This was the 27th Stop of the Waterski and Wakeboard World Cup Series and the sixth to be staged in the spectacular Volga River site in Dubna City in the Region of Moscow. To date the World Cup series has awarded over $2.5 million to the winners. MasterCraft have been the official boat sponsors in all 27 World Cup Stops. This Dubna Stop included Shortboard /Tricks and Jump for both Men and Women. For all results, see : http://waterski.online.fr/competition.php?cc=T-09RUS01 In glorious 32C sunshine, Shortboard / Tricks came first. In a very surprising Womens Semi Finals, World Record holder Clementine Lucine FRA failed to make the cut to the Finals. Likewise, World Record Holder, Nicolas Le Forestier FRA shocked all by failing to make it through in the Mens event. In the Tricks Finals, 19 year old Marion Aynaud FRA impressed all with a 6950 points score to take the silver medal. The 2005 World Trick champion, Mandy Nightingale USA, who had a lean spell in 2006 / 2007 till she won the 2008 World Cup title in Doha Qatar, really came good today in Russia. Her 7320 points returned her to glory in taking the first World Cup Shortboard title of the 2009 season. Maria Camilla Linares COL made it to the World Cup podium once again to take the bronze medal. In the Mens Shortboard / Tricks event, the youngest really impressed. Pierre Ballon FRA FRA (19), Franck Desboyaux FRA (23) and Herman Beliakou BLR (20) amazed all by making it to the World Cup Finals. Two of them actually made it to the World Cup podium. Desboyaux took the silver medal and Beliakou then went on to take the gold medal with 10,690 points. It was another great day World Cup day for Belarus with Aliaksei Zharnasek taking the bonze medal. Womens Jump came next. Here again we had some major surprises. World Jump Champion Ageliki Andriopoulou GRE struggled to reach form and had to settle for third place with a distance of 49.9m. World Overall Champion Clementine Lucine FRA also struggled and unusually failed to make the podium this time. The surprise of the day was the performance of Marie Vympranietsova GRE. She beat Andriopoulou with a spectacular 50.1m distance to take the silver medal. However, the 2009 US Masters 2009 and Moomba Masters winner, June Fladborg DEN, continued her great winning spell with a superb effort and a final score of 50.9m. As the sun began to drop in the clear blue sky above, the six Mens Finalists arrived in the very impressive Volga River Stadium. This was one of the toughest World Cup battles seen for some time. It ended with serious drama ! Only three meters divided all the scores. Any Finalist could have won. Canada’s Ryan Dodd was in spectacular form in spite of heavy cold over the previous four days.. His 67.1m distance proved impossible to beat even for Freddy Krueger USA, the World Record Holder. In the end, there was a tie between Jaret Llewellyn CAN, who has broken eleven World Records in his career to date – and fellow Canadian Ryan Dodd with that score of 67.1m. Dodd was first back on the water and secured a distance of 66.4m. Llewellyn decided to go for the big one on his first attempt. With a slight tail breeze, all looked good till he hit the jump ramp at over 100 kph. As he came off the surface, he started to cartwheel in the air. The 10,000 spectators gasped ! Landing on his right shoulder, it looked like a serious injury. In the water, it also looked serious. As he struggled to climb aboard the MasterCraft, the crowd gave him a well deserved standing ovation. Ice packs and medical attention then worked wonders. Fortunately, although sore, he has recovered. Ryan Dodd CAN is the Dubna World Cup Jump Champion – with Llewellyn taking silver and Krueger bronze. This was one of the most enjoyable World Cup Stops to date. The Closing Ceremony featured a large floating stage at the World Cup site and a wonderful show which included singers, dancers, acrobats and a spectacular fireworks display at sunset. The City of Dubna has really taken the World Cup series to heart. Their commitment to making it a success in each of the past six years has been exceptional. All will remember this one as a vintage World Cup Stop. Congratulations Dubna ! SEE SEPARATE STORY ON JARET’S CRASH AND RECOVERY The next World Cup Stop will be in Liuzhou, China – a spectacular new World Cup location. SHORTBOARD – WOMEN 1. Mandy Nightingale USA 7320 2. Marion Aynaud FRA 6950 3. Maria Camilla Linares 6600 SHORTBOARD – MEN 1. Herman Beliakou BLR 10,690 2. Franck Desboyaux FRA 9680 3. Aliaksei Zharnasek BLR JUMP – WOMEN 1.June Fladborg DEN 50.9m 2. Marie Vympranietsova GRE 50.1 3. Angeliki Andriopoulou GRE 49.9. JUMP MEN 1. Ryan Dodd CAN 67.1 / 66.4 2. Jaret Llewellyn CAN 67.1 / 0.0 3. Freddy Kruger USA 67.0