Teen Splash on a Wakeboard

Posted on Sun, Aug. 24, 2008

BY JIM VARSALLONE
Queen of Wake's Rookie of the Year front-runner Raimi Merritt of Lantana proved
she is a rising contender during the WWA Wakeboard National Championships from
Aug. 6-10 in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
Battling high wind, choppy water and tough competition, Merritt, 15, upset five-time
national champion Dallas Friday in the semifinals to claim the top spot in her heat and
become the top-seeded rider entering the final.
''It was the first time this year that I led my heat, so I was pretty stoked about it,''
Merritt said in a release.
She also was excited to take the lead for the first time over Friday, whom Merritt
admires.
The cold, windy conditions got the best of Merritt in the final, and she fell three times.
She finished fourth behind Amber Wing, Shelby Kantar and Friday. Merritt was
disappointed with her performance in the final but said, ``It was still fun.''
Merritt trains primarily at Crystal Lake in Pompano Beach and Lake Osborne in
Lantana, near her home. She is scheduled to compete at the WWA World
Championships in September, the IWSF World Cup Singapore in October and the
IWSF World Cup in Qatar in November.
She is sponsored by Liquid Force Wakeboards, MonaVie Nutrition Beverage, R3
Global and Fly High Wakeboard Gear.
Visit raimimerritt.com.
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