friday’s run. Dallas was left in 2nd place, but even without the win, she has announced her comeback is for real!

Men

In the men’s competition, JD Webb remains at the top of the extremely competitive list of guys battling it out for wake supremacy.

In one of the most intense qualifying round in a long time, all the “who’s who” of wakeboarding got out their biggest money tricks just to make it out of qualifying. Webb came up with a trump card and snagged one of the top finals spots.

The excitement only grew in the finals with a near perfect run being thrown down by the eventual winner, Phillip Soven. JD’s run was comparable to Soven’s, with a massive display of air and technique. But, a fall on his double up attempt meant that Webb just missed the podium, finishing in 4th place.