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 MasterCraft Inks Deal with Rider Nicola Butler February 04, 2009 MasterCraft Boat Company announces that it has recently signed rider Nicola Butler to its world-class wakeboarding team. Butler, 16 years old, is a podium tour-de-force in only her 2nd year as a professional and is easily considered not only the best female rider but also the future of women's wakeboarding.
Known for her aggressive yet smooth style, the native of Cape Town, South Africa is stoked to have the support of MasterCraft and the pull of the award-winning X-Star to add more tricks to an already full bag.
“It is an amazing honor to be on the MasterCraft roster,” says Butler. “Everyone knows the X-Star is the sickest wakeboard boat on the water with its huge and rampy wakes. Plus MasterCraft is killer to work with because they really do understand our sport and where we want it to go.”
MasterCraft, which pulls the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, X Games, Wakeboard World Cup and IWSF World Championships, is equally excited to have Butler on its team. “Nicola is so valuable to our industry because she is the whole package – she is an incredibly impressive rider plus she is already highly regarded for her approachability and work ethic,” says Aarne Clow, team and event manager for MasterCraft. “As the sport evolves and gains more notoriety, it is crucial to have well-rounded athletes that not only represent sponsors favorably behind the boat, but in front of the public as well.”
Butler is the current Queen of Wake Champion, Pro Tour Champion and World Champion and in 2008 alone she grabbed seven first place honors out of nine events. As if the first-place hardware was not enough, Butler was also named 2008 Female Rider of the Year in both Wakeboarding and Alliance Wakeboard magazines. She joins a roster that is full of the industry’s best riders, including Andrew Adkison, Rusty Malinoski, Parks Bonifay and Shane Bonifay.    |
