Networx riders Paul del Rosario and sister Wacky survived the tough semifinal round to emerge the first Filipino finalists in the 2000 Skat Trak World Jet Ski Finals in Lake Havasu here.
From a field of 50 semifinalists from all over the world, the 21-year-old Paul del Rosario wound up 10th among the 18 qualifiers into the finals of the Expert 1200 Superstocks Class.
He could have finished better if he didn’t miss a buoy in the first semifinal hydrocross race.
"It was tough, but I’m very glad I made it among the 18 finalists who’ll be vying for the title. This is one for the Philippines," said Paul del Rosario, who copped a historic back-to-back Rider of the Year plum last May in the annual Petron Jet SKI Series.
"It made us proud to prove Filipinos can equally excel in the sport. But the task is not yet over. We’ll still try to bring home a bigger bacon for the Philippines," he added.
Wacky, on the other hand, made it to the finals of the Expert Women’s 1200 class.
"It was likewise tough, considering most of the other women riders are veterans here. But making it into the finals gave me enough confidence. I’ll still try my best," said Wacky del Rosario.