The Shell Extreme Water Show CHICAGO, IL - Chicago is once again host to the hottest pro freestyle tours in the water LIQUID X FREESTYLE produced by GEM Promotions and sanctioned by the International Racing Association. The sport of professional freestyle jet skiing makes its tenth consecutive appearance at this year's Air and Water Show. The Liquid X Freestyle pro tour rolls in again with 3-time defending National Champion and Chicago resident Gary Burtka leading the pack. The Liquid X Freestyle's "Big Air" competition will return this year with the riders going for their best aerial moves. This competition, which will run all three days, will determine this year's LXF National Champion. Thousands of dollars in prize money are also at stake as the largest pro freestyle payout in North America. Also competing in the competition is LXF 2002 Rookie of the Year Joe Eckert of Barrington, Illinois. This is the tenth anniversary show for LXF founder and pro rider/Chicago native Mike "EL Chef" Niksic. "El Chef" was the first freestyle rider to ever appear in the Chicago Air and Water Show in 1994. Other riders include Greg Brock, also of Chicago, 2002 2nd place overall pro rider Tommy Nutall and last year's winner in Chicago, Mack Shwab of Louisville, Kentucky. Each year the pro-freestyle competitions have been drawing larger and larger morning audiences. The flashy stylish, state-of-the-art machines, high speeds, incredible aerial tricks (including the barrel roll and invert) keep everyone's eyes glued to the water. Watch for candidates among the riders vying for trophies like Best Wipeout and Coolest Move. Afterward riders will (as they have for 10 years running) hand out thousands of prizes and goodies, signing autographs and posters till they run out of ink along the North Avenue bike path just north of the "chess pavilion". LIQUID X FREESTYLE has its origin here in Chicago three summers ago, at this same event. Watch for LIQUID STREET to makes its broadcast debut this winter in both the U.S. and Brazil. Also returning this year is MUNSON SKI & MARINE'S SHOW TEAM. This team will present an exciting and entertaining water ski and wakeboard show. Professional and show team water-skiers and wakeboarders will demonstrate their skills at an exciting morning show each day. Weather permitting, some of the acts planned for the show include Star Swivel, Star Doubles, Ballet Line, Wakeboarding, Barefooting, and Pyramids. Star Swivel features ladies performing ballet movements tow holds and flip turns on a free spinning water-ski. Star Doubles combines poise and agility as couples ski in tandem and perform beautiful adagio moves similar to figure skating. Ballet Line entails numerous water-skiers performing synchronized movements so the whole line moves as one. Wakeboarding includes daredevils performing flips and spins over the wake of the boat. Barefooting showcases skiers sans skis at boat speeds over 35 mph. The show usually ends with a grand pyramid of skiers 3, 4, or 5 tiers in height showing the epitome of teamwork. The MUNSON SKI SHOW SKI TEAM works together as a group allowing all the members to shine instead of highlighting individual performers. Each member believes in teamwork and that is why the group has been so successful. Some of these skiers have been skiing since 7 years old and have performed in venues such as the Tommy Bartlett Water Shows. Other accolades include being the first group to build a 5-tier pyramid in a tournament; representing the United States as ambassadors of water-skiing in the Peoples Republic of China; and won the National Water Ski Show Tournament Championships 12 times. Come and see all the spectacular performers rip it up along the shoreline of North Avenue Beach at the 2003 Chicago Air and Water Show. For additional information, contact Dave Larson at (866) 489-DAVE.