June 18, 2011. Cologne, Germany –German wonder kid Nico von Lerchenfeld has won the O'Neill Wake the Line World Championships this weekend in Cologne, Germany, ahead of Shawn Watson and Keith Lidberg, in second and third place. With two near-perfect runs across the challenging course at the Stadionbad in Cologne, Von Lerchenfeld had no problem impressing the judges.
His first run included a snowboard inspired combo on the first gap, a huge melon air out of the quarterpipe and a switch toeside frontside 900 to top it off. When he hit his own signature obstacle in his second run, he nailed a backside 270 to switch noseslide and secured his win at the 2011 OʼNeill Wake The Line Shawn Watson proved to be the most consistent rider, laying down top level runs all evening including his signature move, an olé toeside 540.
Third place went to Keith Lidberg, who impressed the massive crowds assembled all evening, but couldnʼt maintain the same consistency as the two ahead of him. In the wakeskating division, 13 year old Daniel Grant from Thailand amazed everyone when he first hit the course. putting pressure on big names such as Nick Taylor (USA) and Leo Labadens (FRA). In his final run, Grant exploded and laid down the best line of the day, topping it off with a clean heelside frontside 540.Second place went to last years winner Jan Kissmann from Germany, followed by another German, Andy Kolb. Johannes Degenhardt, one of the founders of Wake The Line, was extremely pleased with the result of this year's edition. "I checked the weather forecast about 10 times a day the past week and we got some great support from the sunshine god", he said. "As every year the setup, organisation and riders management stepped it up a notch for a spectacular show."