Osborne sets out in pursuit of wakeboard gold
IWWF World Wakeboard Championships gets under way at Eastern Mangroves Promenade
Abu Dhabi: Australian Travis Osborne turned back the clock at the 2019 IWWF World Wakeboard Championships in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, launching his bid for a second gold medal 12 years after landing his first.
Osborne, who won the IWWF Masters title for 30-year-olds and over in 2007, was up to his old tricks again as the UAE capital welcomed 150 of the world’s top riders from 31 countries to the Eastern Mangroves Promenade.
Turning on the style in his qualifying heat as the five-day championships, hosted by Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, he was one of nine athletes to go through to Friday’s semi-finals in the Over 40 Veteran Men class.
Joining him were New Zealander Bryan Simpson, American Dayle Cartwright, Britain’s Mark Goldsmith, Frenchman Daniel Duquesnoy, Italian’s Pierlugi Mazzia and Francesco Starita, German Dominik Lindemann and Thailand’s Bunyalo Jumruang.
The UAE’s first ever national wakeboarding team is gaining valuable top level experience this week and brothers Mohammed and Hamed Naser Al Belooshi, along with Ahmed Omeir, will all get another chance to reach the semi-finals in Thursday’s boys last chance qualifiers.