The 2015 X Dubai Flyboard World Cup is in the books and with an all new champion in Hunter Verlander. The 16-year-old known as the “Poison Dart Frog” took the top spot with an array of technical tricks from layout triple flips to the first-ever quad flip. Not a perfect quad, but enough to drop the jaws of the judges.
Hunter became the kid to watch in Dubai last year with a fifth place finish and everyone took notice of the then 15-year-old prodigy. This summer he showed up to the North American Flyboard Championship and nailed the first triple flip on the legend board in competition, and took third. Now, going into 2016 the Dart Frog is the best in the world and the boy is now the man to beat.
The 42 Men’s division was quickly narrowed down to 32 on qualifying day and the bracket was on. Defending world champion Suksan Tongthai, and current North American champ Damone Rippy both suffered injuries with trips to the hospital. Verlander worked his way past the likes of Caleb Gavic, Damone Rippy, and Jake Orel in the final to take the golden board. Your podium in Dubai was Hunter Verlander, Jake Orel in second, and Cooper Riggs in third.
With any young sport progression is accelerated, and serious contenders seemingly come from nowhere. This was truly the case in the Women’s division. Defending champ Da-Yeob Kim was beat in the first round by Gemma Weston who had to be convinced to even compete in Dubai, went on to win it all in the final against Haruka Asano with the first triple flip by a woman. Florida’s Kristen Smoyer rounded out the podium.
The Veteran division (old guys that can rip) has an all new champion: Todd Sawisch of Florida. Todd won convincingly with triple flips and 1080 doubles over a tough field of riders, Dong-Won Yang, Ali Komsusu, and Simon Desira. In the end, Franky Zapata and wife Krystel outdid themselves again. The growth of flyboarding and the X Dubai World Cup continues to impress. We cant wait to see what Franky and the Flyboard family has in store for 2016.
X Dubai Flyboard World Cup Results
PRO DIVISION: 1) Hunter Verlander USA; 2) Jake Orel USA, 3) Cooper Riggs USA, 4) Damone Rippy USA, 5) Jason Gauthier USA, 6) Caleb Gavic USA, 7) Ben Merrell USA, 8) Steve Palma France, 9) Suksan Tongthai Thailand, 10) Brody Wells Canada; WOMEN DIVISION: 1) Gemma Weston New Zeland, 2) Haruka Asano Japan, 3) Kristen Smoyer USA, 4) Valentine Cambron Canada, 5) Solene Pandeles France, 6) Fernanda Villeneuve Mexico, 7) Megan Malone USA, 8) Da-Yeob Kim Korea, 9) Oceane Corbet France, 10) Yolanda Baker USA; VETERAN DIVISION: 1) Todd Sawisch USA, 2) Dong-Won Yang Korea, 3) Ali Komsusu Turkey, 4) Simon Desira Malte, 5) Vladimir Belov Russia, 6) Brandon Samuels USA, 7) Marc Baxter USA, 8) Robert Jaszczold Poland, 9) Bruce Haglund USA, 10) Antonio Martinez Spain
