Monster Energy’s Shawn Watson Takes 1st Place @ The Carnival – Wakeboarding’s Marquee Rail Event

Watson leads a strong contingent of Monster Energy-backed athletes that descend upon Orlando and take it to the world’s best rail riders

CORONA, Calif., (May 12, 2008) – Monster Energy’s Shawn Watson was crowned king of the rails this past weekend at the Carnival, the nation’s premier wakeboarding rail event held at the Projects on the outskirts of Orlando.

Watson showcased his best stuff all weekend long in taking the Carnival win – arguably the biggest rail win of his career. “To win the Carnival is huge,” said Watson. “We had a bunch of guys from Monster there competing and all had each other’s backs. The competition level was insane. I was fortunate to have won because there were ten guys that were killing it all weekend.”



In the opening round Watson got by fellow Monster Energy wakeboarder Kevin Henshaw, then topped Aaron Rathy and edged Keith Lidberg in a close match. In the finals Watson was pitted against defending Carnival champ, Parks Bonifay. Again Watson stepped up and laid down a colossal finals run that included a switch toeside 270 to back lip slide/270 off the Fox transfer box. Watson then nose pressed the entire Hyperlite A-frame, giving him the win over Bonifay.

“Watson has a solid, consistent run with a lot of variety,” added Tony Smith, on of the event’s judges.

Other Monster Energy wakeboarders competing at the Carnival included: Daniel Watkins, Shane Bonifay and Danny Harf.

This weekend (May 16-18) is the first Wakeboarding Pro Tour stop of the season, opening in Acworth, Ga. Monster Energy athletes will be out in full force, including: Watson, Harf, Bonifay, Henshaw, Jimmy LaRiche (Jr. Men) and Melissa Marquardt.

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it wakeboards jibbing, bonking, hucking and schralping across rails, snowmobile distance jumping, enduro, hare scrambles, MX, road racing, supermoto, FMX, skate, MTB, off-road, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, the new Monster/fruit juice hybrid called “M-80” and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Everybody at the big wakeboarding events are diggin’ ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterenergy.com.